Brochure - Connemara Mussel Festival

CONNEMARA MUSSEL FESTIVAL 2016
Welcome Céad Míle Fáilte Willkommen Bienvenue Bienvenido Witam was G’Day !
Welcome to the 11th Connemara Mussel Festival! Originally established to promote the excellence of
the mussels of Killary Harbour, the festival has grown to become a celebration of local people, food,
culture and heritage, and is recognised as the premier food event for Connemara attracting visitors
from near and far. One of the first festivals each year on the Wild Atlantic Way, it showcases the
very best Connemara has to offer. A true Feast for the Senses: TASTE and SMELL beautifully cooked
local produce; SEE unparalleled views of the Connemara land and seascape; HEAR sounds of music,
dancing, talks and theatre; FEEL the ambience; and above all ENJOY the experience!
McKenna’s Guides - BEST FOOD FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR 2014
The Festival Marquee at Paddy Coynes Pub will be the venue for all cooking demonstrations.
We would like to give a special thanks to Father Ronnie Boyle for allowing us the use of Tullycross
Church with its wonderful Harry Clarke window (Mass takes place at 11am on Sunday).
Our Festival Office this year will be in Thatched Cottage no.1 in Tullycross village, with kind
permission from Connemara West. This cottage will also be the location for our 1916 Exhibition.
The Artisan Market will once again be in the Marian Hall and will be bustling with food, craft and fun.
Finally, our Gala Dinner this year takes place in Renvyle House Hotel on Sunday evening.
For an overview of all events see the Event Calendar at the end of the brochure.
Our festival would not be possible without the support of all our funding agencies, sponsors and
friends who are listed on our Friends of the Festival Page. In particular, though, we would like to
thank Paddy Coynes Pub, Renvyle House Hotel, GMIT, Fáilte Ireland and Galway County Council for
their continued support. Finally, thanks to all our volunteers, including our American friends from
Aquinas College, and to those who give their time to make the Festival such a success.
All events are free unless specified in the brochure. Keep an eye on our website, Facebook and
Twitter (@connemaramusselfestival) for updates. To avoid disappointment we advise early
booking – go to www.connemaramusselfestival.com where you can book and pay by Paypal.
Bookings and enquiries can also be made at the Festival Office,
by email to [email protected] or by phone to 087 6478303.
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What’s happening this year?
Our collaboration with Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology’s College
of Arts and Tourism has been very successful over the past few years
and once again Cait Noone, Head of School, and GMIT lecturers Jacinta
Dalton and Marie Conboy have developed another exciting food
programme. Our schedule of food demonstrations presents you with
some of the finest culinary experts in Ireland, with newcomers to the
Festival Jess Murphy, award winning chef /owner of Kai Restaurant in
Galway, Michael O’Meara of Oscar’s Bistro, Galway, and we are
particularly delighted to welcome local man Jonathan Keane, Head Chef
at the Lodge at Ashford Castle. They will be joined by Festival regular
Tim O’Sullivan, Executive Chef at Renvyle House Hotel. Prepare to be
inspired by their creativity and skill!
As well as the annual GMIT Student cook-off competition, celebrities
Neil Molloy from Galway Bay FM’s ‘Molly in the Morning’ show and
Dave O’Connell, the editor of the Connacht Tribune, will compete in our
Celebrity Competition. The ever popular Amateur Chef Competition will
also be held – just email us to enter.
And KIDS COOKING is back! This year the focus is on healthy treats and
lunch box snacks without the use of sugar – a relevant and topical
conversation taking place around Ireland.
The first event on Friday night after the opening ceremonies is the widely
acclaimed singer and musician Sean Keane – early booking recommended.
On Saturday night Galway’s Cois Cladaigh Choir make their first visit to the
festival and will be singing in the church in Tullycross. Talks include such
diverse topics as Oscar Wilde’s Connemara Connections; William Evans, an
English watercolourist who painted Connemara in pre-famine times; local
heritage and archaeology, organic gardening, and The French Connection.
