Sometimes people are surprised to find that surfing is so popular in Ireland! This has always shocked the team here at Overland Ireland because the Emerald Isle has such a rich history of the sport. We’ve had a surfing culture since the “Bray Island Surf Club” was founded in 1964.
However, the first-ever instance of surfing documented in Ireland was in 1949, when an early Irish surf pioneer named Joe Roddy surfed the waves of Dundalk. Since then, the Emerald Isle has caught the surfing bug, and we are home to some of the biggest names in surfing! One of those surfers is Tom Lowe, who in 2016 competed in Jaws. For those not in the know, Jaws is a big wave surfing competition in Maui, where waves can reach up to 80ft!
While you won’t be tackling waves that big here in Ireland, you can still get that thrill of adrenaline as you push up on your board, the roar of the Atlantic Ocean behind you, and enjoy that blissful glide across the wave. Then, once you have ridden the wave as far as possible, you dip behind it and paddle back to do it all again.
Surfing is a sport that requires you to be 100% in the moment, an extreme form of mindfulness. That’s why we love the sport at Overland Ireland and have incorporated surfing into our Active Ireland Tours.
Are you a beginner surfer and worried that you don’t know your wipeouts from your cutbacks? Not to worry, at Overland Ireland, we offer surfing lessons as part of our 7-day Great Atlantic Adventure holiday in Ireland, and we offer private Ireland tours that can be personalized to meet your individual needs. If you have any questions about our tours, please get in touch.
It’s fair to say that we Irish folk know a thing or two about surfing. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the frothing swell our country offers at some of the best surf beaches in Ireland.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Donegal
Rossnowlagh, County Donegal
Rossnowlagh comes from the Irish, Ros Neamhlach, meaning “heavenly headland”, and we’d have to say that we agree. Rossnowlagh is located just 10 miles from Donegal Town and is a bay with soft golden sands and exceptional views; it even achieved Blue Flag status! This beach is popular with all water sports enthusiasts, from swimmers to sailors to surfers. This beach does it all!
It’s important to note that there aren’t any toilets on this beach, but a nearby campsite does have facilities if needed. The great thing about Rossnowlagh is that it’s got plenty of surf schools, so if you’re a newbie wanting to try surfing for the first time, this is the place for you!
Top Tip: Make sure to learn how to surf under the careful supervision of a surf instructor, who will teach you about water safety as well as shreddin’ those waves!
Bundoran, County Donegal
Overlooking the stormy Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of Ireland, Bundoran is often claimed to be the Emerald Isle’s surfing capital. Located in County Donegal, it’s home to some great surf schools, and you can find beaches and waves suitable for almost any ability along the coastline.
The town is set up for surf tourism too, and is seeing a huge increase in travelling surfers arriving year on year. There’s not only great surf, but a great community of like-minded locals and visitors that help to ensure Bundoran remains a firm favourite on many surfers’ itineraries.
Tullan Strand, County Donegal
Tullan Strand is a beach that overlooks the choppy waters of Donegal Bay. The beach is close to Bundoran, Ireland’s famous surfing capital, and many surfers will make the journey here while using the nearby town as their base to hit the waves all along the coast.
The long beach ensures that there are some big, uninterrupted waves all along the length of the sand, with easy access to the surf, making it a good spot for the less experienced, as well as a consistent spot for the more experienced. The beach itself is beautiful, while the proximity to Bundoran makes it excellent if you are looking for a convenient spot to learn the ropes when you are first getting started with the sport.
Looking for even more surf-inspired reading before your visit? Don’t miss our blog about the best surf spots on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way!
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Kerry
Inch Beach, County Kerry
If you’re looking for a famous surf spot teeming with fellow adrenaline junkies, look no further than Inch Beach. It’s a hotspot for windsurfers and surfers alike. Want to know how this 4-mile-long beach got its name? You guessed it: it has nothing to do with the length of the beach! Inch comes from the Irish word Inse, meaning Island. This means that the bay was an Island in the middle of Castlemaine Habour long ago.
Inch Beach is also an excellent spot for advanced surfers for slab surfing. Slab surfing refers to surfing on waves that break on a reef; it’s only for the highly skilled surfers, though.
