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The 14-foot wooden hulled board Roddy recreated by memory is an exact replica of the one he built in 1949. Sponsored Links The 3rd generation of lighthouse keepers in his family, Roddy remains tied to the sea as the owner of a boating business that transports tourists to the Skellig Islands. Those who knew him painted him as a great storyteller who is delighted to be rediscovered for his monumental first ride. By Taylor Soppe SurferMag,com model_orangeco OP OneWorld: Water Wars? Rinco...
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7/6/09 12:14 PMIreland's First Surfer Rides Again
Page 1 of 2http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/irelands_first_surfer_rides_again/
The 14-foot wooden hulled board Roddy recreated by memory is an exact replica of theone he built in 1949.
IRISH LORE: LEGEND OF JOE RODDYIreland's First Surfer Rides AgainBy Taylor SoppeSurferMag,com
The year was 1949, and itwas a quiet day at SoldierPoint in Dundalk, Ireland.One lone figure wascreeping out to sea onsome mysterious watercraftthat he had constructedhimself. And suddenly, theboy paddled around andwas gliding inward,propelled by a wave peelingon the point. This sereneride was the first of its kindin the country, and on thatday young Joe Roddybecame the first man to surfin Ireland.
This small moment inhistory was recreated sixtyyears later on the beach inTramore, Ireland. OnSunday June 21, as part ofthe T-Bay Surf Club’s annual “Legends” dinner dance,Joe Roddy returned to the water on a replica of hisoriginal board.
“He hadn’t been on a board for 57 years, so thepossibility was that he might be a bit rusty. I needn’thave worried,” said Hugh O’Brien-Moran, competitivesurfer and one of the founding members of the T-BaySurf Club. Roddy maneuvered into waves using apaddle, much like he did sixty years ago. “Joe rode thewave with a relaxed stance, knees slightly bent, withthe youthful look of a natural athlete. At the same timehe had a proud and noble bearing that comes withage,” said O’Brien-Moran.
The crowd cheered in awe, knowing they werewitnessing a rare event that would be remembered inIrish surfing. “Even though the waves were smallpeelers, it was as impressive to me as seeing a modern surfer pull into giant waves,” said Eric Randall, surf club memberand Co-Director of the T-Bay Surf & Eco Centre.
Roddy’s ride was celebrated by members of the surf club along with children who belonged to the kids surf league. Someof these young surfers even got the chance to ride tandem with him on the 14-foot monster of a board known as “TheLegend.”
The original Irish surfer built the board himself as a replica of the one he used in 1949, which was constructed out of teachests and dismantled furniture. Roddy also built a model that is displayed in the Surf Centre, along with a paddlefashioned from the original handle.
The 3rd generation of lighthouse keepers in his family, Roddy remains tied to the sea as the owner of a boating businessthat transports tourists to the Skellig Islands. Those who knew him painted him as a great storyteller who is delighted to berediscovered for his monumental first ride.
Randall stressed the importance of remembering the struggles early surfers went through to hone their craft without themodern conveniences now available. “There are a lot of other guys here and all over the world that brought surfing towhere it is now, but there can only be one guy that can claim to be the first to surf a wave in their native shores. And herein Ireland that man is Joe Roddy,” he said. “In every sense of the word, he was a pioneer, and hands down, for that he is
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7/6/09 12:14 PMIreland's First Surfer Rides Again
Page 2 of 2http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/irelands_first_surfer_rides_again/
acqua.marinaMon Jul 6, 2009, 1:47AM Nice work to get the scoop on this not-so-average Joe! Just when
we think we know everything about surf history, a guy in Irelandproves we don't. Those Irish sweaters must have saved his poeticarse from freezing. What an awesome story!
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in Ireland that man is Joe Roddy,” he said. “In every sense of the word, he was a pioneer, and hands down, for that he isa surfing legend.”
Malibu, Santa Monica, Zuma 20 yrs exp. Gear provided, All ageswww.MalibuLongBoards.com
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