Surfing in Sligo: Ireland’s Wave-Rich Northwest
Sligo (along with nearby Bundoran) is very much the heart of Ireland’s surf scene, home to some of the best and heaviest waves in the country.
The rugged coast here is utterly and completely exposed to the open Atlantic Ocean so the main issue is often too much swell, not too little.
When it is massive, you get the likes of Mullaghmore – a bombing XXL wave that’s not to be touched unless you have a deathwish.
What I like is that the region is so exposed that it has fine consistency through the long summer months, which means great road tripping on wild coastal roads through lovely villages hopping beaches and reefs as you go.
My advice? Get in the car and explore.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Ireland
Best surf spots in Sligo
Sligo the town is right in the centre of the surf region here. Go north towards Bundoran and you get Mullaghmore and then Bundoran itself (which is just over in County Donegal). Go eastwards and you’ll get the wide beach breaks and some pretty fantastic reefs.
Honestly, we cannot stress enough how having a car is the best way to go about this region – it’s perfect for surf roadies.
Mullaghmore
Mullaghmore is Ireland’s most famous big wave break. The wave here is monstrous, breaking over a deep-water reef to form thick, barrelling peaks that are quite frankly ridiculous. It fires best in the winter and disappears altogether for the entire summer.
The best play is to drive the lovely coast road around the Mullaghmore headland and watch the people charging it.
We have a full guide to the surfing in Mullaghmore
Strandhill
Strandhill is one of Sligo’s most well-known beaches, sitting just west of Sligo town. It’s a consistent, high-energy beach break that works on various tides and offers solid peaks across its stretch of sand.
The banks here can be seriously, seriously good – I’ve seen summer conditions that mimic Popoyo, only without the tropical temps. What’s unusual is that there’s a patch of cobble right in the middle of the bay that simulates a reef setup to give some perfect hollow right rubes and fatter left walls. That will be the busiest spot.
Anything W to NW will give solid conditions. Large car park directly at the beach, with easy walk-in access. Beware of rips around the cobblestone.
Dunmoran Strand
Dunmoran is a lesser-known beach break located just north of Strandhill.
It’s a great alternative when other breaks are too crowded, offering clean, playful waves on a decent swell. The angle of the bay here is important – it’s more dead-on north facing than other beaches in the area, so will get big and beefy on winter swells but is a little smaller and more manageable on the summer swells.
There’s a small carpark but it’s often not too busy. I love surfing here because it’s beautiful.
Easky Right & Easky Left
Easky is one of Ireland’s most famous reef breaks, offering both a right-hand and a left-hand wave breaking over flat rock. Located in a small village west of Ballina, it’s a must-surf for intermediate and advanced surfers looking for long, powerful walls.
Catch on a mid- or high-tide and it’s perfect with some good NW angle in the swell. When it’s over 6 foot the right here will hollow out and give tubes.
Smaller than that and it’s a wedge break with a more softly peeling pocket. The rock underneath is pretty shallow and cuts if you hit it, so this is for advanced surfers only plz.
Enniscrone
If you’re not gonna’ do a drive up and down the Sligo coast or are coming as a family to learn to surf, choose Enniscrone.
This is County Sligo’s answer to Bundoran and one of the all-round best learner destinations in Ireland.
There’s a long beach right in front of the town, which has some nice places to stay and some good surf schools.
There’s a mix of sandbank waves but also a reef break at the far end of the beach that’s more intermediate+.
Doesn’t get the full whack of crazy winter swell because there’s some decent protection from the west and the beach itself faces a little east.
We have a full guide to the surf in Enniscrone for more info on the spots there (coming soon)
Aughris Head
A quiet, scenic reef break located just south of Easkey. Aughris offers powerful, sometimes hollow waves that work well on a good northwest swell.
It’s for advanced surfers on the western side of the headland. On the eastern side you get Aughris Beach, which is one of the most protected beaches in the whole of Sligo.
It’s usually too small there in summer, but winter swells with west in them wrap in and give nice logger waves.
Best time to surf in Sligo?
Sligo’s west-facing coastline picks up Atlantic swells year-round, with the best surf conditions arriving in autumn and winter. Beginners usually prefer the summer, which is generally smaller but usually much easier.
- Autumn (Sept–Nov) – Prime surf season with solid NW swells and lighter winds.
- Winter (Dec–Feb) – Heavy, consistent swells, great for experienced surfers.
- Spring (March–May) – Smaller but clean surf, decent for all levels.
- Summer (June–Aug) – Less consistent but still fun on the right days.
Water temperatures range from 8°C in winter to 16°C in summer, so a 5/4mm wetsuit is necessary in colder months.
Where to stay (for surfing) in Sligo?
There are tons of places up and down the coast in the Sligo region that all provide great access the surf spots mentioned above.
If I was planning a trip I’d pick two or three and string together a road trip through the whole area.
If you don’t have a car then go to Enniscrone and surf right out front of the town every day.
I’ve got a soft spot for cozy Irish B&Bs, pubs, and cottages, so the places I like would be:
- The Driftwood – On Rosses Point just north of Sligo town is this characterful tavern stay that oozes Irish charm. It’s cozy, has stylish rooms, and is within 20-30 minute’s drive of loads of surfing.
- Easkey Glamping Village – If, like me, you love camping/glamping, then this place has some really nice wood-lined chalets with decks. It’s close to Easkey’s Reefs but also really near the more beginner-friendly beachies of Enniscrone.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
