Oyster Trail 2026
Explore Galway’s Neighbourhoods One Delicious Bite at a Time
Citywide
Galway Food Tours
*New for 2026!!
Galway Food Tours is a 3-hour culinary walking tour of the city, offering a wonderful insight into the passionate people and exceptional produce that make Galway one of Ireland’s true gourmet jewels.
Dates & Times
11:00 AM : September 25th, 26th & 27th
3:00 PM : September 25th
Oysome
* New for 2026!!
Hey Oysome:
Have you ever tried oyster ice cream? A delicious and intriguing blend of sea-fresh oyster umami flavours and salted caramel.
Sarah Browne, founder of Oysome, will be on the streets of Galway this year with her famous Oyster Ice Cream – go on – give it a try!
Workshops:
Hands-on oyster shucking class with Sarah Browne. Suitable for beginners or those looking to refine their shucking skills.
Learn to shuck, serve and taste premium Irish oysters in this hands-on masterclass with Oysome founder Sarah Browne.
You’ll learn to shuck using two different methods, taste both species of oysters that are grown in Ireland, how to select a great oyster and ensure you have the safest experience possible.
While you’re at it, you’ll be enjoying some of Sarah’s homemade stout and treacle loaf and a drink courtesy of Massimo’s bar, which is included in the ticket price.
Workshop numbers are limited to ensure Sarah has time to provide 1:1 guidance to each participant as needed.
Ticket sales for this event are at a reduced rate thanks to the generous support of An Bord Iascaigh Mhara*.
*Standard ticket price €55/person
Blas na Gaillimhe
Kelly Oysters
Kelly Oysters
A Galway oyster tradition since 1954
The Kelly family has been part of Galway’s oyster story since the very first Galway Oyster Festival in 1954. Today, Kelly Oysters continues that tradition from the shores of Galway Bay, with the Native Irish Flat Oyster at the heart of the season.
Throughout the festival, you’ll find Kelly Oysters being served at restaurants and venues across Galway city and county – a chance to enjoy our oysters as part of the city’s vibrant food scene.
For the full oyster experience, come and see us at our pop-up oyster bar:
Saturday – Middle Street – 12 noon to 5pm
Freshly shucked Native Irish Flat Oysters and Rock Oysters, served straight from the shell.
Sunday – Dock Street – 12 noon to 5pm
Join us again for freshly shucked Native and Rock Oysters as the festival moves towards the waterfront.
Whether you’re discovering the Native Irish oyster for the first time or returning to an old favourite, follow the trail, explore Galway and enjoy an oyster or two along the way.
Woodquay and Eyre Sqare
McSwiggan's
*Venue for Official Festival Opening and launch of the 2026 Oyster Trail*
The 2026 festival kicks off in McSwiggans on Thursday 24th from 7pm with an evening of stories from the festival, oysters (of course!), drinks and fun.
Patrick McMurray AKA Shucker Paddy will also be there to tell us a thing or two about the delicious oysters on offer and show us to how to shuck like an World Oyster Opening Champion!
On Friday 25th from 5pm – 7pm, join some of the competitors on the Oyster Trail here as they give shucking demos and get some practice in ahead of the World Championships on Saturday!
The Hardiman
The Oyster Bar at the Hardiman
Galway’s Iconic Cocktail & Oyster Bar
From 12:30pm to 5:00pm, The Oyster Bar transforms into a vibrant daytime destination, serving:
Freshly shucked oysters
Light lunch options and small plates
Sharing boards, perfect for two or more
An indulgent display of house-made desserts and confections, prepared fresh each day
The Galmont
An Púcán
*Venue for Irish Oyster Opening Championship, Friday 25th Sept*
* Join us for the Official Oyster Festival Brunch on Saturday 26th Sept *
An Púcán on Foster Street, just a minute’s walk from Eyre Square, is Galway’s home of sport and the city’s go-to for good vibes, great tunes, and genuinely good food.
Whether you’re after a creamy pint, a plate of fresh oysters, or a weekend full of music and craic, An Púcán always delivers a warm welcome.
With two lively bars, cosy snugs, and Galway’s best beer garden, it’s a place where locals and visitors come together in true Galway fashion. Steeped in tradition but never short of character, An Púcán is the spot to pull up a stool, raise a glass, and soak it all in.
Brasserie on The Corner
This year, we’re teaming up with Mumm Champagne to bring you High Tide Tea, a delightful selection of seafood favourites, crafted for the table and designed to be shared.
Think delicious seafood, sparkling Mumm Champagne and the perfect way to soak up the festival atmosphere.
