Galway Oyster Festival 2008 - Programme of Events

GALWAY OYSTER FESTIVAL 2008
Programme of Events

For full details, visit the Galway International Oyster Festival 2008 official website at Galway Oyster Festival

Thursday 25th September 8pm
Guinness Irish Oyster Opening Championships

Friday 26th September 7.30pm
The Magnificent Mardi Gras Party
Venue: The Oyster Festival Marquee, Nimmo’s Pier

Saturday 27th September 12 noon
Official Opening of the Galway International Oyster Festival
Venue - Eyre Square

Saturday Afternoon at the Marquee
Venue - Festival Marquee Nimmo’s Pier
1.00 pm Oyster Tasting
2.00pm Guinness World Oyster Opening Championship
3.00 pm Elegant Lady Competition
3.30pm Announcement of Guinness World Oyster Opening Champion

Saturday 27th September
Oyster Festival Gala Ball
Venue: Radisson Hotel SAS
Start time: 8pm

Sunday 28th September 1pm
Farewell Party
Venue: Nimmo’s Pier

Galway Oyster Festival 2008

Galway Oyster Festival 2008

Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th September

The Galway International Oyster Festival, like the Galway Races and the Galway Arts Festival, is a major attraction to tourists from all over the world.

Featuring the Guinness Irish Oyster Opening Championships and the Oyster Pearl contest, the annual Galway Oyster Festival combines the delights of oysters and Guinness with Galway's celebrated hospitality, camaraderie and love of round-the-clock partying.

The Galway Races are over, but the fun is just about to begin.

So, tie your bicycle to the hitching-rail and enter the spirit of the Galway International Oyster Festival 2008.

Quay Street, Galway

Quay Street, Galway

Quay Street, Galway is much more than a street. "Quay Street, Galway" is an evocative, incantatory Irish phrase that conjures up a multiplicity of vivid images and memories for every visitor who has had the good fortune to enter into its magical dimension.

Quay Street, Galway is a unique, enriching experience. It is a sensory swirl of colourful shop fronts; aromatic cafes; spontaneous street theatre; conversation-buzzing, music-throbbing pubs; and friendly, yarn-spinning people.

Morning, afternoon or evening, Quay Street (Galway) is the West Awake, Ireland Through the Looking Glass.

Brian Cowen Singing

Taoiseach Brian Cowen enjoys singing. A man with a song and a well-developed sense of humour, he is a natural for the Galway Races.

Listen to Brian Cowen Singing.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen at Galway Races

Taoiseach Brian Cowen at the Galway Races

"It's a holiday festival. I think whether it's good times or bad times, you know, people need a bit of a break and (an opportunity to) relax.

There's a unique atmosphere here in Galway. There's a great tradition of racing here. And you have, of course, to ally that to all the tremendous investments that have been made in recent years.

You have a tremendous set of facilities here now. The management of the festival committee have to be congratulated for their foresight and their ability to reinvest and make sure that the product here is as good as anything that you'll find on these islands.

We're here at Galway Races trying to get away from some of that serious talk. I think it's always refreshing to come and see good racing and see one of the great jockeys of our time, Ruby Walsh give the winner there (Oslot) an absolute armchair ride."

You can watch Taoiseach Brian Cowan's interview on Youtube by clicking on Taoiseach Brian Cowan.

Ryan Tubridy at the Galway Races

Ryan Tubridy on his first visit to the Galway Races:

"I come to Galway all the time on my holidays. I stop in and get my books and other nerdy materials and head out to Clifden. But I've never been to the races. So this is the first time.

I was invited down by a few people and I thought: 'Okay, I've got time off and I'm gonna go.' And it's been great.

Jeepers, I'm being honest with you and I'm not going to lie to you - horses ... smorses. I'm just here to have a look and a few scoops. I haven't had them yet. I'm looking forward to them now in a second. It's nearly beer o'clock ... Twenty to .... And then I'll get stuck in and have good fun.

I mean the social life is great. I've spent an hour and a half, I'd say, wandering around and just talking to people all afternoon. It's been great.

