15 May 2001 RESIGNATION STATEMENT BY BRIAN BRITTON TO THE IRISH SURFING ASSOCIATION
Ownership of the waves does not rest with the surfers of Ireland, it rests with the people of Ireland. It is important we all understand that. I would now like to pass on a message to the many with whom I have been involved over my years in surfing.
1 To the kids and young surfers you are the future of surfing, your day will come, learn from the mistakes of those who went before you.
2 To the majority of surfers who have not lifted a finger in the development or protection of the sport, there is an onus on you at some time in your life to put something back.
3 To the lifestyle surfers, the Irish Surfing Association has just made a very brave decision. I personally hope that at some time in the future you will also be able to take responsibility and end once and for all the snide shots which you periodically throw at the Irish Surfing Association. There are many issues fast coming down the track which will require all surfers to work together.
4 To the powers that be in the Sports Council, the Department of Tourism, Sports and Recreation, Bord Failte Tourism Committee and other public bodies what you have seen is democracy in sport. Please understand and accept it, as surfing and sport overall will be stronger for it
. 5 To our sponsors and in particular Coors Light I think you have backed a winner in the sport of surfing. We may be unorthodox but you backed surfing because it is different.
6 To the people of Ireland and in particular Bundoran, you have a priceless asset in the surfing waves around Bundoran. A plan should be developed to create the first ever "Surf Reserve" in Europe, and only the second in the world after Bells Beach (Australia), from the mouth of the Erne to the mouth of the Bundrowes. The return in the long term will be even more than if Ireland had hosted the World Surfing Games.
7 To Roci, Zoe, Stevie and those I have worked with thank you and good luck. I will always be at the end of a phone if I can help in any way based on my 34 years experience in surfing- there's not much you will come across that hasn't been faced already.
8 To those who have created and built up the Irish Surfing Association, we should be extremely proud of the fact that we have achieved what no other small nation ever achieved in surfing, namely, our peers in the world of surfing thought we were good enough to host the "Olympics of Surfing". Nobody can ever take that away from us. What I am now going to do I have been thinking about for some time.
The decision I have made would probably have been postponed if Ireland's bid to host the World Surfing Games had proceeded. However, I had always said that, as long as people respected my integrity, I was prepared to give the drive and commitment to the development of the sport of surfing in Ireland that I felt I was capable of.
The issues which we have addressed arose for the first time 22 yeas ago in Easkey but they were never personal. Individual views were respected. Recently personal attacks were made, by a small minority I might add, which I will not accept. I have enjoyed my time at the helm of Irish surfing and privately felt a great deal of personal satisfaction at how the sport in Ireland has grown and developed and been controlled in an Irish way, particularly over the last 10 years. During my 34 years voluntary commitment to the sport of surfing at home and abroad, no personal or business gain was sought or obtained.
If anything, ongoing commitment with the sport involved both a heavy personal cost and some financial cost. Regarding the World Surfing Games, which I personally supported and championed, I felt that it was time for Ireland to give something back to the sport on a world stage, thus enhancing the development of the sport in this country. However, I predicted early on my concerns about a close vote.
When it transpired I immediately sought a meeting on the Friday evening of the vote which has resulted in the decision here today. A unified structure going forward for surfing in Ireland, with all surfers supporting the Irish Surfing Association as the voice of the surfers, is more important than one issue or one person. If anything I was guilty of misjudging the views of the surfers of Ireland and in that I was wrong. I would now like to formally hand over this statement of resignation to the Chairman. I will be available in the coming days to tidy up those matters that I have been dealing with. I wish each and everyone of you and every surfer in Ireland good luck for the future in the development and control of our sport in the many challenges that it will face. I will remain as an ordinary member of the Irish Surfing Association.
Can I leave you with a final thought, which you feel may be a little melodramatic on this occasion, but which I would like to say anyway.
Reflect on the words of Robert Kennedy: "Some people see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not?" Brian Britton 12th May, 2001
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