And the Curlew Theatre Company will be back with a new play. In this
centenary year of the 1916 Rising we will have our own 1916 exhibition
focusing on life in Connemara in 1916. Sean nós dancer extraordinaire
Emma O’Sullivan will be around too for the weekend so watch out for her
at Paddy Coyne’s Pub.
For the more adventurous there will be an archaeological field trip and
our ever popular Killary Fjord walk with mussel feast! We have a bigger
and better programme than ever for children – see details on the
children’s page. And don’t forget to visit the Artisan Market where you
can buy the very best of food and crafts direct from the producers.
LIVE MUSIC IN ALL THE PUBS IN THE VILLAGE EVERY NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL
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What else is happening this year?
If you are up and about on Saturday morning you will see the
Galway Bay FM Roadcaster in Tullycross broadcasting direct from
the Connemara Mussel Festival and telling the rest of the county
what they are missing out on by not being here!
Galway City and County are bidding to be the European Capital of Culture
2020 and we are delighted to lend our support to the campaign and,
should the bid be successful, to showcase the Connemara Mussel
Festival to an even larger audience.
Following six months of of planning and stakeholder engagement
Galway has won the designation 'European Region of
Gastronomy' in 2018. The designation is not just a culinary award;
the programme is designed to link food, hospitality, culture and
tourism and create better quality of living for citizens in a region.
Key areas in the Galway bid included health, education and sustainability. The title of the Galway bid
'From the Ground Up - Feeding our Future' will focus on exactly this approach - working with all
stakeholders across the county and islands demonstrating how a community of like minded and
dedicated professionals can make a difference in creating a sustainable food platform for now and
future generations.
Congratulations to the bid team from Galway which includes Cáit Noone and Jacinta Dalton
from GMIT- organisers of our food programme.
GREEN YOUR FESTIVAL
Last year we joined Galway County Council’s Green Your Festival initiative. With a particular focus
on waste, all our food containers, implements and coffee cups are certified compostable and can
be placed in the compost/food waste bins provided. We ask all our patrons and visitors to ensure
that you use the correct bins (kindly provided by Barna Recycling) for all your waste and to help
us and the environment during your stay! We also have our friends from Galway County Council
Environment Department doing a demonstration on home composting, providing guidance on
how to reduce your waste going to landfill whist at the same time feeding your garden!
For 2016 we have again teamed up with the RNLI as our Charity Partner.
Please support the RNLI volunteers in their fundraising over the weekend.
A percentage of all proceeds from our MEGA Raffle will also be donated.
LIVE MUSIC IN ALL THE PUBS IN THE VILLAGE EVERY NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL
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The French Connection
A Tribute to Patrick Walton
According to legend, mussels have been cultivated in Europe since 1235 when an
Irish sailor called Patrick Walton was shipwrecked in the Baie d'Aiguillon along the
French Atlantic coast. Whilst trying to catch fish, Walton hung up nets and found
mussels attaching themselves to the poles supporting the nets. He then developed
this technique and so invented the first method of mussel production, now referred
to as the ‘bouchot’. This farming method, where mussel spats (very young mussels)
naturally fix onto poles submerged in the sea, has been successfully used in that
region of France ever since. The region also celebrates the mussel and has a
Moulstock music festival in June each year.
This year we are creating cultural and economic links with the
Charente-Maritime region. Representatives from the tourism and
aquaculture industries will visit Renvyle and join us for our Mussel
Festival. Over the weekend we will be saluting Patrick Walton’s
ingenuity with a presentation by Dr Tony Kiely of DIT, unveiling a new
sign Boulevard Patrick Walton, lighting of the Moules Eclade and
perhaps a glass or two of Chardonnay! Vive la France!
Festival Artisan Market
In Marian Hall, Tullycross you will find a huge variety of artisan
produced crafts and food, including cakes, jams, chocolates,
cheese, honey, veggie snacks, ceramics, knitted goods, skincare
and more! Also tea, coffee and hot food to eat on the go.
