Our Irish surfing tour has taken us through some the world's most green and pleasant countryside. I have particularly enjoyed a couple of spectacular coastal rides around parts of Connemara and the Dingle peninsula.
But why does no-one mention the awful domestic architecture? In amongst the awe-inspiring celtic hills are to be found quite the most monotonous selection of drab houses that you'll ever not want to see: lifeless rendered boxes with roofs of concrete tiles, PVC windows and sterile gardens... usually complete with a digger or trophy 4x4 on the drive.
As usual, the excellent Lonely Planet Guide to Ireland has an explanation, 'Around two-thirds of construction undertaken in Donegal today is aimed at the second-home market and...locals too are opting for the comforts of modern housing. Indeed, far from mourning the loss of their ancestral homes, many admit that the old cottages are too strong a reminder of hard times suffered by generations of their forebears. It's a tragic loss for such cottages to be replaced with hoards of identikit homes that invite names like "Legoland".'
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