World-weary surfer Fergal Smith comes to put down roots

Life was one endless winter for former Irish surf champion Fergal Smith.

To survive as a professional surfer you need one thing: A constant supply of big waves. And, for Fergal, this meant years of hopping between hemispheres, living out of suitcases as he chased winter storms in every corner of the world.

Four years ago, Fergal decided enough was enough. After a decade wandering the planet, he chose to swap the waves of Hawaii and Tahiti for a simpler life on Ireland’s western seaboard.