Fáilte (Irish Gaelic) : “Welcome”.
Now hanging with Tom isn’t like hanging with anyone else. And hanging in Ireland isn’t like hanging anywhere else. So when Gearoid McDaid ran the Rip Curl and Wasted Talent hotlines with a plan in mind to come and visit his home turf in prime pub and surf season, flights were booked and we duly arrived after the swell of the winter thus far. Should have been here yesterday and all that good stuff.
This is Fáilte, a journey shot this winter on location on the western coast of Ireland. A dive into the culture that keeps the world’s best surfers coming back to this corner of the world seen through the eyes of Tom Curren and Lele Usuna, with our man the hostess with the mostess Gearoid McDaid showing the lads the best that Ireland has to offer, both in and out of the water.
So what did we learn in our time quite literally in the field? Well, Tom Curren is an insane pool player, potentially world class. He’s also quite good at surfing. Lele is the finest export from Argentina since, well, ever, yet has questionable wetsuit etiquette. Wind forecasts are fickle beasts and can even elude Gearoid McDaid, who we think is mainly Guinness. Most importantly, ‘Fáilte’ means ‘Welcome’, and we’d like to extend our thanks to the entire Irish surf community for their warm welcome to our weary travellers.
Oh, and if you ever do end up throwing a party in the pub – make sure to invite local musicians.
This is Fàilte.
Full article coming in Wasted Talent Vol XIV.
A Wasted Talent short supported by Rip Curl
Directed by Yentl Touboul
Filmed by Yentl Touboul and Clem Mcinerney
Photography by Kevin Metallier
Produced by Alexei Obolensky & Borja Irastorza
