KITESURFING

IRELAND

Kitesurfing Ireland is a representative group for Kitesurfers in Ireland

FIND OUT MORE
FIND OUT MORE

WHO WE ARE:

Kitesurfing Ireland is a representative group for Kitesurfers in Ireland. Kitesurfing Ireland represents kitesurfers by:

  • Promoting responsible kitesurfing
  • Ensures access to kitesurfing locations 
  • Ensures kitesurfing activities are in harmony with all beach, lake and water users
  • By working with all the relevant bodies – government, local authorities, NGO’S and other like- minded organisations

Community

While kitesurfing is a solo sport, kitesurfers in Ireland are a welcoming bunch, who promote a community that looks out for each other. We are happy to share information, give tips and generally talk about kiting.

We are happy to share our spots – there’s plenty of room for everyone. Local kiters all around the country will be happy to let you know when they are heading out.

Being There For Each Other 

As a community we keep an eye out for each other, help each other launch and land kites, recover boards if we can. Assist in a rescue if possible or if we know someone is in trouble and can’t get to them we call the coastguard and ask for assistance. Never kite alone, always kite with a few buddies so we have got each other’s backs.

We always offer assistance to another kiter who might need our help. Ideally someone stays on a beach until the last kiter is in, even if you don’t know them. If you have to leave, ask another beach user to keep an eye out for them. Make sure they know the importance of not leaving the beach until the Kite-surfer comes back to shore.

Kitesurfers should be responsible to return to shore when they see /know all others leaving the beach.

Where To Kite

Kiting is always more fun and safer when you kite with others.

Ireland is very free and easy. You can kite on almost any beach in the country. A general rule of thumb, if you can access the beach by public road of footpath – you can kite it.

Beaches:

Many beaches have Irish Water Safety Kitesurfing signs, please read and take heed. Only launch and land kites well away from other beach users, walkers, sunbathers, surfers, etc.

The official bathing season is from 1st June to 15th September and many of the popular beaches in Ireland have lifeguards on duty.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) https://www.beaches.ie/ lists a guide to bathing beaches, water quality, beach safety and advice on jellyfish stings, etc.

Lifeguarded Beaches:

If you see a yellow over red flag( insert flag) it means that the conditions are deemed safe for bathing. Please only kite 200m outside of the bathing zone.
If there is a solid red flag ask the lifeguards why. There may be a hazard or environmental issue. If you have not been on the beach before, or if you are in doubt, ask the lifeguards where to launch, kite and land.  

Outside of the bathing season or on unguarded beaches always keep 100m away from any swimmer or other water user, such as, surfers, kayakers, windsurfers, etc. Never kite near watersports school participants!

Kitesurfing Ireland encourages and promotes positive interaction with all other beach users. Courtesy and consideration go a long way on the beach and in the water. People love watching kitesurfers on the water – let us make sure they love us on and off the water too.

Kitesurfing Information For Around Ireland:

Extreme Nomads have put together some tips and best kitesurfing spots in Ireland click.

We would love to provide more information on other spots around the country, if you have any links please send them to us and we will add to this section.

Kitesurfing In Dublin Information:

Once Dublin has wind we can kite in almost any direction as long as the tide is with us – check out https://kitesurfdublin.com/. This is a great site with all you need to know about kitesurfing in Dublin Bay.

If you are not sure, check it, map it, search online, join a Kitesurfing Facebook group or Discord and ask, someone will always come back to you. Click here for a list.

keeping safe

Kitesurfing Ireland does not recommend that you buy equipment and try to teach yourself to kitesurf. We recommend that you get lessons from a qualified and experienced instructor – see our Learn to kitesurf section for.

We all want an epic session! Whether boosting high or carving waves, things can go wrong. Wind changes direction, increases or decreases, gear malfunctions. The Emergency Services are there for us all but are not a taxi service and might be needed for others in difficulty. Be prepared!

Checklist:

  • Check the forecast.
  • If you are going out, let someone know where and when you are going out and when you plan to be back and check in with them.
  • Check conditions at the spot and make sure you are comfortable with them before you go out.
  • Make sure you have the right size kite and the appropriate wetsuit for that time of year and the conditions. (In Ireland it might be summer but a winter wetsuit is needed.)
  • Always check your gear. Gear failure is no fun.
  • Conditions can change quickly. Read the forecast, watch the sky, expect the change and get off the water before it happens. 

If in doubt, don’t go out and go no further from the land than you are comfortable swimming back to. If the wind dies it could be a long and cold swim back with all your gear.

Lost Gear At Sea Or On A Lake

If you have lost your board or had to ditch your kite while in the water, then when you get back to land call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. Let them know you are OK but that you have lost your gear, ‘Gear afloat, Rider OK’. Then describe the gear – colour, any distinctive features or if your name was on it, where it was last seen and if you know what direction it was heading. 

We do this so as to avoid an unnecessary call out of the emergency services. The emergency services really appreciate this call as it saves them sending out resources to look for a lost kitesurfer when a board is washed ashore or when some member of the public spots a kite way out at sea. 

Learn to kitesurf

We recommend that to get started you get lessons from a properly qualified and experience kitesurf instructor. Here are some kite schools around the country:

If you are a kitesurfing school in Ireland and would like to be added please contact info@kitesurfingireland.ie .

Connect with other kiters

It is always safer & more fun to kite with other kiters.  There are various regional and national groups across various platforms where you can connect with other kiters in your region. There are many local Whatsapp Groups – and although we cannot link you to those from this website, these groups listed below are public and active and you can use them to establish contact with others in your local area.

The “Ireland Kite, Wind & Foil” Discord community with over 250 members is a great place to go if you are new to kiting or new to Ireland. 

“Kiting buddies” on Facebook is the biggest group with over 1100 members.

Head out East (Louth, Dublin, Wicklow) on Facebook
Heading Out North West (Sligo, Donegal) on Facebook
Heading Out SW (Cork, Kerry) on Facebook
Heading Out SE (Waterford, Wexford) on Facebook
Heading Out West (Mayo, Galway, Clare) on Facebook

Useful links and Resources

USEFUL LINKS

Weather apps

The following are reliable weather sites. Simply enter the preferred location in the search bar. You’ll get forecast data and some also have live wind speeds for that location.

www.windguru.cz/
www.windy.com 
www.wisuki.com 
www.windfinder.com  

https://www.met.ie/forecasts/marine-inland-lakes/buoys 

Where to buy & sell Used Equipment

There is an active buy/sell channel on “Ireland Kite, Wind & Foil” Discord community

See also:
“Kitesurf gear for sale or swap in Ireland” on Facebook
“EU Kite Surf Equipment” on Facebook
“Kitebay second hand kitesurf listing” on Facebook