Oyster Festival takes to the Bounty

Date Published: 22-Sep-2009

THE biggest test to face the Galway Oyster Festival since it moved to the city in 1984 will come this weekend when the event leaves behind the marquee in the Claddagh and is staged in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lough Atalia with recession-busting prices.

With good weather promised to shine on the city over the four days, it will perhaps have the most extravagant opening ever, with the ceremony taking place aboard the HMS Bounty when it is docked in the harbour, and they Mayor of Galway, Cllr Declan McDonnell will taste the traditional first oyster of the season on board the vessel.

The craft will be open to the public during the festival weekend. Known for a maritime mutiny that took place over 200 years ago, Bounty – as it is commonly known – is well known for her role in the movies.

In 1960, it hosted Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian in the flick Mutiny on the Bounty, while recently it played a starring role in Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest, with Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

The harbour will be alive with bands and festivities from around noon before the parade follows the Friendship brass band and this year’s Pearl, Olga Linnane, up the Spanish Arch and onto Quay St, Shop Street and through Eyre Square before finishing at the Radisson, where the all-day event begins in the ballroom.

“We’re going to create a marquee atmosphere at the Radisson for the Saturday and there will be food stalls organised by the Junior Chamber showcasing Galway the best of Galway produce. If the weather is fine I can see people going out on the balconies overlooking the water,” said administrator Ann Flanagan.

The annual festival is…