High Tide Tea will be available for the three festival days (Friday, 25th – Sunday, 27th September) from 12pm–3pm.
Booking is essential, so be sure to reserve your table early!
Email: info@
The Latin Quarter
The King's Head
Follow the Seafood Trail to The Kings Head
For The Kings Head seafood is not just something for festival weekend. We love it, we cook it, and we serve plenty of it all year round. In fact, our annual fish bill is higher than our meat bill. We think that says quite a lot.
So, if you are following the Seafood Trail, make your way to our 800 year old pub and bistro on High Street and come hungry.
There will be clams, crab claws, scallops, mussels and lobster, alongside our award winning seafood chowder. Then there is the dish that needs little introduction: our iconic fish and thrice-cooked chips. And if you cannot decide what to have, go for the seafood platter and let us do the choosing. The sea is calling.
The Kings Head
15 High Street, Galway Latin Quarter
No reservations. Just walk in, find a seat and get stuck into the best of the west.
Kirby's
With oysters a permanent feature on the menu at Kirby’s, enjoy the festival atmosphere with live traditional music everyday from 5.30pm followed by band & dj!
Busker Brownes
Join some of the World Oyster Opening Championship contenders on the Oyster Trail here on Friday 25th from 6pm – 7pm!
The Front Door
The Front Door Pub/ Sonny Molloy’s
At the heart of Galway’s social scene, The Front Door Pub is one of the city’s most popular bars. It’s also home to Tigh Nora Gin Bar and Sonny Molloy’s Whiskey Bar, with a vibrant mix of venues to explore, all under one roof.
The Front Door is your typical friendly Irish bar, renowned for its welcoming staff, popular with both Galwegians and visitors to the city. Enjoy live music every evening, and an extensive selection of drinks. On the menu, you’ll find a mix of classic Irish and International cuisine, with a selection of seafood always a popular choice.
Of course, Oysters will feature on the menu for the festival, and you can enjoy a trio of oysters and a pint of Sonny Molloy’s Irish stout as a special for the 3 days of the festival.
Visit www.frontdoorpub.com or follow @frontdoorpub on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Kombu
The Dáil Bar
Award-winning cocktails, delicious food, live music nightly, an exclusive whiskey selection and the best pint of Guinness you’ll get in Galway.. The Dáil Bar has it all – Your local pub in the heart of the city!
The Dáil Bar is perfectly located to enjoy the festival, as it’s literally across the street (and the closest bar) from where the World Oyster Opening Championships will be held, in the vibrant Latin Quarter. It’s also home to The Liquor Lounge, a popular cocktail bar, nestled upstairs.
Throughout the weekend, you can enjoy a delicious trio of oysters, along with the perfect pairing of Oysters & a Ketel One Vodka Bloody Mary cocktail.
For further details visit www.thedailbar.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
M. Fitzgeralds
Join some of the World Oyster Opening Championship contenders on the Oyster Trail here on Friday 25th from 6pm!
Cava Bodega
Freeneys
Try out the pop-up oyster bar at Freeneys!
The Quays
Sheridans Wine Bar
Oysters & Bubbles
Join Sheridans Cheesemongers & Flaggy Shore Oysters in Sheridans Wine bar Sept 27th from 2-7pm!
We’ll be popping bottles of our favourite fizz to pair with Flaggy Shore Oysters from Co. Clare.
Tigh Neachtain
Taaffes
McDonagh's
At McDonagh’s in Quay Street Galway, eating oysters is a wonderfully unpretentious experience that bridges world-class seafood with casual chipper culture. Right alongside paper bags of steaming, salt-and-vinegar-drenched chips, you can order premium Gigas Oysters sourced directly from Kelly’s in nearby Kilcolgan.
These local delicacies are served raw, cold, and briny in portions of 3 or 6.
It is the ultimate culinary contrast: the refined, metallic burst of the Atlantic Ocean enjoyed in the down-to-earth, bustling atmosphere of a legendary Irish fish-and-chip shop.
The West End
The Crane
The Crane Bar – Galway Westend
The Oyster Trail takes to the streets of Galway’s Westend with a pop-up oyster bar outside The Crane Bar.
Enjoy freshly shucked oysters farmed by Ferghal Langley in Pouldoody, from the limestone-mineral rich waters in the heart of The Burren — a small-batch oyster with a remarkable history, once demanded by Tudor kings and written about by James Joyce.
Great oysters, good craic and the Westend at its best.