Gourmet Buffet at Renvyle House Hotel
Sun 1st May 8pm, Tickets €45 (prior booking essential)
What better way to finish our festival than with a Gourmet Buffet at the multi award winning
Renvyle House Hotel, showcasing mussels and the best of local produce. The price includes a
welcome glass of prosecco on arrival, followed by music till late with Richard and Fionnuala.
The draw for the Connemara Mussel Festival Mega Raffle will take place after the meal.
A contribution to the RNLI is made with each ticket sold.
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F.E.E.D. Food. Explore. Educate. Demonstrate
- sharing the finest foods from the western shores of Ireland
GMIT’s FEED event returns to the Connemara Mussel Festival and
continues to showcase the amazing range of Irish produce we have
on this wonderful food island of Ireland. This year we will focus on
family friendly nutritious meals that can be cooked at home and we will also host a Q&A and share
insights into how communities across our region can continue to support tourism developments.
All the food events are held in the Festival Marquee and all are FREE to attend
* See the children’s page for the ever popular KIDS COOKING
Sea Gastronomy in Connemara
Sat 30th April 12.30pm, Festival Marquee
Award winning chef and author Michael O’Meara joins us fresh from
his outstanding success with his first publication Sea Gastronomy,
published by Artisan House Editions. Michael will cook up some
seafood specials, talk us through the importance of sourcing and
using local fish, including some less well known types, and will finish
off the session with a book signing for anyone wishing to purchase
Sea Gastronomy.
The Role of Communities in Tourism in the West of Ireland
Sat 30th April 2.00pm, Festival Marquee
The islands, villages and towns on the west coast of Ireland play a key role in bringing tourists to
Ireland. How do we as a collective maintain our product, manage this resource and make best
use of limited resources? A panel discussion with Galway based Tourism professionals - Diarmuid
O’Conghaile, Adrian Herlihy, Ronnie Counihan and Mary Mulvey from EcoTourism Ireland and
Chair of "Leave no Trace". All welcome to attend and participate.
GMIT Culinary Student Cook Off
Sat 30th April 3.00pm, Festival Marquee
Mystery baskets ready and we are off. Winning students from the
GMIT cook off stages will do battle for the annual Mussel Festival
Student Champion award and hopefully share some culinary tips
along the way. Expect the unexpected......
Annual Connemara Mussel Festival
Celebrity Cooking Competition
Sat 30th April 4.30pm, Festival Marquee
The one you have been waiting for – TV3 may have The Restaurant
programme but this celebrity cook off is one of the festival
highlights. Connacht Tribune Editor Dave O’Connell will take on the
mighty Neil ‘Molly in the Morning’ Molloy from Galway Bay FM as
the pair share their culinary genius and talents with us.
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Sunday Seafood Platter
Sun 1st May 1.30pm, Festival Marquee
Connemara born Jonathan Keane is the award winning Head Chef at
The Lodge at Ashford Castle. A graduate of GMIT Jonathan was
surrounded by inspiring landscape, excellent ingredients and the
magic of the sea. His demonstration today will focus on the great
Irish Seafood Platter – a selection of Irish seafood in the style of
‘Wilde’ – his award winning restaurant at The Lodge at Ashford
Castle. Sponsored by Kylemore Abbey
Bake Off Awards
Sun 1st May 2.30pm, Festival Marquee
The home-baking competition will be judged and winners announced. Sponsored by Paddy Coyne’s Pub
New Zealand meets Connemara!
