A place with rough weather conditions, where sunny skies can, at any moment, be followed by low dark clouds and heavy rain.
For many, Ireland epitomizes what cold water surfing truly is - an uncomfortable and difficult challenge that will only boost a surfer's passion for riding waves.
"Meet The Pioneers Of Surfing In Ireland" is a beautiful and revealing documentary about the men and women who are making history for their country.
Surrounded by idyllic and dramatic natural environments, Irish surfers represent the best their sport has to offer.
Barry Britton is one of the patriarchs of surfing in Ireland. He is 64, but he surfs like he is 40.
He was introduced to the sport of kings when his mother, a small hotel owner, bought two surfboards in California for her guests.
"She had great visions of us becoming fine young gentlemen. But by bringing those surfboards, she just turned us into a bunch of beach bums. She regretted it till the day she died," explains Britton.
Surfers and Bodyboarders United
The multiple-part documentary also tells how bodyboarders and surfers team up to push the boundaries of big wave surfing in previously unchartered slabs and thunderous waves like Mullaghmore Head.
We invited you to explore the brains - and hearts - of some of the best Irish performers, including Conor Maguire, Tom Gillespie, Tom Lowe, Fergal Smith, Seamus McGoldrick, Mickey Smith, Dan Skajarowski, Jack Clohessy, Gearoid McDaid, and many more.
Fergal Smith, Ireland's first professional surfer, also reveals how money nearly ruined his passion for the sport.
"The moment I started making money, it got weird and stopped making sense. What was I doing for the place I lived in? And then I thought I should go home and grow food," says Smith.
Fergal emailed his sponsors, telling them he was not okay with it anymore. He would still continue to surf, but not as a professional traveler. Most of them quickly disappeared.
Ireland is one of the most exciting surfing destinations on the planet. Let's enjoy it as it is and keep it pure, with its people at the core of it all.
Discover the best surf spots in Ireland.