Donegal
Beach breakAll levels
A long, gentle beach on Donegal Bay, birthplace of Irish surfing and longboarding.
With so many bays and headlands, there's almost always a stretch of coast with an offshore wind: Donegal and Sligo face north, Clare and Kerry face west, and the south coast, from Cork to Waterford, only wakes up with southerly swells. The best season runs from September to April. Water is 9–10 °C in winter and about 15 °C in summer: a 5/4 or 6/5 hooded wetsuit, booties and gloves in winter.
Map
Bundoran (Donegal)
Beach breakAll levels
Bundoran's beach: a very consistent beach break below the cliffs.
Bundoran (Donegal)
ReefExpert
Ireland's most famous reef, right in Bundoran: a quality A-frame.
Mullaghmore (Sligo)
ReefExpert
Ireland's big wave: a giant, heavy left below Mullaghmore Head.
Sligo
Beach breakAll levels
Sligo's surf village, with a beach, schools and a scene at the foot of Knocknarea.
Easkey (Sligo)
ReefIntermediate
A classic left over rock slabs, west of the Easkey river mouth.
Easkey (Sligo)
ReefIntermediate
The Easkey right, next to the castle, long and good quality.
Lahinch (Clare)
Beach breakAll levels
Clare's surf town: a learning beach, schools and a base for the area's reefs.
Cliffs of Moher (Clare)
ReefExpert
A big-wave right below the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most spectacular settings in surfing.
Doolin (Clare)
ReefExpert
A very powerful right off Doolin, picking up more swell than anywhere else around.
Castlegregory (Kerry)
Beach breakAll levels
A huge bay on the Dingle peninsula, better known for windsurfing, with empty peaks.
Dingle (Kerry)
Beach breakAll levels
A 5 km sand spit on the Dingle peninsula, with long, soft waves.
Kinsale (Cork)
Beach breakAll levels
Cork's surf beach, picking up any south or south-west swell.
Waterford
Beach breakBeginner
A big sandy bay on the south coast, with soft waves and surf schools.
Conditions at a glance
| Spot | Wave type | Level | Best swell | Best wind (offshore) | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rossnowlagh | Beach break | All levels | W, NW, SW | E, SE | Mid to high |
| Tullan Strand | Beach break | All levels | NW, W, N | SE, S, E | All tides |
| The Peak | Reef | Expert | NW, W, N | SE, E, S | Low to mid |
| Mullaghmore Head | Reef | Expert | NW, W | SE, E, S | Mid to high |
| Strandhill | Beach break | All levels | W, NW, N | E, SE, NE | Mid to high |
| Easkey Left | Reef | Intermediate | NW, W, N | S, SE, SW | Mid |
| Easkey Right | Reef | Intermediate | NW, W, N | S, SW, SE | Low to mid |
| Lahinch | Beach break | All levels | W, NW, SW | E, SE, NE | Low to mid |
| Aileens | Reef | Expert | W, NW | E, SE | Mid |
| Crab Island | Reef | Expert | W, NW, SW | E, SE | Low to mid |
| Brandon Bay | Beach break | All levels | N, NW, W | S, SE, E | All tides |
| Inch | Beach break | All levels | W, SW | E, NE, N | Mid to high |
| Garretstown | Beach break | All levels | SW, S, W | N, NW, NE | Low to mid |
| Tramore | Beach break | Beginner | SW, S, SE | N, NE, NW | All tides |
Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.
Which wetsuit to bring
The water is around 9 °C in winter and 15 °C in late summer.
5/4 hooded wetsuit
For winter water at 8–11 °C.
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5 mm booties
Warm feet in winter and protection on rocks.
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4/3 wetsuit
The autumn-to-spring suit for water at 12–16 °C.
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Shapers in Ireland
Order a board designed for these waves from a local shaper.