Brandon Bay, County Kerry
Brandon Bay is a glorious 7-mile stretch of sand located on the northern side of the Dingle Peninsula and at the foot of Brandon Mountain. This bay in the Dingle Peninsula is excellent for entry-level surfing due to its long, slow waves. The bay also offers shelter from the wind, so whilst you’re shredding those waves, your loved ones can enjoy the pleasant breeze on the beach without getting sand in their eyes!
Top Tip: When surfing, always make sure your toes reach the board’s end. Otherwise, you might tip the board over (this is called nosediving).
Ballybunion, County Kerry
Ballybunion is a great family-friendly beach, so why not have a family surfing lesson? In addition, this beach won a Blue Flag award as it’s free of pollution. Ballybunion is regularly recognized as one of the best surfing beaches in Ireland.
When in Ballybunion, you should consider joining in with the local tradition of a seaweed bath, which involves bathing in kelp! Who knows, maybe it’ll be the next skincare craze? While you’re here, you should also try cooked periwinkles from local vendors on the beach. When in Ballybunion, right?
As is the case for most of the beaches we’ve recommended, surf lessons are available here as well. However, if you’re more advanced, you should consider the Atlantic Cliff break-outback to experience the power of the Irish Sea.
Are you looking for more ways to explore the beauty of County Kerry? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Walking the Kerry Way when you have finished here.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Clare
Lahinch Beach, County Clare
Lahinch is the ultimate holiday destination for families. Not only do you have wonderful beach and reef surf breaks, but you also have a million hot spots for delicious ice-creams and coffee! Here you can get some surf lessons or simply rent a board and give the rolling Atlantic waves a whirl! Ben’s Surf Clinic is a fabulous surf school that welcomes budding surfers of all ages and abilities.
The long stretch of beach is located a stone’s throw away from the world-famous Cliffs of Moher. After a refreshing splash in the Atlantic Ocean, you can treat yourself to the awesome views from the Cliffs of Moher and a hike to Doolin, the hometown of traditional Irish music. This all can be experienced on the Great Atlantic Adventure Tour.
Aileen’s Wave, County Clare
The Cliffs of Moher are a well-worn part of the Wild Atlantic Way. Found close to Galway on the west coast, the cliffs are one of Ireland’s most dramatic natural sights. The weather-beaten and surf-battered cliffs are over one hundred metres in height in some places, and you would never imagine that anyone could surf in the raging ocean below.
Some people are crazy enough to do just that though, because the Cliffs of Moher can be the site of Aileen’s Wave, one of the biggest waves in the world. This is for brave, professional-level surfers because Aileen is enormous – often over 12 metres in height – and the slightest mistake can be fatal.
Aileen can also be rather mysterious, as the wave isn’t a regular occurrence. Weather conditions have to be perfect for her to make her appearance, with fierce storms usually providing the fuel for her meteoric rise from the ocean. When she does appear, though, it’s always an epic sight.
We also include Aileen’s Waves in our amazing facts about the Cliffs of Moher!
Crab Island, County Clare
Crab Island is also found along the Wild Atlantic Way, not far from the Cliffs of Moher. While the waves won’t match Aileen for size and power, they are still impressive. They aren’t for the faint-hearted or for the inexperienced, as wrong moves can put you in danger amongst the rocks and the churning ocean.
The waves form big barrels, but they are consistent all through the year, making it a popular spot for surfers looking to tackle some larger surf when they are on the west coast of Ireland.
Riley’s Wave, County Clare
The Atlantic coast has some huge waves, and one of the biggest you can encounter is Riley’s Wave. The wave is found near Lahinch, which is the perfect base if you are looking to ride it. You need patience, however, because like the other monster waves that are found along the Wild Atlantic Way – Aileen’s being the most famous and largest – Riley’s Wave can be a rare sight indeed.
Conditions need to be perfect for the wave to hit the coast, meaning you’re going to need tumultuous surfing conditions. That makes this a wave for the hardcore surfers or the professionals, who are willing to risk it all for the thrill of riding one of Ireland’s biggest waves.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Cork
Inchydoney, County Cork
Inchydoney is just a small island that’s connected to the mainland by a causeway, but it’s one of the biggest surfing spots along Ireland’s south coast, particularly for beginners. Found in County Cork, there are two great beaches here, separated in the middle by a small headland.
