Surfing
Surfing
Ireland's bravest surfers score an epic swell at Riley's big wave slab
Conor Maguire, Ollie O'Flaherty, Peter Conroy and the rest of Ireland's big wave chargers experience one of the best swells in years at the fickle Irish slab, Riley's.
When we think about Irish big wave surfing, we first think about Mullaghmore – or maybe Aileen's. The slab Riley's doesn't often come to mind, simply because it's a fickle, illusive big wave.
But when the stars align in the form of a big swell and buttery weather conditions, you can bet that all eyes in Ireland's tight-knit big wave community are paying attention to Riley's.
Local's knowledge
© Conor Flanagan
Riley's at full tilt
© Conor Flanagan
Peter Conroy, locked in
© Conor Flanagan
As wide as it is high
© Conor Flanagan
That was the scenario a few months ago for Conor Maguire and his fellow countrymen – chargers like Ollie O'Flaherty, Seamus McGoldrick, Peter Conroy, Gearóid McDaid, Fionán Cronin, James Monaghan and others.
I was sitting on the ski, wiping my eyes in disbelief
"I saw the forecast over a week out and it looked too good to be true," says Maguire in an interview with STAB Magazine. "When we were putting the skis in the water I still didn't believe the charts and expected to come around the corner to dry, 10 foot [3m] closeouts."
But, sure enough, the forecast proved true, and a day of magic ensued. "When we arrived, I was sitting on the ski with Gearóid, wiping my eyes in disbelief," Maguire continues. "It was honestly one of the best moments I've ever had in the sea and to share that with a friend was really cool."
Related
In this special Sessions edit from Clem McInerney, we get to hang with this brave crew of surfers in the days leading up to the epic Riley's swell, then dive in the water as all the action goes down.
In the wake of the swell, Conor Maguire found himself on the cover of Carve Magazine. He also sat down for an interview with STAB Magazine to talk about the swell, as well as what it's like to be a dedicated big wave surfer in the wild, woolly and freezing conditions of Ireland.
