About Ireland Surf Travel
Mapping Ireland has never been an easy task. Back in 1590, Francis Jobson attempted to map the rugged West Coast, but the locals didn’t really want its secrets surveyed (he was a Brit, after all), so they kept feeding the poor sod inaccurate information. His map of Ireland’s West Coast ended up looking almost nothing like the real thing and he was run out of the country. In 1600, a mapmaker by the name of Barthelet actually lost his head trying to survey the West Coast.
We fared slightly better, but definitely left with a respect for the Island’s rugged beauty — and hard-won privacy.
This breakmap is not — nor is it intended to be — a comprehensive surf guide for every surf spot in Ireland. The reason is partly philosophical and partly practical: surf spots are sacred places, and deserve more than just a sentence and directions. They’re the closest thing to shrines we’ve got, and are worthy of a little examination, if only to give travelers a sense that they’re not the first ones there. It comes down to respect, really — the more you understand about a particular place, the more you’ll respect it. And that’s a good thing. Ireland’s a beautiful destination, surf or no surf — go have a look around.
Ireland Surf History:
British Customs officer Ian Hill was the first to take to the chilly green Irish waters, first in 1963 at Castlerock and then the following summer at Tullan Strand and Bundoran. Right around the same time in the south of Ireland, Kevin Cavey read a Reader’s Digest story about surfing and attempted to manufacture his own surfboard, to little success; he eventually created a weird kneeboard thing and finally ordered a balsa kit from England. The Surf Club of Ireland was founded in ’66, where Cavey represented Ireland in the World Champs that year in California; Cavey went on the following year to win the first Irish National Championships. Ireland has hosted the European National Championships in ’72, ’85 and ’97 and the Masters World Championships in ’01. Bundoran was supposed to hold the ’04 World Surfing Games but backed out at the last minute (to a $10,000 fine). One local surfer explained: “Most people just didn’t think it would benefit the local kids, really. Plus, it’s really tidal.”
Ireland Surf Crowds:
Richie Fitzgerald, Bundoran’s most well-known surfer and owner of Surf World wants to make one thing perfectly clear: “This isn’t some undiscovered paradise with leprechauns and perfect, empty waves around every corner. We’re not that windswept and interesting. But when the Peak’s on, mate…we’re out there.” In other words, despite an ongoing series of magazine articles on Europe’s “empty, coldwater Indo”, know that it’s not actually … that … empty. In summertime, the Peak can see as many as 50 people in an area about the size of your kitchen, and the hierarchy is pretty well-established, with traveling surfers being close to the bottom with 8-year-old local bodyboarders. Good luck.
Apart from the Peak and a few other well-known waves, though, you can still find some slices of uncrowded paradise — especially if you can stay on top of the ever-changing wind, weather, swell and tidal range.
Ireland Surf Hazards:
Hypothermia. Alcoholism. Gaining weight. Urchins. Ireland is full of unlikely hazards and pitfalls, just waiting to waylay the unsuspecting surfer. The water is cold, dude. If you’re going outside July/August, bring a 4/3 and a hood and booties, at least. And yes, Guinness will make you fat, especially if mixed with enough greasy food and a prolonged no-surf spell. Careful. In the water, the only hazards really are some very shallow rock reefs with urchins lurking in the crevices — walk on top of the reef and don’t wipe out and you’ll be just fine.
Ireland Surf Pollution:
Bundoran and Easkey have some sewage outfalls near the breaks that can get pretty nasty, but most of Ireland is damn clean.
Best Surf Seasons in Ireland:
1) Fall
September, October and November are generally considered the best months to plan an Irish surfari for a few reasons: the North Atlantic starts kicking out low pressure systems with some regularity, the weather can still be somewhat warm (though rain is likely), and many tourists have gone home, leaving accommodation plentiful and cheap(er). Water temps vary from the mid-50s to the low-60s and one could reasonably expect at least one solid double overhead swell during a two-week stay. (It could also be pumping — or stormy! — the whole time.)
2) Winter
Not for the faint of heart nor thin of wetsuit nor shortness of board, wintertime can be extremely punishing — it can blow 30 knots dead onshore for three weeks straight; but can also reward one beyond one’s wildest dreams — get a big high pressure over Ireland and some spinning lows offshore and you’re in chilly green heaven. Bring the thickest suit you got, booties, a hood and a warm, waterproof set of clothes. Oh, and a gun, too — if you’re here in winter, you like big heavy shit.
3) Summer
June, July and August are when most of the world comes to Ireland, and rightly so: the weather is nice, it doesn’t rain that much, and the water is bearable. Problem is, we’re dealing with the Atlantic Ocean in summertime, one of the most fickle beasts in the world. Sure, it’s sunny and nice, but it can go fairly flat for weeks on end. And it’s crowded both with surfers (and wanna-be surfers) and regular tourists, jacking up prices and making accommodation more difficult. If you’ve ever wondered, though, whether or not Europe could be surfing’s next superpower, come check out a learn-to-surf camp at Tullan Strand in August: 150 kids a day, smiles all around. They’re not about to give up, either.
4) Spring
Like most places in the world, springtime tends to be a very pretty, very transitional period — and the surf’s no different. It’s even more unpredictable than normal (which is saying a lot), but it’s not as cold as winter. You can luck out and get some late season North Atlantic storms and good weather, but chances are you’ll be at the whim of the wind and scrappy swells that come down off Greenland. Water is still pretty cold, too.
Directions to Best Surf in Ireland:
Most folks arrive in Dublin and make the four-hour drive across quite easily — of course making sure to DRIVE ON THE LEFT. The roads in Ireland are well-marked but quite narrow, especially if you’re not comfortable with the size of your car, you could easily find yourself off in some ditch somewhere or missing a passenger side mirror.
Most folks base themselves in Bundoran as it has the country’s best and most consistent surf as well as being fairly central to other areas of exploration.
Best Surf Reading for Ireland:
Lonely Planet: Ireland, 5th edition
Stormrider Guide: Europe, 3rd edition, Low Pressure Publications
Surf Report: Vol. 8 # 7 (South Coast) and Vol. 8 # 8 (North Coast)
The Irish Surfing Association is headquartered in Easkey, and they can provide some good local info. Email: Irish Surfing Association.