Ireland has become increasingly popular as a surfing destination, due to its exposed location on the turbulent Atlantic seaboard.
The island has 3,172 kilometers of coastline, and the southern and western shores are exposed for waves originating in the North Atlantic. Although Ireland is located at a high latitude, the warm ocean currents of the North Atlantic drift ensures mild water temperatures throughout the year, with a minimum of 10 °C (50 °F) in winter and a maximum of 21 °C (70 °F) in summer.
The numerous beaches, reefs, headlands and coves along the west coast of Ireland serve as popular surf spots. Ireland has played host to international events since the 1960s, and is home to many surf shops, schools and clubs.
History Surfing has been documented in Ireland as early as 1949, however it was not until 1964 that the "Bray Island Surf Club" was founded. Ireland was first represented at the World Surfing Championship in 1966 by Kevin Cavey, which in turn inspired the first Irish National Surfing Championships, held in Tramore, County Waterford in 1967. The first Irish Inter County Surfing Championships was held in 1968, followed by a full Irish team entry in the inaugural European Surfing Championships of 1969.
The growing interest in competition surfing mirrored a general interest in surfing across the island, with the number of participants and clubs growing rapidly throughout the late 60s; by 1970, there were an estimated 400 surfers in the country. This led to the foundation of the Irish Surfing Association in that year.
Governing body Irish Surfing, also known as the Irish Surfing Association, is a voluntary organisation that governs the sport of surfing on the island of Ireland. It participates in club development, instructor training and surf school regulation, and promoting surfing safety and the protection of the environment, as well as overseeing competitive surfing in Ireland.
Clubs There are 16 surf clubs accredited by the Irish Surfing Association. Bundoran Board Riders Club (Bundoran, County Donegal) Causeway Coast Surf Club (Portstewart, County Londonderry) County Sligo Surf Club (Strandhill, County Sligo) Curracloe Surf Club (Curracloe, County Wexford) Easkey Surf Club (Easkey, County Sligo) East Coast Surf Club (County Dublin) GTown Surf Club (Kinsale, County Cork) Irish Soul Surfers Network (Ballyshannon, County Donegal) Kerry Surf Club (County Kerry) Killiney Surf Club (Killiney, County Dublin) Laois Surf Club (Portlaoise, County Laois) Liquid Therapy (Bundoran, County Donegal) North Sligo Surf Club (Strandhill, County Sligo) Rossnowlagh Surf Club (Rossnowlagh, County Donegal) TBay Surf Club (Tramore, County Waterford) West Coast Surf Club (Milltown Malbay, County Clare) There are also many unaccredited surf clubs throughout the country.
Competitions The two most important annual events in the Irish surfing calendar are the Irish National Surfing Championships, held in Bundoran, County Donegal, and the Irish Inter County Surfing Championships, held in Rossnowlagh, County Donegal.
Ireland has frequently hosted international competitions, including the Smirnoff International (Easky, 1979), the European Surfing Championships (Lahinch, 1972; Rossnowlagh, 1985; Bundoran, 1997 & 2011) and the Billabong Monster Tow In Surf Session (Mullaghmore 2011, 2012/13).
Culture Although surfing is not universally associated with Ireland, there is a growing surfing subculture to accommodate the increased interest in the sport. There have been a number of surfing documentaries filmed on the island (including the acclaimed 2008 documentary, Waveriders), as well as annual surf music festivals and a surf film festival. The Mullaghmore Head famously known as "The Irish Beast" is a well known big wave that breaks between Grange and Cliffoney, 400 meters northwest of the village of Mullaghmore in County Sligo. It is known as one of the most challenging big waves in the world.
Demographics Ireland has an estimated 20,000 resident surfers. In addition, the country is an increasingly popular destination for surfing tourists.
