Watch: Meet The Pioneers Of Surfing In Ireland | Part 1

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Dispatch

Red Bull have put together a great long piece documenting the people who put surfing on the Emerald Isle's map and how they're taking it to the next level.

This is Part 1

Comments

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Wednesday, 26 Sep 2018 at 2:40pm

Fantastic...the Irish just get it. Just loved old mate Barry.

upnorth's picture
upnorth's picture
upnorth Wednesday, 26 Sep 2018 at 8:35pm

Love it, as true as they come. Short film by Finisterre called North Sea Holes might be of interest.

Watery's picture
Watery's picture
Watery Wednesday, 26 Sep 2018 at 8:58pm

Look up Barry Britton's art. Since the 80s, he has done a poster each year for the Intercounties competition (I have a bunch of them on my walls). Each one mixes Celtic and surf imagery, picking up on a few things the cultures share.

Oh, and Red Bull missed Grant Robinson - true pioneer of Irish surfing (with Barry and his brothers), European surf champ in the masters division in the late 90s, and the legend who took pity on me as I camped in miserable weather at his local back in 1997 (so put me up for a week or two of surfing and partying).

Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben Wednesday, 26 Sep 2018 at 10:44pm

Woohooo!! Surfing spirit.

Fozza's picture
Fozza's picture
Fozza Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 9:23am

"Taking it to the next level"? Blah blah..... That's not what I get from this at all - more like a tribute to those, like Fergal, who see through the vacuous, profit driven hype and have the emotional intelligence to place a high value on connecting with their environment.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 9:33am

It can't be both?

After all, it's Fergal himself who talks about being intense, setting the highest standard possible in big waves, achieving all those 'firsts' - in other words, taking it to the next level.

And then of course there's the way he acted on conscience regarding air travel and the vacuous nature of pro surfing.

Why should the two negate each other?

factotum's picture
factotum's picture
factotum Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 11:33am

I can concur with Watery above. His art: http://localhands.ie/barry-britton/

Met the fella on an island off Portugal. Surfed with him, had a few jars with him, good craic, and he invited me and my mate to say g'day when we got to Ireland.

A few years later, on our second stint living and surfing there, we finally caught up with him. Great studio. Just across the road from the pub, and the pub is right on the beach. His family pub!

Side-note: funny old town, Rossnowlagh. We were there in the van on the beach one day, dusty...again, when we were awoken by this procession marching on the sand!

https://www.tripsavvy.com/rossnowlagh-orange-order-parade-spectacle-1541778

I've gotta say I've never seen a stranger looking bunch of people gathered in the one place. It was like a Deliverance/Hills Have Eyes casting-call. I've got pictures somewhere.

factotum's picture
factotum's picture
factotum Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 11:48am

Another side-note: down the road from Rossnawlagh is this!

https://ramblingwombat.wordpress.com/2017/06/08/republican-garden/

They were building it last time I was there.

Also, around the corner from the wave at Mullaghmore, this happened:

https://www.sligoheritage.com/archmbatten.htm

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 12:00pm

There’s other places more worthy of protection.....

Fozza's picture
Fozza's picture
Fozza Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 12:38pm

What's the criteria?

factotum's picture
factotum's picture
factotum Thursday, 27 Sep 2018 at 3:48pm

Blowin, please explain?

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Friday, 28 Sep 2018 at 8:39am

Just been on a motorcycle tour through those areas and I had no inclination whatsoever to want to surf there. Cold, drizzle, windy, bleak and a lot of tourists on the road at this time of year. I admire those guys to want to do it in those really shitty conditions, and low mate is a gem. Great place, people and pubs but I will leave surfing to even Victorias somewhat warmer climes.

juanboogie's picture
juanboogie's picture
juanboogie Sunday, 30 Sep 2018 at 9:41am

Love how’s theres a brotherly oceanic love between the surfers and bodyboarders.

LeroytheMasochist's picture
LeroytheMasochist's picture
LeroytheMasochist Sunday, 30 Sep 2018 at 8:48pm

Old mate, probably in his mid 60s, on riding Mullagmore (strong Irish lilt)

"I have to admire young guys like Connor Mcguire, hes a small man - but hes got big balls."

I hope Leroy is still dishing out the gold at his age. Farkin legend

P'tai's picture
P'tai's picture
P'tai Monday, 1 Oct 2018 at 8:38am

Leroy lost it years ago.........