While the waves aren’t quite as enormous as the towering waves found on the west coast, the conditions here are perfect for those who are just starting, and there are a few surf schools catering to learners. The surf here is stable and consistent, while access to the beaches is simple.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Sligo
Mullaghmore, County Sligo
Just down the road from Bundoran is the small Irish village of Mullaghmore. The tiny population of Mullaghmore is far outweighed by the surfers and tourists that visit the coast here, primarily because the waves have a fearsome reputation!
Mullaghmore is not a place for beginners to surf, but even if you don’t have much experience, you might want to visit to see what a professional wave looks like. Mullaghmore is famed for its monstrous waves, some of which regularly break over 10 metres in height. The surf here is good enough to warrant Mullaghmore consistently featuring in professional competitions.
Easkey, County Sligo
Easkey is big on the surfing circuit in Ireland, so much so that the Irish Surfing Association moved to the small village in County Sligo to establish its headquarters. Experienced surfers love the big breaks that are consistently found here, while there are several great surfing schools along the coast that can help beginners to get started on some of the quieter beaches close to Easkey.
If you are looking for an iconic surfing destination to visit when you are in Ireland, then Easkey is, quite simply, the legendary location that you are searching for.
Enniscrone, County Sligo
Also found in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland, Enniscrone is another favourite surfing beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The beach here is long, and even before surfing arrived in Ireland, it was always a favourite getaway location amongst locals and visitors alike.
The sand stretches for almost five kilometres from the town, and there is plenty of space for surfers and non-surfers alike. The waves are consistent along the coast, and you can find some beautifully secluded spots, despite Enniscrone’s ever-growing popularity amongst tourists.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Mayo
Achill Island, County Mayo
County Mayo is home to the beautiful surroundings of Achill Island, which is just off the coast but connected by a bridge to the rest of Ireland. The island itself has spectacular cliffs, wonderful beaches and is perfectly set up for surfers.
There are several sandy beaches around the island, which is one of the largest islands in the country. As well as surfing, Achill Island makes for a great place to explore when you aren’t in the water, with charming coastal villages and incredible scenery awaiting travellers.
Best Places for Surfing in Ireland: County Waterford
Tramore, County Waterford
Tramore, in County Waterford, is a great location along the southern coast to hit the waves. This was one of the original surfing spots in Ireland, while the beautiful coastline, bays, and beaches have long attracted holidaymakers looking to experience the best of the south coast.
There are several great surfing beaches around Tramore, ensuring that even if some spots aren’t looking good on the day, there are other great places nearby that you can still hit up. The town has a wide range of surfing schools and shops, as for decades, this destination has been at the forefront of Irish surfing.
Bunmahon, County Waterford
County Waterford has some of the best surfing spots in Ireland, and Bunmahon is an excellent location to visit if you are looking for solid conditions in the water. The small holiday town has an increasingly popular surf scene, and you can surf here all year round as long as you head out in a wetsuit to keep the chill off in winter.
Bunmahon isn’t far from the other south coast surfing destination of Tramore, which is also in County Waterford, making the whole coastline here perfect for surfers, and in particular for beginners looking for easier conditions than the much wilder west coast.
Best Places for Surfing in Northern Ireland: County Antrim
Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
It’s not part of the Republic of Ireland, of course, but when it comes to the Emerald Isle, Portrush in Northern Ireland is one of the best surfing spots. The small coastal town is part of County Antrim, and it’s often touted to be the surfing capital of Northern Ireland.
There are great waves here for all abilities, and if you are just entering the world of surfing, then you can find some of the best and longest-running surf schools in the UK at Portrush. There are great beaches by the town, making access easy, while there is plenty of accommodation for surfers to be found all along the coast.
Beginners can tackle the waves at Portrush East Strand, while if you are looking for more challenging breaks, then head to Portrush West Break, where the surf is much more challenging. Few other towns anywhere in Ireland offer such an array of conditions so close to each other.
Be sure to read our Complete Guide to Visiting Northern Ireland next if you plan to head north of the border!
Explore the Emerald Isle with Our Ireland Tours
There you have it, that’s our list of the best surfing beaches in Ireland. We hope this will inspire the newbie to the seasoned surfer to take a trip to our beautiful country and experience all that the Irish Sea has to offer. Perhaps you’d like to explore Ireland in other ways once you’ve had your surfing experience? If so, look at our group tours of Ireland – perfect for all the family!
If you have any questions about our small group tours of Ireland, or our private tours of Ireland, please get in touch.
