My brother, 14 yo niece and I took a 2hour surf lesson with Bens in Lahinch on a whim in July 2014. It was amazing, mostly due to great attitude of the staff, a guy called Mike who sorted us out and the owner Ben who gave us the lesson. He is the most highly qualified instructor (level 3?) and vowed, he told us, to only let his instructors have a maximum 6 students at a time, with smaller groups the norm. He was able to give us instant feedback on every single wave we tried (and sometimes succeeded) to catch. We were all novices, though comfortable in the water, but made good progress, I'm convinced because of his instruction. DONT try surfing without first getting a lesson, as there is a lot that is counter-intuitive to us beginners. Ben himself is an absolute gent, good crack, and a very clear instructor. They also give instruction all the way up to advanced level, are open year-round, and he is expanding this year having bought a new premises to move into right beside the beach. I cant think of anything negative to say. The beach itself is very safe, with shallow waters that go out for hundreds of metres, professional lifeguards on duty, and a friendly vibe from all the other surfers and schools around. Non surfers, wives, kids,can enjoy the beach too while you are 50 metres away paddling on your board. Bens also does bike rentals, rock climbing and kayaking and this part of county Clare is perfect for those types of activity. Can't recommend this guy and his business highly enough. read more
