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Where to go surfing in Ireland


Published Friday, March 13, 2009, 12:48 PM
Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:28 PM

See more: Ireland  

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A surfer gets ready to ride the waves in Easky, County Sligo
A surfer gets ready to ride the waves in Easky, Co. Sligo
Photo by Nutan / Tourism Ireland

The first surfer on record in Ireland was Joe Roddy, an industrious 14-year-old in County Louth who hit the waves on a paddle board he made from a work book manual.
 
Today there are 50,000 surfers in Ireland, which has become a popular destination for the world’s surfing community. According to the Irish Sirf Association, the first Irish National Championship was held in 1967, and the sport has been on the up ever since.

The west of Ireland, with its craggy coastlines, is the first place for the massive waves from the Atlantic to crash ashore, creating excellent surfing conditions.

Just last year, surfers from around the globe were drawn to Ireland when 55-foot waves smashed into the west coast as a result of a low-pressure system.

The New York Times reported that surfers migrate yearly to coast in Co. Donegal from places like the U.S. and New Zealand to experience a weekend of wild, winter surfing.

So there is plenty of surf in Ireland to please the pro, but for those of us who are not even sure how to stand on a surf board, there are about 40 surf schools, and surfing lessons, coaching, board hire and wetsuit hire are available at most surf clubs.

Here’s a guide on where to surf:

Northern Ireland

BREAK TYPE: beach

WAVE DIRECTION: left

IDEAL WIND: southerly

IDEAL SWELL: north westerly

IDEAL TIDE: low - mid

HAZARDS: none

AVERAGE WATER TEMPS: 8°C - 14°C

DIFFICULTY: intermediate

Portrush, a seaside town in Co. Antrim, is the home of surfing in Northern Ireland. Here you can find waves on both the West and East Strands. This resort town features several surf shops and schools.

North West

BREAK TYPE: beach

WAVE DIRECTION: various

IDEAL WIND: southerly

IDEAL SWELL: northerly

IDEAL TIDE: all

HAZARDS: none

AVERAGE WATER TEMPS: 8°C - 14°C

DIFFICULTY: beginner

Great waves can be found in numerous locations in Co. Donegal on Ireland’s West Coast. Popular locations include Inishowen and Fanad Head to the north, Dunfanagh, Bloody Foreland and Dungloe in the northwest and Rossnowlagh, the home of one of Ireland’s first surf clubs, and Bundoran in the south of the county. The last two sites are often regarded as two of the best surfing locales in all of Ireland.

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See more: Ireland, sports, more sports, surfing

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