Among all the hullabaloo (now there’s a word you didn’t expect to read today, be honest) surrounding the WST Ostia Park World Championship 2024- which took place on the shorefront of the Tyrrhenian Sea just outside of Rome last September- one milestone of total radness may have escaped your notice.
The small but energetic nation of Ireland made it’s World Skateboarding Tour debut there in the form of 23-year-old Ethan Hardiman-Doody, one of what are known as the country’s ‘Wild Geese’, those Irish emigres who in the words of Byron “ bade farewell to land, to shore, since fate had forced us to go”.
The native of County Kildare just west of Dublin has become a fixture not just within the skate scene of his adoptive home of Birmingham, England, but beyond, too- as part of the UK’s small but excellent Independent Vert Series.
He’s also a very nice young man: exactly the sort of face that the Irish skateboarding scene will no doubt be happy to see representing them on the most international skateboarding stages of them all.
Ethan’s WST debut carried a double significance as an achievement not just for himself, but for the nascent Irish Skateboard Association who registered him for the 2024 World Championship, too. While he may not yet have troubled the top flight, his was a hugely symbolic debut.
A 59th-place finish sees him lying just outside the WSR top 100- but more importantly, Ireland are now part of the World Skateboarding Tour among sixty-four other nations of the globe, from Canada to New Zealand.
That nice dovetailing of timing seems like a apposite juncture to get to know the man in question- and, in doing so, learn something of the place he hails from and which has helped form the shrednaut he is today.
Ph: Kenji Haruta
Hi Ethan, straight in: can you introduce yourself to us and tell us about where you come from originally.
I’m Ethan and I’m from Kildare, originally; I grew up in a small town called Portarlington in Laois- but I’ve been living in Birmingham for the last ten years.
What is beautiful about the Irish skateboarding scene? The rarity of parks or the rarity of dry weather?
Being a skater from Ireland, I feel you need to get creative with the lack of parks or spots- whether it’s creating your own spots, or skating something in a completely different way. It’s mad to see how it’s grown in the past few years- more people getting involved and a couple more little parks being built around, like Naas and Newbridge; beats the old train station car park, anyway. Hopefully it keeps growing with more parks getting built- and, you never know- maybe a vert ramp, someday (laughs)?
Ph: Rob Whiston
So you live in Birmingham currently, let’s take a little diversion to big up Ideal skateshop, will we? Can you tell us what role skateshops play, in your mind?
Yeah, I moved here when I was thirteen- Ideal is a key part to the skate scene, like any skate shop should be in every city… supporting the scene for over thirty years, now. Also it couldn’t be run by better lads, Zippy and Kris. Funnily enough, my first board came from Ideal- my aunties were at Uni in Birmingham, and got me my first set-up for Christmas when I was a kid.
And should we also take a moment to acknowledge Bob Sanderson, one of that city’s greatest sons?
Bob is a legend, really humble guy with the best-looking stalefish. He’s recovering from an injury at the moment, but hopefully we’ll see him rolling around again soon.
Ph: Jon Blades
Most unusually for an Irish skater, you skate big transitions like the Creation vert ramp. How did that come about?
When I first moved to Brum, I got brought to Creation where I pretty much learned to skate transition. Coming from Ireland, I’d never seen an indoor skatepark like this, or a vert ramp. Monday and Wednesday nights were the vert sessions- those have been going longer than I’ve been born. Seeing them guys fly around, I was just like “Yeah: I wanna do that”. I just love the speed and flow of skating big transitions.
I know you have entered the UK Vert Series to get out and about, how is that subculture of British skateboarding in terms of community today? Where are the main ramps involved?
The vert scene in the UK is small compared to the rest, every vert skater in the UK is more than likely going to know each other. It’s very supportive and encouraging, whether you’re dropping in for the first time or spinning fives.
I’d say the main ramps would be Creation, Mount Hawke and Skaterham which all have regular vert sessions on the go. The amount of kids picking up vert skating again is nice to see as well, the future of vert skating is looking good!
Ph: Kenji Haruta
What is your day-to-day skating life? Do you skate a bit of everything?
I’ll try skate a bit of everything; like any skater, I just love being on my board whether it’s a lovely bowl or just a bit of flat ground. I skate Creation on Wednesday evenings every week with the crew, and if I’m not there I’ll be at Bournbrook DIY with the boys. Then I’ll make it out to the streets on a rare occasion (laughs). I’d like to skate more, but you know- adult life!
We talked in Italy a little bit about getting more Irish skaters out to WST events to join all the other nations there- how can anyone reading this help the Irish Skateboard Association out in getting better established?
Should we try to create a kind of foreign legion of friends to become members?
Funding is obviously a big part of it which we don’t have from the Irish federation, yet! Ireland definitely needs bigger and better parks which is what’s produces the best skaters. Jams and events are always the best way to meet people, have the craic and get people involved. I’ve keep meaning to make it to Troll Bowl every year but haven’t had the chance; Bushy is one my favourite parks- it’s where I learned to frontside Ollie.
Ph: Stu Bennett
So: Ostia. First experience of the World Skateboarding Tour for you, it is a World Championship and Ireland’s debut as well. How was your experience?
It was a savage experience and an honour, really, to skate for Ireland. Even though it was quite different to other competitions I’ve done, the whole vibe felt similar, everyone was sound and at the end of the day we’re just a bunch of skaters hyping each other up and happy to be there. Nerves definitely got to me a bit on the day, though!
What did you think of the standard? Was there anyone who particularly stood out to you?
The standard was insane, some of the best skating I’ve seen. For me it’s all the Brazilians that stood out, they seem to have a really good scene, there… and obviously seeing Pedro Barros skate in person was a big highlight!
Shout out to the GB team who smashed it, and stoked to see Lilly make it into the Women’s finals.
You had to take time off work to represent Ireland on the World Skateboarding Tour: I think that us kind of heroic- would sponsorship help? I’m thinking like if a GAA* outfitter such as O’Neills might want to diversify their range, for example… would you hit them up about something like that?
(Laughs) Thank you, and yeah- sponsorship would be a massive help as I would like to compete at more WST events and maybe compete in Vert as well as Park. I did get a bit of funding off some suppliers in work, so a big shout out to all of them. Playing Gaelic football and rugby growing up, I’ve always had O’Neills kit but I’d never think to see their name on skate gear. I do think it would be a great avenue for them to go down. I’d deffo hit them up- but whether they would be interested is another story. Wouldn’t complain with a Guinness sponsorship, either.
Ph: Stu Bennett
OK Ethan, we always give our guest the floor at the end of each interview- you can say whatever you want. Anything I should have asked you about but didn’t, anybody you want to tip your hat to?
I want to say thank-you to my parents, sister and girlfriend for making it out to Italy to watch me, and for always being supportive; Ride Coventry for the help over the years, Jim and all the Wednesday night vert crew, Koncrete Killers, Threesixty London, all the homies and my boy Euan who I grew up skating with.
Thank you, too, for taking the time to do this interview.
* Gaelic Athletic Association- governing body of Ireland’s indigenous field sports.