Galway man claims his third oyster crown in Sweden

Galway has a new European champion after Stephen Nolan from Maree was crowned the European Oyster Opening Champion in Sweden last Sunday.

In fact, there was a Galway one-two at the annual competition, as David Small from Galway City finished second in an event which featured 20 qualifiers from ten countries in the city of Trollhatten, including three Irish representatives, who all come from Galway: Michael Kelly Jnr from Kilcolgan also took part.

It was the third time Stephen took the European title – he also won the competition in 2010 and 2011 – and it completes the double for the NUI Galway student, as he won the World Cup at the same venue back in August.

“I grew up beside the sea. My father, Willie Nolan, was an oyster farmer and I used to help him when I was younger out around Cave. I also worked in Moran’s in Kilcolgan for years and that is where I learned my trade,” said Stephen (31), who is studying a PhD in Renewable Energy at NUI Galway.

The link with Moran’s is strong: David Small currently works there; while Michael Moran has won the European title five times, and was the guest of honour at Saturday’s event. Stephen has been competing in oyster opening competitions for the past ten years, and explains that while most competitions feature a single round, the European championships are more of a test.

“There are three rounds in the European Championships – qualifiers, semi-finals and a final – so that makes it a more exhaustive competition. Anyone can have a good one-off round, but you have to be consistent over three rounds in this competition.

“You get 32 oysters, and you have to open, clean and present 30 oysters in as fast a time as possible, but also in a neat fashion. It is all about speed, but you get a four second penalty for a damaged oyster; a four second penalty if there is any grit in the oyster; and a four second penalty if the oyster does not slide out of the shell.

“On the other hand, you get a bonus for presentation, so it is all about the balance of opening them as fast as you can, but also as neatly as you can, and safely as well! People have picked up injuries in competitions, but it is that risk factor which makes it so attractive for the crowd,” he says – Saturday’s event was attended by 1,500 people.

Stephen certainly got the balance right, recording both the fastest time and also picking up the prize for the best presentation, a double which he says usually leads to success.

“I won with a time of two minutes and nine seconds, but I have also won with a time of three minutes and eight seconds, so it can vary quite a lot,” says Stephen, who says an average time to open and present a single oyster is between four and five seconds.

Michael Kelly Jnr took part in Saturday’s event, and there was another link between his family and the competition, as the oysters used in the competition are provided by Kellys of Kilcolgan.

“For the competition, they use native European flat oysters. Kellys oysters, which are farmed in Kilcolgan, are regarded as the best in the world, so they are shipped over specially for the competition,” Stephen explains.