Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_09_22/GA_2209_E1_030.pdf 

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30 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

September 22 2005

TALK O' THE TOWN
COMPILED BY JULIE TIERNEY
jtierney@galwayadvertiser.ie

Caption Corner

Hot Botti wins window comp as tickets fly out for Oyster fest
Haven't got your Oyster fest tickets for the weekend yet, well if you hurry now, there just might be a few left for Saturday afternoon. Following on from the golden celebrations last year the committee decided to keep to the high standards set for the birthday celebrations. Starting tonight (Thursday) in the Quay Bar the Irish Oyster Opening championships will take place with Brian Burke from Morans of the Weir will be defending his title and hoping to represent Ireland on the Saturday afternoon. Fifteen countries will compete in the Guinness World Oyster Opening Championships and each country along with bringing supporters they are also bringing foreign media to cover the festival. This is the first year an Italian entry will take part and also see the return of a Belgium entrant. These openers take this competition very seriously and will also help to open the expected 100,000 oysters that will be eaten over the weekend. On Friday night it is the Mardi Gras -- one of the best nights of the year with chair dancing, fine food, great wine and entertainment consisting of Mac Teo, The West Coast Big Band, The Bridies and loads of promised big surprises. Saturday morning will see the Festival Parade come down the pedestrian streets with pride of place to the Friendship band and the guest of honour rugby star Brian O'Driscoll. The afternoon entertainment will include Brass and Co from Waterford, dancers from Dance of Desire and general wall to wall entertainment. Organisers have also said to patrons not to forget the Elegant Lady Competition where the best dressed will win great prizes. Then when this winds down another party is just beginning in the Radisson with the black tie ball which promises to be even better then last years brilliant night of fun. Rebecca Storm and Mac Teo are to put on a show that will set new higher standards in entertainment and fun. By the time this party finishes the stragglers will probably end up at the fare well party on Sunday afternoon. I suppose this is why the festival brochure and website advise to take Monday off! For ticket details, check out www.galwayoysterfest.co m but as I said, they are flying fast.

Hundreds of great entries to the last Caption Corner photo which

featured local men Bob Leahy and Tom Quigley at the launch of the

Mountbellew Agricultural Show. The winning entry is that sent in by David Grennan. 12 Rosnashee, Castlelawn, Galway and had Tom saying, "I tell you Bob, working at this speed, we could get a job on the Eyre Square project." Now for this week's photo which shows sixyear-old Conan O hEaghra, Galway copying Rhona Ni Chearbhaill in streching exercises, before the start of the in the VHI Corporate challenge Galway Bay 10 mile run and walk in aid of Cancer Care West on Sunday last when over 1,000 athletes took part to raise 500,000. What do you think is being (has been) said. Write it on a postcard and send it to Caption Corner, Galway Advertiser, 41/42 Eyre Square, Galway or by email to dvarley@galwayadvertise r.ie. Best of luck! -- DV

Just window shopping, honestly --the daring and baring Helen Flynn who has become Botticelli's Venus for Oyster Festival week in the award winning window of the Bould, sorry Bold, Art Gallery on Augustine Street. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy

Strongest beer in the world
When is the last time you saw a 175 price tag on a bottle of beer? Probably never. But then again you've never tasted a beer quite like Utopias MMII. Brewed by the world famous Boston-based Samuel Adams Brewery, Utopias MMII is the strongest commercial beer ever brewed in the world. To put that in perspective, a Sam Adams Boston Lager is 4.75 per cent alcohol by volume -- which helps explain the hefty wad of bills you'll have to shell out for the privilege of drinking it. The collectible copper finished brew kettle it's packaged in also has something to do with the price, as does the fact that Sam Adams has only produced 8,000 bottles of the stuff to be enjoyed by a select audience of better beer drinkers. But if you're expecting to sit back in front of the TV with your Utopias and a bag of salty chips, take note: This particular beverage is more like an after dinner drink than a beer and should be sipped from a wine glass or brandy snifter. Noncarbonated and brewed with four types of Noble hops, Utopias' flavour is reminiscent of a port or sherry -- and is best enjoyed in a dignified manner. So put away the funnel! Only two bottles of Utopias MMII have made it this side of the Shannon. They have just been stocked in Harvest, Raven Terrace and await those two purchasers who will be blessed among beers.

General manager of Harvest Off Licences, Nigel Collins, with a bottle of Utopia Beer brewed by Samuel Adams.