Sun 1st May 3.00pm, Festival Marquee
Thirteen years ago Jess Murphy moved to Ireland, first Dublin and
then Galway. Since opening Kai on Sea Rd, Jess with her husband
David and the team have won many awards including Best Chef and
Best Restaurant in Connaught on numerous occasions. Today is her
first visit to the Connemara Mussel Festival and whatever she cooks
for us you can be sure it will be fun, full of goodness, locally sourced
and innovative. Sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara
Tim’s Seafood Family Meals
Sun 1st May 4.15pm, Festival Marquee
Euro-toques Member and local award winning Executive Chef from
Renvyle House Hotel, Tim O’Sullivan, will share some Sunday
seafood recipes with us. The only place to be this afternoon if you
want to make some great tasting, fishy family favourites. Not to be
missed! Sponsored by Renvyle House Hotel
Amateur Chef Competition
Sun 1st May 5.30pm, Festival Marquee
The festival highlight event for all amateur chefs - your opportunity
to take part in the festival. Entrants will cook their own dish
incorporating mussels. Sponsored by Paddy Coynes Pub
Email [email protected] to enter
During intervals between demonstrations on Sunday afternoon Seanchai Editions will be signing
copies of their recently published photographic book Conamara, which celebrates not only the
wonderful landscapes of this area but also its people, events, culture and language.
FESTIVAL AMBASSADOR - Máirin Uí Chomáin
Máirin Uí Chomáin is a Connemara native and author of Irish Mussel Cuisine,
Irish Oyster Cuisine and Celebrating Irish Salmon. Former chair of the Irish Food
Writers’Guild and presenter of her own food show on RTE TV, Máirin has been
involved with the festival since the beginning and will again be our head judge.
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CONCERTS & THEATRE
Seán Keane
Fri 29th April 9.00pm - Marian Hall, Tullycross - Tickets: €20
Seán Keane from County Galway was once described as the `greatest
musical find of the 90`s` by The London Independent and he has certainly
lived up to that. Though best known as a traditional singer, he
successfully mixes country, blues and pop songs. Sean’s latest album Live
(released March 2016), was actually recorded in Paddy Coynes Pub,
Tullycross last year and was seen on TG4 as a Christmas Special in 2015.
We are delighted to welcome him back to Tullycross for the festival!
Early booking recommended.
Cockles & Mussels
- The Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir
Sat 30th April 8.00pm - Tullycross Church - Tickets: €10
Cois Cladaigh is a mixed voice choir based in Galway and was founded in
1982. The choir specialises in European music from the late 15th and early
16th centuries and also performs a formidable repertoire of
contemporary choral music. The choir has had considerable success in
competition, winning the premier national award on 3 occasions at
Ireland's most important meeting, the Cork Choral Festival.
NORAMOLLYANNALIVIALUCIA (The Muse and Mr. Joyce)
Sun 1st May 5.30pm - Renvyle House Hotel - Tickets: €10
Presented by Curlew Theatre Company, written and directed by Eamon
Grennan and performed by Tegolin Knowland, this play will also be
performed in June as part of the Bloomsday Celebrations at Howth
Castle, Co. Dublin, The National Library of Ireland, Dublin and for The Dept
of Foreign Affairs in The Hague, Holland. The company perform ‘plays-forvoices’ devised by Eamon Grennan. Each of these takes a crucial element
in Irish history and explores it in depth, seeking to bring everything down
to a close, even intimate relationship between players and audience.
The play will be followed by two free events in Renvyle House Hotel:
Séidíu – 6.30pm
The vocal ensemble Séidíu came
into being in Clifden at the end of
November last year. Séidíu has six
members so far – all experienced
choral singers under the
direction of Nina Johanne
Madsen. This is Séidíu's first
public performance consisting of
a capella renaissance music.
Announcement of Winners of our
Inaugural Poetry Competition – 7.00pm
The first ever Connemara Mussel Festival poetry competition
was the brainchild of John Coyle of Renvyle House who
suggested that as there weren’t many poems about the
humble mussel he would rectify the situation by sponsoring a
competition. 160 entries were received from all over the world
and were judged by poet and Professor of Literature Eamon
Grennan. Join us to see who will take the inaugural Connemara
Mussel Festival literary crown.
