Chef Neven Maguire’s six-part series of Neven’s Irish Seafood Trails sees Neven traveling around Ireland. The Cavan man meets with some of the producers and chefs who are responsible for Ireland’s great seafood reputation. In this series of his hugely popular seafood travels, Neven includes Kerry, Dublin, Mayo, Cork and Galway. And, as always, Neven prepares delicious dishes based on local produce throughout the series.

We were delighted to host Neven and look forward to the show.

The night was a great success and we were delighted to see so many people come out to support the country’s first dedicated oyster trail.

This idea had been developing for a while and could not have materialised without the support and funding from Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and Failte Ireland’s Taste the Atlantic trail. This trail consists of 21 producers and experiences and aims to offer visitors the chance to learn about the craft of these producers and taste their product freshly harvested from the sea.

On the Sligo Oyster Experience visitors learn of Sligo’s oysters and their origins at Sligo Bay followed by a tasting of freshly prepared oysters from the Wild Atlantic Way. We are grateful to be involved with the trail and look forward to developing the experience further and introducing Sligo Bay oysters to a wider audience.

I would like to thank Anthony Gray, Gail McGibbon, Eva Costello and Richard Donnelly for launching the experience and our MC for the night, Marie Brouder. Thanks to Odilon AVA Systems for the set-up for the evening. Thank you to Glenn who provided his shucking expertise on the night behind the oyster bar. I would also like to thank the Sligo Champion and the Sligo Weekender for their support and coverage of the event. Many thanks to everyone who came along on the night and everyone who has shown their support over the past few weeks.

The video captures our Sligo Bay farmers and the work they do to provide us with our delicious oysters. The Wild Atlantic Oyster company represents the oyster producers in Sligo Bay, on Ireland’s North West coast. The producers comprise a shellfish hatchery company, located on the shores of Sligo Bay at Lissadell, and three shellfish farming companies.

Sligo Bay has a history of oyster cultivation that has taken place here for generations. The Bay has numerous inlets and the minerals found in these waters contribute to the sharp brine and rich finish of these oysters. The shells’ distinctive purple hue is also attributed to the minerals found in the surrounding Atlantic seabeds.

The Sligo Oyster Experience offers visitors the chance to taste these Sligo Bay Oysters, see an oyster shucking demonstration and learn of the history of our local oysters. Enjoy with a glass of carefully selected wine or order from a selection of locally crafted beer.

We are grateful for the support and funding from Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and Failte Ireland’s Taste the Atlantic trail. We look forward to working closely with The Wild Atlantic Oyster Company in the future and sharing with people the work and dedication that goes into our delicious oysters.

Ireland’s first dedicated oyster trail and interactive visitor centre to be officially opened on Thursday 2 August. Funding for Sligo Oyster Experience was secured under the Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) administered Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) investment and also received extensive support from the BIM and Fáilte Ireland Taste the Atlantic – a seafood journey initiative.

Sligo Oyster Experience begins with a short walking tour, crossing the Garavogue river that runs through the town, and out to Sligo Bay where oyster production has taken place for generations. Sligo Oyster Experience owner and manager, Aisling Kelly, wearing a sturdy oyster glove, provides live oyster shucking demonstrations and tastings for visitors where she describes the sharp brine and rich finish of local Wild Atlantic Oysters and the shell’s distinctive purple hue due to the minerals found in the surrounding Atlantic seabeds of Sligo Bay.

Jim O’Toole, CEO of BIM welcomed the opening of the visitor centre and said “The vision for Taste the Atlantic is to provide visitors the opportunity to explore, understand and get to know how the wild Atlantic waters influence the production and taste of some of Ireland’s seafood.”

To date, 21 producers form part of the Taste the Atlantic seafood trail that stretches from the Inishowen Peninsula at the top of Donegal to Oysterhaven Bay in Cork.

Bookings can be made online at www.sligooysterexperience.ie or at any tourist office nationwide. Details on Taste the Atlantic can be found at www.wildatlanticway.com  and www.bim.ie

The launch the new Sligo Oyster Experience this Thursday 2nd of August at WB’s Coffee House, Sligo at 6.30 p.m. All welcome to attend.