The Silver Surfari

A 52' documentary on the Patrons Pilgrimage Surfing Surfari

In October of this year a group of ageing surfers will reunite for the first time
in 40 years and embark on an epic journey along Irelands West Coast, a journey of rediscovery, both of old friends and simpler times.  

Credited with being the forefathers of Irish Surfing these men and women
were among the very first to surf our coastline. Forty years on and these same
individuals will once again enter the emerald waters as they set out on a ten
day surfari beginning in Lahinch in Co. Clare and ending in Rossnowlagh in
Co. Donegal.    
Up to forty surfers from around the world will be dusting off their longboard's and revving up their rusty camper vans as they retrace the tracks they made nearly half a century ago.    

This documentary will follow the convoy as it makes its way up the coast;
from the reunion at Kenny's Bar in Lahinch, where the first surfers met in
1966 to the celebrations at the Surfers Bar at Rossnowlagh.  

Among our storytellers is the original granddaddy of Irish surfing; a longbearded highly opinionated hippy soul surfer;   a Californian surf traveller who could never leave his Irish roots behind and many more. Together they will
bring us a unique insight into how surfing began and developed in Ireland
and give the viewer an opportunity to discover a subculture that has rarely
been documented.  

The first part of our documentary will re-create the sense of adventure that
these pioneers experienced in the 60's, when they paddled out into the
unknown, discovered many new surf breaks, experimented with different
equipment and became the legends that they are today..

Using a wealth of rare archive film footage that we have collected, including many of the surfers own personal 8mm cinefilm they will guide us through a
time when these once bronzed freckly faced youthful surfers began to discover the true gems that Ireland's oceans had to offer. The present day footage will then show these same surfers, older, greyer and balder, still enjoying the sport that has become for them a way of life.  

As the present day surfers move their way up the coast from Clare, to Achill
Island, and on to Sligo, the documentary will explore the development of the sport through the 70's when Ireland began to gain recognition as a surfing destination.   More and more surfers began to travel from overseas curious at what Ireland had to offer, they brought with them modern boards, wet suits and leashes as well as numerous tales of their experiences from around the world.

At the same time the Irish surfing community became more organised,
holding national events and then International events such as the European
Championships in Lahinch, 1972.   But with growth came sacrifice and soon the Irish breaks became more and more crowded and it wasn't long before a certain unrest developed as many local surfers fought to keep their Irish surf spots a secret.  

The present day silver surfers will narrate this eventful time in Irish surfing
with stories about crude wet suits, dangerous sea rescues in Easkey and lock-ins in wee Doolin pubs. Informal interviews, super8 surf discoveries, heated campfire debates, present day mellow surf sessions and memories shared over a few pints will all help to weave the story of these exciting early years.

The final stop of the surfari and climax of the documentary is when Donegal hosts the annual Inter-county surfing championships.   This traditionally social surfing contest demonstrates that soul surfers and competition surfers can coexist, as young and old styles compete against each other. Grey beards and longboards alongside the fresh faced and fully branded. This finale will be a perfect opportunity to bring together the topics that will have arisen over the previous week and take a glimpse into the future of Surfing in Ireland.  

In a letter sent out to the participants of the patrons pilgrimage, the
organisers describe their aim as "to celebrate 40 years of Irish surfing 1966 -
2006…it is meant to be about fun, reunion, old memories and surfing, so let's
enjoy it, share some yarns and welcome back again to Irish waves friends from many years ago." 

The documentary will not only record a once in a lifetime event of huge
importance to Irish Surfing but will also show how these men and women do
not just see surfing as a sport, but as a way of life where important decisions
revolve around the ever changing ocean: where to get a job, where to bring
up a family, what to call their first born child.... an alternate lifestyle! 40
years on and still surfing!