Followed by Gourmet Buffet at Renvyle House Hotel €45
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OUT AND ABOUT IN CONNEMARA
Archaeological Field Trip
Sat 30th April 10.00am - Meet outside Festival Marquee - Tickets €15
Connemara’s leading archaeologist Michael Gibbons will lead a field trip
around the Kylemore Castle Estate and environs. Hear of long lost Roman
remains; see a 5000 year old tomb; view an almost forgotten Marconi
industrial complex and visit an ancient burial ground with some dramatic
folk art sculpture. View the last intact fragment of a river edge bog in the
area, abandoned famine era landscapes and hear of a battle over Cearta Trá
between two fairy kings.
Bus leaves from outside the Festival Marquee returning approx. 1pm. Bring good
walking shoes and raingear. Limited numbers - advance booking recommended.
Mussel Festival Run
Sat 30th April 12.00 pm - Meet at Tullycross Church - Entry €10
Organised by our local Runday Running Club, this 5K mixed terrain looped
run starts at Tullycross and heads towards Letterfrack. A left turn at the
new picnic area at Derryinver bridge brings you onto the beautiful bog
road. Enjoy the spectacular mountain views before re-joining the
Currywongan road back to Tullycross.
Over 16s only. All profits will go the festival’s charity partner, the RNLI.
Book in advance or pay on the day.
Cycling
Sat 30th April & Sun 1st May 1.00pm each day - €15
Guided tours from Tullycross Church. Enjoy the amazing scenery of north
west Connemara - Wild Atlantic Bike Hire will operate guided bike tours on
Saturday and Sunday. Bikes will also be available to hire at other times
throughout the weekend.
Dawn Killary Famine Walk
Sun 1st May 6.00am - Meet at Rosroe Pier - €15
What a great start to the day! The Killary famine walk has become a staple
of the festival. You can see the early morning sun over Killary Harbour and
there’s a stop along the way to enjoy a mussel feast. Guides Catherine Nee
and Sean Coyne will lead and inform as you go.
Bring good walking shoes and raingear. Limited numbers - advance booking
recommended. Sponsored by Marty’s Mussels.
RNLI Boat makes a visit
Sun 1st May 2.30pm - Derryinver Pier - Free event
The RNLI lifeboat will be moored at Derryinver pier. This is your chance to
see the vessel which braves all weathers to ensure the safety of those at
sea. Subject to availability of the boat – saving lives comes first!
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EXHIBITIONS AND TALKS
1916 Exhibition
Sat & Sun 10.00am – 6.00pm - Festival Office (Cottage no.1)
Free event (€5 for print outs)
Peek into life in Tullycross around 1916. Historical exhibition
combining the 1916 Rising and life in Tullycross and Connemara
during that period. See how your ancestors lived. Print outs available
of your family’s 1911 Census form. Photos, newspaper clippings and
stories of the era will be on display and a historian available between
2 and 5pm each day to help access your very own hidden history.
The Wilde Family Connections to Connemara
- The Other Wilde Trial
Sat 30th April 2.00pm - Tullycross Church- Tickets: €5
A talk by Eibhear Walshe, lecturer at University College Cork on the
intriguing story of Mary Travers and the Wilde family. Illaunroe, on a
remote peninsula on Lough Fee near Little Killary was Sir William
Wilde's first hunting lodge in the west; for many years Oscar liked to
call it the little purple island where we children learned to fish and
hunt. Eibhear Walshe is the author of Oscar’s Shadow : Wilde and
Ireland and The Diary of Mary Travers as well as other publications.
Sponsored by Artisan House Editions and Joan McBreen
Before the Great Famine
- Rare watercolours of Connemara
Sat 30th April 3.30pm - Tullycross Church - Tickets €5
An illustrated talk on English watercolourist William Evans by Anne
Hodge. In 2008 the National Gallery of Ireland acquired a collection
of 41 watercolours of West of Ireland scenes by the English
topographical artist William Evans (1798-1877). Anne Hodge is
Curator of Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Ireland. She
is currently working on a book exploring William Evans’ 1838 tour of
Galway and Connemara.
