An immersive memoir about a groundbreaking surfing career, and a
stunning portrait of Ireland as one of the world's most captivating
big-wave surfing destinations.
Born and raised in Bundoran, with the waves of the west coast of Ireland
breaking at his doorstep, Richie Fitzgerald was moulded by his
environment - from his initiation to surfing at the age of 9 in the cold
Atlantic water to becoming Ireland's first ever pro surfer and competing
on a global scale.
But learning to surf in 1980s Ireland wasn't without its challenges.
With little to no equipment, Richie duct-taped Marigolds over woollen
gloves to protect his hands from the freezing water and even melted
Christening candles to pour on his board in place of surf wax.
Yet the west of Ireland boasts waves of size and quality to rival those
in California and Hawaii, attracting surfers from all over the world who
want to test their mettle, and Richie has surfed the biggest, and most
dangerous, of them.
Cold-Water Eden is not just a captivating memoir about a transcendent
sport: it is at its heart a coming-of-age story about one man's pursuit
of big waves and the dawn of Ireland as a singular destination on the
global surf scene.