I was at Punchestown for the first time recently. It was lovely. It was fine but (Galway's) a different planet. Different league. I mean here the women are spectacular. The guys look well too. And the beer is flowing - it's not messy. And if you don't want to do the horses you can do other stuff. It's great."

You can watch this Ryan Tubridy at the Galway Races interview on Youtube by clicking on Ryan Tubridy on Youtube.

Galway Races 2008 - Statistics (Thursday)

Attendance
2008 - 46,186
2007 - 46,637
2006 - 48,120

Bookmakers
2008 - €3,526,710
2007 - €4,413,883
2006 - €4,482,133

Tote
2008 - €1,768,252
2007 - €2,071,682
2006 - €1,788,246

Galway Races 2008 - Statistics (Wednesday)

Attendance
2008 - 25,537
2007 - 25,492
2006 - 28,817

Bookmakers
2008 - €3,287,334
2007 - €3,838,526
2006 - €3,755,082

Tote
2008 - €1.292,364
2007 - €1,537,559
2006 - €1,450,637

Galway Races 2008 - Statistics (Tuesday)

Attendance
2008 - 22,282
2007 - 26,345
2006 - 27,685

Bookmakers
2008 - €2,128,027
2007 - €3,052,652
2006 - €3,183,723

Tote
2008 - €1,145,034
2007 - €1,293,347
2006 - €1,199,002

Galway Races 2008 - Statistics (Monday)

Attendance
2008 - 20,476
2007 - 22,595
2006 - 19,212

Bookmakers
2008 - €2,359, 701
2007 - €2,672,338
2006 - €2,763,828

Tote
2008 - € 945,311
2007 - €1,104,765
2006 - €900,422

Galway Races 2008 - Results Sunday 3rd August

Galway Races - Results 2008

Sunday 3rd August

Galway Races results in brief

1.45 Banna Man 5/1 P W Flood (T J O'Mara)

2.15 Darenjan 5/1 P W Flood (John Joseph O'Hanlon)

2.45 Laura's Light 9/1 I J McCarthy (D T Hughes)

3.15 Almass 12/1 S H James (Kevin Prendergast)

3.45 Senators Alibi 7/1 J A Heffernan (T J O'Mara)

4.15 Suailce 4/5 Fav P J Smullen (D K Weld)

4.45 Caim Hill 10/1 Mr B T O'Connell (Philip Fenton)

Cheap Flights and Hotel Accommodation

Galway Races 2008 - Results Saturday 2nd August

Galway Races - Results 2008

Saturday 2nd August

Galway results in brief

2.30 Gay Sloane 11/4 N Madden (N Meade)

3.00 Ballito 25/1 M Bolger (J Stanley)

3.35 P'tit Fute 9/1 M Walsh (F Flood)

4.05 Thecreditcrunchie 100/30 W Lordan (T Stack)

4.35 Hill Fairy 14/1 M Cleere (J Morrison)

5.05 Indian Ocean 4/1 J Heffernan (A O'Brien)

5.35 Rite Of Passage 9/4 Fav R McNamara (D K Weld)

Galway Races 2008 - Results Friday 1st August

Galway Races - Results 2008

Friday 1st August

403/1 Treble for Danny Mullins - A Star is Born!

Galway results in brief

5.10 Truckers Delight 11/2 Jt Fav Mr P W Mullins (3) (J Hanlon)

5.40 Cristal Island 7/4 Fav D E Mullins (7) (T Mullins)

6.15 Torrid Kentavr 15/2 D J Casey (J Lambe)

6.50 Glitter Baby 20/1 D E Mullins (7) (P Cashman)

7.25 Mikhail Fokine 2/1 J A Heffernan (A P O'Brien)

7.55 Metal Madness 6/1 D E Mullins (7) (M G Quinlan)

8.30 Sophocles 7/2 M C Hussey (J Leavy)

Galway Races full results for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday:
Galway Results - Monday 28 July 2008

Galway Results - Tuesday 30 July 2008

Galway Results - Wednesday 30 July 2008

Full results for Thursday will appear later.