Why you’ve never heard of this surfing destination

Think surfing and you probably think of sun-bleached blondes and long, wave-washed beaches of California. Or maybe the competitive curls of giant waves off Hawaiian or Australian coasts. Canadians might point to hardy, wetsuit surfers off its west coast. But have you ever considered a surfing holiday in Ireland?

Thought so. Think of the Emerald Isle and your musings probably turn to cozy pubs, cobblestone streets, lilting accents or cliff side ambles.

Where in the world?

But there’s a surfing culture blooming in county Donegal on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way – a 2,500-kilometer coastal driving trail through nine Irish counties.

Who started it?

Donegal resident Mary Britton visited California in the 1960s. She wasn’t just mesmerized by Californian dreaming, she watched people catching waves in the turquoise waters and thought, “we could do that!” I’m assuming she realized they’d need wetsuits for the frigid North Atlantic waters but she shipped a couple of surfboards home.

The rest, as they say, is history

She introduced her children to the new sport. Not put off by the lack of surfing companions or chilly weather, her sons shared a wetsuit and watched television to learn techniques. They began competing and Brian Britton was instrumental in developing the sport in Ireland. Now Mary’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren are surfing (Easkey Britton is five-time Irish National Champion) and visitors to Dungloe’s sandy beaches in county Donegal are as likely to spot someone balancing on a surfboard as a flock of oystercatchers.

Surf culture meets shamrock

At the Sandhouse Hotel & Marine Spa large windows provide direct views of the wave-washed horizon. Steps away a fine sand beach offers kilometers of beachcombing. In the pub surfboards compete with Guinness signs for wall space as barkeeps pull a foaming pint of lager.

And if you’re not a surfer?

The juxtaposition of surf and traditional Irish culture take a few minutes to wrap your mind around but then you realize it’s why we travel. Those unexpected discoveries at the end of the road reshape our worldview and make one wonder, “When’s the last time I found a new interest while travelling and brought it home?” Maybe it’s time to do it again.

TWEETABLES

Why you’ve never heard of this surfing destination – Click to Tweet.

Where in the world is the surfing culture booming? Find out in my friend @Reinventure’s blog post here: Click to Tweet.

Restoring Balance in Ireland’s Glenveagh Castle Gardens

I recently visited Ireland for a SATW travel writers and photographers conference. As part of the post-conference tour I journeyed to Glenveagh Castle and National Park and discovered gardeners struggling to restore balance in plant species.

On a tour of the castle gardens, gardener Sean O Gaoithin explained to our SATW group that introduced animal and plant species are one of the world’s biggest challenges. “There are European plants invading Asia – like dandelions – and Asian species invading Europe.”

Glenveagh Castle was originally owned by John George Adair. His wife Cornelia Adair became owner of the castle when he died suddenly 1885. Cornelia took over running the estate and unaware of the dangers of invasive species brought in red deer.

While popular with hunting parties the species decimated Irish forests. Trees interrupt the view across Glenveagh Castle Lake only in a deer-exclusion zone or near the castle where it appears tourists or gardeners make deer feel unwelcome.

The estate was eventually bestowed to the Office of Public Works in 1983 and a national park was created. Now O Gaoithin is tackling the problem of invasive species in the gardens. “I’m not supposed to introduce any new species. It’s in my contract,” explained O Gaoithin, “I try to get rid of problems.”

While it’s possible to kill the invaders there will be no success unless native plants are reintroduced shortly thereafter. “It’s more about vegetation management, not just killing plants,” clarified O Gaoithin.

The result is a unique blend of garden and natural fauna within a national park and a reminder all of us share responsibility for restoring balance to natural environments. “Our job from now on is to garden the planet responsibly,” O Gaoithin concluded before waving and striding away in heavy work boots, his mind already back on restoring environmental balance.

To learn more about the castle gardens click here.

TWEETABLES

Restoring Balance in Ireland’s Glenveagh Castle Gardens – Click to Tweet.

My friend, @reinventure, recently discovered there is a problem with invasive species in the gardens in Ireland. Read on for more: Click to Tweet.

Did you know that introduced animal & plant species are one of the world’s biggest challenges? My friend, @reinventure, shares why here: Click to Tweet.