Galway Advertiser 1984/1984_10_04/GA_04101984_E1_018.pdf 

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IRISH

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Three Good Reasons W y The h Oyster Festival Was A Success
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The best thing at this year's Oyster Festival was the Friendship Band from Northern Ireland. You an keep your Oysters, Guinness, Pearls and Chowder; give us smiling faces and virtuoso playing on those glorious silver instruments and there will be another 30 years of madness and festivity.
The second best thing this year was undoubtedly bringing the Festival inside the city walls. No offense is meant to our friends in Clarenbridge by stating this. There is still a major roll for that village t o play -- hosting the National Opening Championships, a send offparty on Sunday o r lits o w n c o m p l i m e n t a r y syster-tasting dance and hooley (what is it about the Oyster that drives so many to wildness. Why not 'afternoon tea and oysters"?) -- but it was the right move to bring the festival in from the village of its birth. T h e scene on Thursday evening as the Oyster Pearl, Louise Furey sailed up the river Corrib to land at the Fish Market Spanish Arch was magic and must have been a Press man's dream. Publicity is what this festival is all about and festival Chairman Joe L a l l y a s s u r e d it g o t maximum coverage. H e even arranged for the rain to keep off on Saturday morning -- no small feat as everyplace outside Galway experienced the first Artie storm of the year. The third best thing of this year's festival was the opening u p of the Quay Street area to entertainment, fish stalls and fun. The weather was not t o o kind this time, but the crowds poured into those narrow streets and the p o p u l a r i t y of s t r e e t carnivals has been further enforced. Full marks to the efforst made by the shops and pubs there. A lady with a shawl sold shellfish (tongue twister) outside McDonoghs. buckets of mussels were available at Freeneys, The Galwegian and the Quays served delicious sea food with Tigh Neachtain's proving that
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you can still eat excellent food in a genuine old pub at a very reasonable price. The other reasons why the Oyster Festival continues to be such a success are probably too numerous to r e m e m b e r . But some of them include one great bastian of the festival which is the Great Southern Hotel. Joe Lally c o m p l i m e n t e d t h e staff there by saying there would be no festival without them. Brian O'Higgins and staff certainly pull out all the stops and despite the hectic pace of it all smile and look as if they are thoroughly enjoying themselves. (It's definately*those oysters!). The Great Southern had a topical touch this year when their menu was presented as an old medieval scroll still allowing Chief Chef and head waiter, Paddys Duignan and Gannon t o show their skills. A n d of course the inimitable Ms. Fox of the Claddagh Grill who knows everyone by n a m e a n d s u c c e e d s in making what could be a big impersonal hotel into a homely one, where visitors are welcome. Clarinbridge, however, did not totally loose out this year. T h e World Oyster Champion turned out to be Josie Burke, a nephew of the late Paddy Burke who was one of the founders of the festival. It must also be remarked t h a t t h e f o o d in t h e Marquee on Saturday was far superior than in some previous years. Paddy Hennelly of the Salmon Salad come out and take aj bow. Although many hotels around the city present a special evening of sea food it must be hard to equal the Ardilaun Hotel's, outstanding presentation There, Chef Ray Garlan turns out the lobsters an steaks and Peter Moloney

Eithne McDonald and Carmel Callahan race them sizzling hot t o the table. An excellent evening was crowned when the Friendship Band burst into the dining room with Roll out the Rarrell and everyone swayed and waved. Not with drink! but because of the sheer i r r e s i s t a b l e rythems of this happy band. They are from Belfast and Carrickfergus and simply believe music h a s no boundry. They play for Manager Tom O'Hea because they love it and for afew pints and sandwiches will play till they are d r a g g e d a w a y by t h e younger members who were falling asleep on their ti b as. Friendship all the way.
Editor Pholo by. Brenda Fitzsimom