The Galway Oyster Festival

On all my trips to Ireland I’ve seen and eaten few oysters unless it was a specific oyster trip, so the build-up to the Galway Oyster Festival was really tempting, even though my scouts said the festival wasn’t what it used to be.

My flight was delayed and overbooked, and anyone could have drawn the short straw to stay the night in Luton. I had my excuse and was firmly sticking to it. I overheard the Oyster Festival mentioned several times in among the now-sociable queue and my ears pricked up when the guy next to me was telling other passengers he was a world champion shucker. Sam Tamsanguan turned out to be the British Champion from Wiltons Restaurant in Jermyn Street, and had beaten our two guys from J. Sheekey at the Tabasco British Oyster Opening Championships in the Bibendum Oyster Bar a month back. I don’t think I had ever met a world champion shucker before ... what a great way to start the oyster fast.