Ferghal will be serving oysters from 6pm Friday 25th, 6pm Saturday 26th and 2pm on Sunday 27th.
To coincide with this, there will be music and song with Joyce Redmond, Steve Simmons and Steve Sweeney at 6pm on Saturday 26th.
The visiting Kinlochard Ceilidh Band from Stirling in Scotland will perform along with local musicians on Sunday 27th from 2.30pm to 5pm.
Daróg
Taylor's
Aniar
Kai
Monroe's
‘Celebrate Galway International Oyster Festival weekend at Monroe’s Tavern, one of Galway’s most recognisable landmarks and a long-standing home of great food, creamy pints and live traditional Irish music.
On Saturday, 26th September from 12.30pm–2.30pm, join us for live oyster shucking, with freshly shucked oysters served alongside the perfect festival pairing — a creamy pint of Guinness.
Stay for the afternoon, soak up the festival atmosphere and enjoy everything Monroe’s is known for, from hearty food, music and our live upstairs venue in the heart of Galway’s West End.’
Salthill
Galway Bay Hotel
Black Cat
Black Cat presents Oysters & Tunes
Sunday 27th Sept, 8.15pm
Tickets are €15 including a glass of wine and can be purchased through Eventbrite link below or booked over the phone at 091501007.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/bl
Salthill Hotel
The Ardilaun
Bloody Mary €11.00
Galway Docks
Rúibín
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, We Offer One of the Best Places to Eat in Galway
Rúibín will be running a special oyster menu alongside their usual menu, showcasing different oysters from across Ireland.
Each oyster will have a signature drink pairing by Dennis & Roisin, our mixologist & sommelier.
Galway Bay Seafoods
At Galway Bay Seafoods located at the New Docks, the oyster experience is defined by ultimate ocean freshness and hands-on seafood expertise. This multi-generational family business operates a working harbour fish market alongside their popular Dockside Deli and restaurant seating area.
- To Take Home: You can hand-select live, whole oysters directly from the fishmonger counter.
- To Eat In: You can order them shucked fresh to order at the deli counter to enjoy right there in the casual dining area. It provides a rustic, authentic dockside atmosphere where you can look out at the working harbor while tasting the raw, briny essence of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Closed on Sunday
City and County
Radisson RED
A timeless trio, done right.
Natural | Shallot & mignonette | Lemon & Tabasco
Oysters with a global twist.
Japanese ponzu | Korean style | Mexican style
A celebration of local flavour.
Apple & cucumber | Irish whiskey mignonette | Seaweed butter
Available exclusively during Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival weekend.
Tom Sheridans, Knocknacarra
The countdown to @galwayoysterfest is well and truly on!
Tom Sheridan’s are ready to shuck things up from Thursday – Sunday of the festival, with delicious oysters on the menu and perfectly paired wines from our friends at Bibendum Wines.
It all kicks off Thursday, 24th September!
Morans of the Weir, Kilcolgan
Moran’s on the Weir
Oysters, heritage & shucking tradition
Step off the festival trail and into one of Galway’s most celebrated oyster houses. Set beside the historic weir in Kilcolgan, Moran’s on the Weir has been serving oysters and seafood for generations, deeply connected to the traditions of Galway Bay and the Clarinbridge oyster fishery.
During the Galway Oyster Festival, Moran’s will be serving Native Irish Flat Oysters and Gigas oysters, offering visitors the opportunity to taste two distinct chapters of Galway’s oyster story.
And you’re in good hands – Moran’s is home to some of the finest oyster shuckers in the world, with generations of skill behind every opened shell.
Come for the oysters, stay for the history, the seafood and the unique atmosphere of one of Galway’s great oyster destinations.
Pádraicíns, Furbo
Galway Oyster Festival Special:
Fresh Gigas Oysters in the half shell on crushed ice
Fawn, Oranmore
Oyster special:
House fermented chili and peach sauce, compressed cucumber and dill.
Brigit's Garden, Roscahill
Sunday 27th September 2026 at 6pm
As part of the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, Brigit’s Garden invites you to an intimate communal feast celebrating Connemara’s wild coastlines and rich culinary heritage. The evening opens with James Harrington from Moycullen Seafood sharing stories of traditional oyster harvesting in Connemara, followed by a multi-course seasonal dinner curated by Chef Aitor Escudero.
Enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, pristine native oysters, Atlantic seafood, tempting desserts and garden botanicals served family-style around a shared table.
https://brigitsgarden.ie/class/seasonal-dinner-evenings-at-brigits-garden/?wcs_timestamp=1790535600