Sponsored by Mary O’Keeffe in memory of Denis O’Keeffe
From Diocletian to Marconi
Sat 30th April 5.00pm - Tullycross Church - Tickets: €5
An illustrated talk by renowned local archaeologist Michael Gibbons
on the Roman (and other) remains on the Kylemore Estate,
Connemara. Anyone who has ever heard Michael talking about his
passion for Connemara and archaeology will know that this will be a
fascinating and instructive presentation.
Sponsored by Anne Foyle
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French Connection
Sun 1st May 1.30 pm - Tullycross Church- Tickets: €5
From Tullycross to La Rochelle! Festival Food, French Connectivity,
and Relational Tourism Potential: Tony Kiely from Dublin Institute of
Technology will deliver an illustrated talk on the challenges and
opportunities associated with creating a sustainable tourism format
for Tullycross and its immediate environs, followed by a Q&A session.
Two talks for experienced and novice gardeners alike
Sun 1st May 2.00 pm - The Vegetable Garden behind Paddy Coynes Pub - Tickets: €5
Organic Vegetable Growing
With Klaus Laitenberger. What better way to ensure your food is
fresh and chemical free than growing it yourself? Formerly Head
Gardener at the Organic Centre at Rossinver and now lecturer in
organic horticulture at University College Cork,and an organic
farming inspector, Klaus has become a regular and very popular
contributor to the festival. His three best selling books on growing
vegetables have attracted rave reviews from other horticulturists
and top gardening newspaper & magazine writers and other
gardeners alike.
Followed by
How to Make Compost at Home – Top Tips
Sinéad Ní Mhainnin, Environment Officer with Galway County
Council,on how to make compost at home and see how different
types of composters work. You will learn how to save money and
improve your garden at the same time!
Commemorative Stories of ‘The Crossroads’
Sun 1st May 3.00 pm - Tullycross Church - Tickets: €5
With Verena Roe. A glimpse through the windows of time one
hundred years ago. An illustrated talk on the social history
surrounding the events which shaped the everyday lives of the
community. Verena is a local historian who specialises in Heritage
and Local History, having gained her B.A. (Hons) in Heritage Studies
at GMIT in 2014. She is fourth generation Tullycross and
Gorteennaglogh which provides her with primary social history
sources. Sponsored by Judy Kay
RNLI
Sun 1st May 4.30pm - Tullycross Church - Tickets: €5
Robert King, Station Mechanic with RNLI Clifden, will give a
presentation on the activities and development of Clifden RNLI since
its foundation. This will include first-hand accounts of sea rescues
and an overview of the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign.
Proceeds to RNLI
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CHILDREN’S FUN AND EVENTS
What do you Sea?
Sat 30th April 11.00am & 3.00pm - Cottage No.3, Tullycross - Tickets: €3
Create an underwater scene, with our American friends from Aquinas college.
Painting and collage using items found in the sea or along the shore! A great way
to let the imagination go wild with the mysteries of the deep blue ocean.
Sugar Crush – Kid’s Cooking Workshops
Sat 30th April 11.00am & Sun 1st May 12.00pm - Festival Marquee
Free Event - Places limited, booking essential
Everyone has heard how sugar can be found in most foods today, however, we all
need a little sweetness in our diet to maintain a healthy balance. GMIT Lecturers
Jacinta and Maria will show kids how to whip up some treats without the need for
any major sugar rush. And the kids get to keep their chefs hats and aprons!
Sponsored by Dept of Culinary Arts in GMIT
Tegolin’s Tales
Sat 30th & Sun 1st May 12.30pm each day - Tullycross Church- Tickets: €3
The Leprechaun and St Brigid & the Pig. Prepare to be brought on a memorable
journey with Tegolin, meeting and exploring colourful characters along the way.
Interactive fun-filled children’s theatrical storytelling.
Bernardo the Magician
Sat 30th April 1.30pm & 4.00pm - Upstairs Marian Hall - Tickets: €3
Entertainment for all the family with one of Irelands top fun magicians.
