Of Irish Oysters and Food Festivals

It’s been called ‘one of the earth’s 12 greatest shows’ and ‘one of Europe’s seven best festivals’. There’s live music, jazz, pop, dancing and lots and lots of…oysters! We’re referring to the Galway Oyster Festival held on the last weekend of September every year since 1954. It may have had a modest beginning with a mere 34 guests attending it the first time round, but today it is one of Ireland’s biggest draws with over 20,000 visitors coming here to slurp up the yummy oysters and drown themselves in wine and music. Here’s a lowdown on what’s hidden within the oyster.

The Joy of Galway Oyster Festival!

Flowing Food & Fun

The festival was launched in 1954 by a hotel manager Brian Collins in the hope of drawing crowds to the sleepy harbor town of Galway in Ireland, where nothing much ever happened. It began with a mere eating of the fresh sea oysters from the waters around Galway but slowly grew to become a mega festival, which today arranges for hundreds of thousands of oysters to be “shucked” and “slurped” by thousands of visitors. While the oyster remains the undisputed showstopper, there are several other events that are held alongside, adding to the attraction of the festival. So there are seafood specials in the city’s restaurants, a National Oyster Opening Championship, the World Oyster Opening Championship, a Mardi Gras event on the streets of Galway, a Tribal Oyster Feast Off Finale and ‘Hot Oyster Awards -  a beauty pageant to discover the newest Oyster Pearl. There is also live music and much awaited cooking demonstrations, how to eat an oyster right and some great oyster recipes!

Specials on the Menu

This exciting food festival will be held from September 27-29, 2013. It will be kick started by a festival marquee to be held at the Galway Harbour and will have the best seafood and beer that Ireland has to offer. Attending the opening will be a great experience, although it comes at a price of 40Euros. There are separate tickets for other events but worth attending are the World Oyster Opening Championship and the Mardi Gras that is held in the City Centre. The Mardi Grasencourages party animals to come dressed in their festive best matched up with a great mask of course. An interesting addition to this year’s festival is the Tribal Oyster Face-off where descendants of the 14 Tribes of Galway, scattered across the world, have been invited to participate.

Oysters, Delicious Oysters!

Vacationing in Coastal Ireland

In case a visit to the Oyster Festival whets your appetite for seafood, there’s no better place to try out the freshest catches of the day than along Ireland’s South Eastern coast. With a bit of sand and sea thrown in for good measure, it could be one of the most memorable European holiday experiences of your life. Among some of the wildest, most beautiful and exotic seaside resorts in Ireland are Ann Rinn on the western shore of the Dungarvan Bay and Ardmore, which was initially a monastic settlement and breathes history at every turn. Dungarvanis a bustling seaside town and offers all the experiences of a small coastal town. It is an ideal destination for those who want to a typical Irish seaside vacation. You can also check out Tramore, which is one of leading seaside resorts in Ireland with a five kilometre long sandy beach, and enough opportunities for surfing and other water sports. Tramore also boasts a scintillating nightlife.

The beauty of Ardmore!

If you’re ready for your Irish holiday, don’t forget to make your flight and hotel bookings on MakeMyTrip.com