"The festival traditionally gets under way on a pier in Clarenbridge, just south of Galway. Actually, the program starts officially at noon on Saturday, but a Friday opening date has been agreed upon supposedly to lessen the guilt of the thousands who jump the gun and begin their carousing early. Saturday is the big day, however, and those who are not too bent over even manage a round of golf or a swim in the morning before collection on the pier at midday.

Clarenbridge is a couple of hours drive Irish-style, from Shannon Airport. Irish-style means you drive along narrow, winding roads, dodging sheep and tinkers carts carrying gypsies to the festival and stop every now and then to wet your whistle.

The beginning of the festival is misleadingly tame. At the one I attended, we parked our cars in a vast, uncultivated field above the pier. The women exchanged high heels for sturdy walking shoes and we trudged through the weeds, rocks, scrub and dirt to the pier, which extends out into Galway Bay. On that particular day the sun was shining brightly, something that happens - but not regularly - in Ireland. The air was clear and dry and the bay sparkled. On the strength of our few roadside pub stops, we were beginning to sparkle too."

From the New York Times, 1971

Click on images below for larger view   First oyster festival outside Moran's, 1966 Oyster Festival 1967

And the craic was mighty........the oyster festival gets into action outside Moran's Oyster Cottage. Click on each of the images below for a larger view. Bringing home the oysters Bagpiper arriving at Moran's The craic outside Moran's

Brian Brown of Guinness, Michael Moran and Chef Larry Clavin, Guinness, celebrating Michael's 80th birthday. Michael Moran is Honorary President of the Galway International Oyster Festival

Michael recalls the tuppenny pint day.....

"There was a wonderfully poignant moment at the Galway Oyster Festival luncheon at St. James's Gate yesterday when Michael Moran - him of Morans of the Weir - was presented with a birthday cake modelled on his famous pub.

Michael, serene and graceful man that he is, acknowledged the applause on this his 80th birthday and made the briefest of speeches in acknowledgment. After telling the assembly how grateful he was for their kindness, he said: 'I saw pints of porter sold for tuppence. Imagine it - we sold 120 pints of porter to bring in a pound.' "

The Evening Press, 1987.

CLARENBRIDGE OYSTER FESTIVAL

The Clarenbridge Oyster Festival and Galway Oyster Festival takes place in September.

WORLD CLASS OYSTER OPENERS

Ireland has featured extensively in International Oyster Opening Championships, winning the World Oyster Opening title on many occasions.

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