Also children’s disco and balloon modelling. Places limited, booking essential
Ella and her close friends
Sun 1st May - afternoon
Beside the Viking Ship - Free Event
Ella, the smallest cow in the world, is coming back! And
this time she is bringing some of her farmyard friends with
her. Ella is a Dexter cow measuring just 31 inches tall and
she hasn’t yet told us which friends she is bringing – so
you’ll just have to come and see!
Facepainting
Sat 30th April & Sun 1st May - Artisan Market
ON THE SPORTS FIELD
(located behind the Marian Hall, Tullycross)
National Schools GAA Blitz
Sat 30th April 2.00pm-6.00pm - Sports Field - Free Event
Fun and excitement for all the family as the local National Schools battle it
out GAA style.
Seven a Side Football League
Sun 1st May 2.00pm-6.00pm - Sports Field - Free Event
Teams from around the county play for The Stephen Thomas Kane Cup,
medals and cash rewards. A serious event but lots of fun!
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FRIENDS & SPONSORS
AIB,Clifden; Anglers Rest Bar; Ann Foyle; Aoife Herriott Photography; Aquinas College; Arrabawn Dairies;
Artisan House Editions; Babs McGinn, Spruce your Pooch; Barna Waste; Bernard King; Brian Coyne; Brian
Maher, Letter Hill Furniture; Broderick Electrical; Carlton Group; Castlebar Golf Club; CBE; Charmaine
Flaherty; City Link; Clifden Bookshop; Clifden Supply Centre; Clover Fox, Letterfrack; Connemara
Beekeepers Association; Connemara Carpets, Moyard; Connemara Golf Club; Connemara Loop;
Connemara West plc; Day’s Pub, Inishbofin; Diamond Hair Studio, Letterfrack; Down2Earth Materials;
Edward Conway Motors, Castlebar; Declan O’Grady, Charleville Park Hotel; Faherty Wholesale; Tom & Viv
Flaherty; Fr. Ronnie Boyle; Gerard Moylan; Gleesons; Graham Roberts; Gresham Hotel; Guiness; Guy’s Pub,
Clifden; Hugh O’Neill; Integrated Fire Solutions; J & C Kenny; James Flaherty; Joe & Joan McBreen; John
Diamond; John James Flaherty; John Nee; John Sweeney; Judy Kay; Kavanagh’s Supervalu, Clifden; Killary
Adventure Centre; Killary Cruises; Kingfisher Fresh Fish; Klaus Laitenberger; Kylemore Pass Hotel; Laura
Cull; Letterfrack Hardware; Letterfrack Lodge; Maol Reidh Hotel; Marty’s Shellfish; Mary O’Keefe; Mike
Joyce, Ballinrobe Races; Mill Meats; O’Toole Transport; Paddy Kane & FÁS crew; Pat Concannon, Island
Discovery; Patrick James & Patsy Conneely; Pauline & Michael Mannion; Rebec Construction; Renvyle GAA;
Renvyle Sports & Social Co; Robin O’Donnell; Rogan’s Gala, Tully; Rosleague Hotel; Runday Runners Club;
Scubadive West; Seanchai Editions; Sleepzone; Station House Hotel; Supervalu, Clifden; Sweeney Oil; TG4;
The Country Shop, Letterfrack; The Helm Restaurant, Westport; The Twelve Hotel, Barna; Top Oil;
Veldon’s Seafarer Bar; Verena Roe; White Strand Restaurant & Bar.
Our thanks to the community, volunteers and everyone who has supported the festival.
The above list is correct at the time of going to print. We sincerely apologise to anyone we may have inadvertently left out.
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CONNEMARA MUSSEL FESTIVAL
Friday 29th April
7pm
Official opening of the Festival in the Festival Marquee followed by
a performance from the award winning Curley School of Dancing
& the loading of a time capsule to be buried on Sunday after Mass.
