Skateboarding in Ireland | 10 Fact You Need to Know

Skateboarding is getting popular all across the globe. But there are unique and interesting facts in every state that you might not know about. The same goes for Ireland Skateboarding.

There are a lot of things you should know if you choose to ride your skateboard in Ireland. From the history, the rules, to the best skateparks to ride your deck, there is just so much to know about it.

Down below, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about riding skateboards in Ireland. We’ll cover the history, the rules and regulations, different parks, traditions, and everything else. So, without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Is Skateboarding Popular in Ireland?

Skateboarding is quite popular in Ireland now and you can see it for yourself by visiting a few of the skate parks. You can find skaters all across the country and it’s getting more and more popular by the days. There are skateparks everywhere, you can see skateboarding events on the television, and there are even indoor skateparks s well.

But it was not always like that. If you look even a few years back, you’ll see that the number of skaters was surprisingly low. We’ll talk about the history of riding skateboards in Ireland in detail in the next segment.

Basically, skateboarding wasn’t the strongest trend of Ireland till recently. The Irish skaters joining the Olympics really made the whole thing go viral. Besides, the number of events and competitions is increasing day by day.

The time has passed for good when no one saw a skateboard when they went to the parks, and skateboarding is quite a common thing in Ireland now.

History of Skateboarding in Ireland

As we mentioned earlier, riding a skateboard in Ireland was not the most popular activity since till days. It started to pick pace from the 70s and now, it’s quite common in even the streets of Ireland. And of course, there are parks you can visit too that will allow you to ride your skateboard as much as you want without any sort of restriction.

The Olympics and big events featuring skateboards had a big influence on the popularity. These events really showed that skateboarding is super fun and exciting. That eventually made it a desirable skill for many kids and young people.

Not to mention, there are new events and competitions being arranged every year. That’s keeping it fresh and the popularity of skateboarding is only growing among the Irish people.

Despite the fact that Ireland doesn’t have that huge of a history when it comes to skateboarding, the country has undoubtedly come so far from there.

Is Skateboarding Illegal in Ireland?

No, it is not.

Skateboarding has not been the most popular sport in Ireland in the past. However, that has changed quite a lot since then and there are a lot of young kids who love to take out their skateboards and go out for a ride. But there are no precise traffic rules and laws regarding riding skateboards in Ireland.

So, as long as you don’t cause any trouble for other people, you should be completely fine. That means you should wear your protective gear and don’t perform crazy tricks on the street recklessly as they are not allowed in the streets.

Moreover, the streets of Ireland are as crazy as it is. There are a lot of blind spots in the road that you must be very careful of. Otherwise, they’ll get you injured. Also, the people of Ireland have a tendency to drive on the wrong side of the road as well. That can also cause unwanted accidents that you should avoid at all cost.

Besides all that, the surface of the road is not that great for skateboarding in the first place. So, it’s best to avoid the streets and go to the skate parks to have a great time without worrying about any accidents.

Now, if you are still not sure whether it’s a good idea to ride your skateboard in your city or not, you can always check out the laws in your city. Go to the official website and check if there’s any problem riding a skateboard.

You can also go to the local police station and ask them if riding your skateboard will get you in trouble or not. That’s the best way to secure yourself from any issues whatsoever.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Ireland?

Electric skateboards were not legal in Ireland. That’s because they classify as Mechanically Powered Vehicles (MPV), and you couldn’t just ride those without any permit. Now, the official permit for MVPs is up to 45 mph. That means that you can ride your electric skateboard in Ireland without any trouble.

MPV is any vehicle that falls under mechanically propelled vehicles and electric skateboards definitely fall under that category. According to The Road Traffic Act 1961 of Ireland, you can’t drive MVP on the road legally.

If you look deeper at the construction of an electric skateboard you’ll see that they run by battery power and they have a fairly powerful engine. Most of the electric skateboards can run at up to 10 mph speed, which is quite fast.

Now, one might argue that electric skateboards are no threat to the law and they should be allowed on the road. And that’s probably right as most of the countries have no issue making them legal and available for everybody to use. But you need to remember that the laws were made back in 1961.

Luckily, the laws have changed, and you can now ride your electric skateboard in Ireland without any sort of restriction. However, if you are still confused about whether to ride an electric skateboard in your city, you can simply go to the local police station and ask them about it. That’s the best way to get the correct and reliable answer.

Skateboarding Laws Ireland

Skateboarding is legal and quite common in Ireland, and thanks to events like the Olympics, it’s gaining popularity every day. But do you know about the laws of riding a skateboard in Ireland? If you don’t know them and break the rules, you might get in trouble for that. So, let’s check them out in detail.

You can not skate on the roads of Ireland according to the law. That will definitely get you in trouble. It’s not only unethical to break the law, but it can also cause fatal accidents. The road does not have an ideal surface for skateboarding and there are a lot of blind spots everywhere.

Besides, other similar activities such as cycling, roller skates, etc, also fall under this category, and they aren’t allowed on the streets as well.

Also, you can’t just ride your skateboard anywhere you want. You need to stay on the routes and places that are permitted by the council. However, you can go to the parks that are permitted and have all the fun you want.

Another vital thing worth mentioning is the use of protective gear. You must wear your safety gear before you ride your skateboard. That’s going to make the experience much better and safer.

Besides, you don’t need to get super expensive gear for that as well. You only need a helmet, a pair of knee pads, and arm pads. They come at a dirt-cheap price on any local sports store. That should help you reduce the risk of accidents.