Locations + List of surf spots Name of spot Location County Break Direction Break Type Difficulty Ballycastle Beach Ballycastle County Antrim Right and left Beach-break All surfers East Strand Portrush County Antrim Left Beach-break Experienced surfers Finn's Left Ballintoy County Antrim Right Point-break Experienced surfers Portballintrae Portballintrae County Antrim Right and left Beach-break All surfers Portrush Portrush County Antrim Right and left Beach-break All surfers West Strand Portrush County Antrim Right and left Beach-break All surfers White Rocks Portrush County Antrim Right and left Beach-break All surfers Castlerock Castlerock County Londonderry Left Rivermouth Experienced surfers Castlerock Beach Castlerock County Londonderry Right and left Beach-break All surfers Portstewart Portstewart County Londonderry Right and left Beach-break All surfers Ballyheirnan Bay Fanad County Donegal Right and left Beach-break All surfers Ballymastocker Portsalon County Donegal Right and left Beach-break All surfers Black spot Bundoran County Donegal Right and left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Bloody foreland Brinlack County Donegal Right Point-break Experienced surfers Bundoran Bundoran County Donegal Right and left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Drumnacraig North of Portsalon County Donegal Right and left Beach-break Experienced surfers Falcarragh Beach Falcarragh County Donegal Right and left Beach-break All surfers Loughros Point Ardara County Donegal Left Rivermouth Experienced surfers Maghera Beach Ardara County Donegal Right and left Beach-break All surfers Pampa Bundoran County Donegal Left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Rossnowlagh Rossnowlagh County Donegal Right and left Beach-break All surfers Tullan Strand Ballyshannon County Donegal Right Beach-break All surfers Tullaghan (left) Tullaghan County Leitrim Left Point-break Experienced surfers Tullaghan (right) Tullaghan County Leitrim Right Point-break Experienced surfers Bay Break Strandhill County Sligo Left Reef-rocky All surfers Dunmoran near Skreen County Sligo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Easky Easky County Sligo Left Reef-rocky All surfers Easky (right) Easky County Sligo Right Point-break All surfers Gaa Enniscrone County Sligo Left Point-break Experienced surfers Inishcrone Enniscrone County Sligo Right Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Lislary near Ocean Heights B&B County Sligo Right and left Reef-rocky All surfers Mullaghmore Mullaghmore County Sligo Left Reef-rocky Pros or kamikaze only... Strandhill Strandhill County Sligo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Carrownisky near Louisburgh County Mayo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Dugort Achill Island (North) County Mayo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Keel Beach Achill Island (South) County Mayo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Keel Strand Achill Island (South) County Mayo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Kilcummin Ballycastle County Mayo Left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Killadoon beside Cross Lough County Mayo Right and left Beach-break All surfers Doonloughin ~4 km WNW of Ballyconneely County Galway Right and left Beach-break All surfers Aileens off Cliffs of Moher County Clare Right Reef-rocky Pros or kamikaze only... Barrtrá Lahinch County Clare Left Point-break All surfers Crab Island Doolin County Clare Right Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Cream Point off Milltown Malbay County Clare Right and left Reef-rocky Pros or kamikaze only... Doolin Point Doolin County Clare Right Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Doonbeg Castle Doonbeg County Clare Left Reef-rocky All surfers Doughmore Beach Doonbeg County Clare Left Reef-rocky All surfers Fanore Fanore County Clare Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Killard near Doonbeg County Clare Right and left Beach-break All surfers Lahinch Beach Lahinch County Clare Right and left Beach-break All surfers Lahinch (Left) Lahinch County Clare Left Point-break Experienced surfers Spanish Point Beach Spanish Point County Clare Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Spanish Point Reefs Spanish Point County Clare Right Point-break Experienced surfers Ardkeragh Waterville County Kerry Left Point-break Experienced surfers Ballinskelligs Waterville County Kerry Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Ballybunion Ballybunion County Kerry Right Beach-break All surfers Ballyheigue Ballyheigue County Kerry Right and left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Banna Strand Banna Strand County Kerry Right and left Sand-bar Experienced surfers Baslicon Waterville County Kerry Right Point-break Experienced surfers Beale North of Ballybunion County Kerry Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Brandon Bay Maharees County Kerry Right and left Beach-break All surfers Coumeenole Slea Head County Kerry Right and left Beach-break Experienced surfers Inch Reef East of Dingle County Kerry Right and left Sand-bar Experienced surfers Inch Strand Inch (Castlemaine Harbour) County Kerry Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Rossbeigh Rossbeigh County Kerry Right and left Beach-break Beginners wave Sandy Bay Maharees County Kerry Right Sand-bar Experienced surfers St. Finnians Bay between Puffin Island and Ballinskelligs County Kerry Right and left Beach-break All surfers The Old Hatchery Waterville County Kerry Left Point-break Experienced surfers Barley Cove Barleycove County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Do More Reefs near Glandore County Cork Right and left Rivermouth Experienced surfers Donomore Reefs off Ballinglanna County Cork Right and left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Dunworley on Seven Heads Peninsula County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Fennels Bay between Crosshaven and Myrtleville County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Fennels Bay Reef between Crosshaven and Myrtleville County Cork Left Reef-rocky Experienced surfers Garretstown near Kinsale County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Inch (Whitegate) between Roche's Point Lighthouse and Power Head County Cork Right and left Reef-rocky All surfers Inchydoney Inchydoney County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Langerville off Ardfield County Cork Right and left Reef-rocky Beginners wave Long Strand near Galley Head Lighthouse County Cork Right and left Beach-break Experienced surfers Ownahincha Owenahincha County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Red Strand near Galley Head Lighthouse County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers Sherkin Island Sherkin Island County Cork Right and left Beach-break All surfers White Bay beside Fort Davis County Cork Right and left Beach-break Experienced surfers Annestown Annestown County Waterford Right and left Reef-rocky All surfers Bunmahon Bunmahon County Waterford Right and left Beach-break All surfers Maghermore near Blainroe Golf Club County Wicklow Right Beach-break All surfers Tramore Tramore County Waterford Right and left Beach-break All surfers Killiney Bay Killiney County Dublin Right and left Sand-bar Experienced surfers Clogherhead Clogherhead County Louth Right and left Beach-break All surfers Dun Dealgan near Dundalk County Louth Right Rivermouth All surfers Curacloe Wexford Right and left sand bank and shore break sand bank for experienced surfers and shore break for all
Big wave surfing Ireland's location on the edge of the North Atlantic makes it a good location for accessing large waves. The record for the largest measured wave, at 19 m (62 ft) tall, is held by a buoy off the north-west coast of the country, and satellite imagery has shown a tendency for the generation of waves in excess of 9 m (30 ft) tall in the area.