9pm
Sean Keane Concert
P7
Saturday 30th April
10am-12pm
Galway Bay FM broadcasting from Tullycross
P3
10am-6pm
1916 Exhibition in Festival Office
P9
10am
Archaeological Field Trip with Michael Gibbons
P8
10.30am-6pm Artisan Market in Marian Hall
P4
11am
Sugar Crush - Kids Cooking
P11
11am
What do you Sea? - Children’s Art
P11
12pm
5K Mussel Festival Run
P8
12.30pm
Tegolin’s Tales - Children’s Storytelling
P11
12.30pm
Sea Gastronomy in Connemara with Michael O’Meara
P5
1pm
Guided Bike Tour
P8
1.30pm
Bernardo the Magician
P11
2pm
Wilde Family Connections to Connemara - Eibhear Walshe
P9
2pm
The Role of Communities in Tourism in the West of Ireland
P5
2pm-6pm
National Schools GAA Blitz
P11
3pm
What do you Sea? - Children’s Art
P11
3pm
GMIT Culinary Student Cook Off
P5
4pm
Before the Famine - Rare Watercolours of Connemara - Anne
Hodge
Bernardo the Magician
4.30pm
Celebrity Cooking Competition
P5
5pm
From Diocletian to Marconi
P9
6pm
Unveiling of Boulevard Patrick Walton & Moules Eclade in the street P4
8pm
Cois Cladaigh Concert
3.30pm
Food Events
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Concerts & Theatre
P9
P11
P7
Out & About
Exhibitions & Talks
Children
EVENTS CALENDAR 2016
Sunday 1st May
6am
Dawn Killary Walk
P8
10am-6pm
1916 Exhibition in Festival Office
P9
10.30am-6pm Artisan Market in Marian Hall
P4
11.45am
Burying of a Time Capsule at the "Triangle" in Tullycross
12pm
Sugar Crush - Kids cooking
P11
12.30pm
Tegolin’s Tales - Children’s Storytelling
P11
1pm
Guided Bike Tour
P8
1.30pm
Sunday Seafood Platter with Chef Jonathan Keane
P6
1.30pm
The French Connection - talk & discussion with Tony Kiely
P10
2pm-6pm
Seven A Side Football League
P11
2pm
Organic gardening with Klaus Laitenberger
followed by a talk on composting
P10
2.30pm
Bake Off Awards
P6
2.30pm
RNLI Lifeboat at Derryinver Pier
P8
3pm
New Zealand meets Connemara with Chef Jess Murphy
P6
3pm
Commemorative Stories of ‘The Crossroads’ - Verena Roe
P10
4.15pm
Tim's Seafood Family Meals with Chef Tim O'Sullivan
P6
4.30pm
RNLI - a talk by Robert King
P10
5.30pm
Amateur Chef Competition
P6
5.30pm
Noramollyannalivialucia by Curlew Theatre Company
P7
6.30pm
Concert by Séidíu
P7
7pm
Announcement of Winners of Poetry Competition
P7
8pm
Renvyle House Hotel Festival Gourmet Buffet
P4
The Curley School of Dancing will perform at the Festival
Opening. Congratulations to James O’Farrell (3rd from left)
who recently became World Champion Irish dancer.
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IRISH MUSSEL CUISINE by Máirin Uí Chomain
The definitive mussel recipe book, designed and created specifically
for the festival by Máirín Uí Chomáin. This beautifully illustrated
book, packed with recipes from chefs from all around the country is
a must-buy for those of you who love to eat and enjoy mussels!
Available for just €8 from the Festival Office or on our website
www.connemaramusselfestival.com.
MUSSEL FESTIVAL T-SHIRTS
A reminder of your weekend
Available to buy from the Festival Office or online - €15
www.connemaramusselfestival.com
The festival is run by volunteers and we have tried to make it as good value for everyone as possible. If you
would like to make a contribution, donation boxes can be found in the Marquee and the Festival Office.
The Bagman bags the mussels at the Festival launch earlier this
year. Patrick ‘Rala’ O’Reilly former bagman for the Irish Rugby
Team with Festival chairman, Gerry Coyne.
Tullycross, Renvyle, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
[email protected]
www.connemaramusselfestival.com
Graphic & Web Design by Cuán Mara Design | Cover Photo & Festival Photography by Aoife Herriott Photography
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