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Displaying items by tag: Tom Lowe

#Surfing - An Irish wave enthusiast's 'surfing' video on the streets of Manchester has gone viral.

As the Belfast Telegraph reports, Manchester University student Sean-Caio Dos Santos Corr from Derrylaughan made the clip for the craic after spotting traffic splashing barrel waves onto the pavement on a flooded street.

Waiting for another downpour, Corr and his friend Christian Berger pounced with surfboard, camera and Bermuda shorts at the ready – and the results caught the interest of online viewers across Europe.

"We didn't even intend to take a camera with us we just grabbed it on the way out of the house for a laugh," says Corr.

"And now it's quite funny that people are actually interested in seeing eejits on the side of the road getting splashed in the face by a puddle."

In other surfing news, one of Cornwall's most prominent big-wave surfers has set up shop on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way to be in prime position for the giant walls of water the current stormy season is bound to throw up.

Tom Lowe tells the Western Morning News how chasing the biggest and best waves for a living often means sleeping on friends' floors – and jetting around the world at a moment's notice - while keeping in peak physical and mental condition

“It’s a complete package," he says. "Your heart has to be in it, your mind has to be in it and you have to be physically stable.”

Published in Surfing
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#Surfing - Cornish surfing pro Tom Lowe took on Ireland's incredible winter waves, and has the video to prove it!

Shot by fellow Cornwall native Mickey Smith, the clip - via Surf Around Ireland - shows Lowe paddling into some of the biggest swells the west coast has to offer.

Published in Surfing
Surfing magazine MagicSeaweed recently caught up with waveriders Fergal Smith and Tom Lowe to get the lowdown on winter surfing on the Emerald Isle.
The pair describe how flat surf after last November's 'big freeze' gave way to a run of big waves from January to March. For UK pro Lowe in particular it was his best ever season - but also one that left him spent.
"The finisher for me was that Mully morning session [off Mullaghmore]," he told MagicSeaweed. "Ferg towed me into the best wave of my life that morning; sounds wet but I was drained emotionally and physically by it."
For 'Ferg' Smith, the highlight was the paddle session at the Pampa wave near Bundoran.
"I grew up surfing Pampa so I know the wave well but I have never surfed it as big and perfect at that," he said.
MagicSeaweed has more insights from Tom and Ferg HERE.

Surfing magazine MagicSeaweed recently caught up with waveriders Fergal Smith and Tom Lowe to get the lowdown on winter surfing on the Emerald Isle.

The pair describe how flat surf after last November's 'big freeze' gave way to a run of big waves from January to March. For UK pro Lowe in particular it was his best ever season - but also one that left him spent.

"The finisher for me was that Mully morning session [off Mullaghmore]," he told MagicSeaweed. "Ferg towed me into the best wave of my life that morning; sounds wet but I was drained emotionally and physically by it."

For 'Ferg' Smith, the highlight was the paddle session at the Pampa wave near Bundoran.

"I grew up surfing Pampa so I know the wave well but I have never surfed it as big and perfect at that," he said.

MagicSeaweed has more insights from Tom and Ferg HERE.

Published in Surfing

About Currachs

A currach is a type of boat unique to the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland. Traditionally, currachs have a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides are stretched. These days, the wooden frame is more likely to be covered in canvas, which is then painted with tar to make it waterproof.

"Naomhóg" is the name given to the type of currach which used by coastal communities in Cork and Kerry. Currachs differ from each other from region to region. Naomhógs are slightly longer than the currachs used in the West of Ireland.
 
Some believe that currachs first came to the Dingle Peninsula in the early 19th century. They say this type of boat was introduced from Clare, where currachs are known as "canoes". 

Currachs are a unique type of boat that can be found on the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland. These boats are traditionally constructed using a wooden frame over which animal skins or hides are stretched. While this practice is still observed by some, many modern currachs now feature a canvas covering which is painted with tar to make it waterproof.

In coastal communities located in the Cork and Kerry regions, a specific type of currach is used which is known as a Naomhóg. Naomhógs are slightly longer than other types of currachs used in the West of Ireland. It is believed that currachs were first introduced to the Dingle Peninsula in the early 19th century, having been brought over from Clare where they are known as "canoes".

Despite the fact that currachs have been in use for centuries, the different regions in which they are used have developed their own unique variations. As such, currachs can differ from one another significantly depending on their geographic location. Nonetheless, these boats remain an integral part of coastal communities, serving as a reminder of our shared maritime heritage.