Who is the best Skateboarder in Ireland?

There is no “Best” skater in Ireland as there are a few amazing skaters that are super impressive. But Conhuir Lynn is definitely one of the best skateboarders in Ireland for numerous reasons.

He is super skilled at what he does and has been a passionate skater for years. He has been everywhere and done almost everything when it comes to skateboarding.

Skater Conhuir Lynn is from Andersonstown, west Belfast, and is 30 years old. He is globally recognized among skaters while not having a pro board. But his back catalog footage is everything one needs to see to witness the level of skill and talent inside him.

Also, he’s quite a renowned figure in the social media industry and he’s a well-renowned name among skaters as well. With all the dedication, love towards the craft, and hard work, the man deserves every bit of his fame and position.

So, if you ask who’s the best skateboarder in Ireland, the name of Conhuir Lynn pops up first without any doubt.

What is the Biggest Skatepark in Ireland?

Shoreline Sports Park, Charlesland is the biggest skatepark in Ireland. You can take your skateboard there and have the best time of your life without any restrictions. Also, it has everything you need to have the richest skateboarding experience that you can ask for from a skatepark.

However, you need to keep in mind that it’s not a park for only skateboarding. There are all sorts of games and players available in the park. You can find and get in touch with different skateboard lover communities there as well, which is pretty amazing.

When it comes to the features, this skatepark has it all, and you’ll be satisfied with it. There is a high-performance bowl, Nouveau Street style plaza, and an area for beginners that you can ride on. That allows you to go by your own skill level and you can practice all of your tricks and moves on the skatepark.

There are a few rules if you want to ride your skateboard in the Shoreline Sports Park. First of all, this park is only for skateboards, rollerblades, and BMX bikes. You can’t ride your scooter there as it’s not permitted.

The park puts emphasis on your safety as well. You need to be at least 10 years old to be able to get access to the park’s features. Also, you can’t ride your skateboard without a helmet. If you walk around without one, you’ll be asked to leave by the staff members. However, if you forgot your helmet home, you can simply rent it from reception.

You can’t go to the park when it’s rainy outside as it’s closed when wet. That’s to ensure your safety and well-being. If there was rain and you’re not sure whether the park is open or not, then you can contact the reception so that you don’t arrive there closed. If you choose to stay during the evenings, you need at least 4-6 people to have the lights turned on there.

These are the rules of the skate park that you need to follow. Also, there’s no entry fee in the park, making it a no-brainer option for skaters. So, if you are close or if you want to have a great time with your skateboard, you should definitely check out Shoreline Sports Park.

Irish Skateboarders Olympics

Now that we talked about skateboarding in Ireland, it’s time to discuss the Irish Olympic team. The Olympics played a huge part in making skateboards popular in Ireland. That was also a huge gear shift from the past for a country that had almost no skaters to their team joining the Olympics.

The Irish Olympics team did a wonderful job portraying their country to the whole world. They went on a platform that the globe can see from their living room. And they performed very bravely in front of such a huge audience.

That has greatly influenced the culture of Ireland and made people more attracted to skateboarding. Nowadays, a lot of events and competitions are held every year in Ireland, and we’re going to talk about them in great detail in the next segment.

Skateboarding Competitions Ireland

Skateboarding competitions in Ireland are getting pretty common as time goes on. Even a few years back that seemed like an impossible thing. But now, there are multiple skateboarding competitions every year in Ireland.

That goes to show that Irish people are getting fond of skateboarding, and the popularity will just go up from there. The competitions also help to develop a better team for Ireland. That will help a lot during international competitions and that represents the country in a great way.

Not only that, but the space for skateboarding is also increasing thanks to the competitions. You get to see more places where these challenge events are held, and that’s really a promising thing for skaters.

Also, as the number of competitions is going up, Irish people are getting more and more involved in the events. And they have fun at the events and are starting to build great teams as well.

Indoor Skatepark Dublin

If you want to test or grow your skateboarding skills, you must go to skating parks. Indoor parks are an excellent choice in that case as well. Unlike the skateparks that you see outside, indoor parks have a few things that make them great.

First of all, indoor parks don’t have too many spectators. So, you can have more effective practice time. Not to mention, there are a lot of special tracks that you can practice on to get your skills to develop.

The indoor skatepark in Dublin is a great place to practice and enjoy yourself with your skateboard. It has everything you need to have a great time riding your deck. You can practice your skills all you want, and you can learn new tricks and moves there as well.

One of the best things about the indoor skatepark in Dublin is the community. You can become a part of a great community and make a lot of new friends. That can grow over time, and not only you’ll have more fun practicing, but you’ll have more connections in general.

That is one of the most vital things if you want to be a pro skater. Your network will help you grow more than anything, and that’s why it’s important to have a very strong network. The indoor skatepark in Dublin can be the best place to do that.

Besides, it’s the best place to ride your skateboard and not get distracted by anything outside. So, if you’re looking for a great skatepark in Ireland, and if you happen to be close to Dublin, then you should definitely check out the indoor skatepark there. You’ll absolutely fall in love with this place within a couple of rounds, and that’s a guarantee.

To Wrap Up

We just covered tons of information on skateboarding in Ireland. As you saw, there are a lot of things that skaters don’t know about but are quite fascinating facts. Knowing about the rules and different parks will help you get the best riding experience possible.

And learning history and tradition is also important if you are serious about your skateboarding passion. It’s going to give you a head start and help you engage with more enthusiasts in your field. And building a strong community is always the best thing to do.