Irish cold-water surfing, by the people who do it best | Huck

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Irish cold-water surfing, by the people who do it best

Huck x Finisterre — Finisterre brings together five surf pioneers – and their incredible stories – on the northwest coast of Ireland for a dreamy new surf short.

In the new Finisterre film, Common Ground, ambassadors Easkey Britton, Noah Lane, Matt Smith, Sandy Kerr and Fergal Smith met for the first time to score some waves and talk about their backgrounds, goals for the future and their shared love of the ocean.

Finisterre’s mission remains the same as it ever was: Working to better cater for cold water adventurers and surfers. And that mission is reflected in their ambassadors and the challenges they overcome.

Surf cinematographer Luke Pilbeam shot the Finisterre surfers navigating the dramatic Irish ocean, in beautiful black-and-white footage, and each rider reflected on a storied 2016.

For people like Fergal Smith, it was a year spent running for public office in Ireland and reconnecting with his land at Moy Hill Community Farm.

For others like, Easkey Britton, it was a year spent completing her doctorate and founding Waves of Freedom, an organisation that wants to channel surfing for positive surfing change.

Each ambassador is different, but they all connect around the ocean and the social values that follow from that world perspective.

Find out more about Common Ground here. 

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© 2026 A. B. Bell
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