Best Irish Seafood Festivals 2019 | Coast Monkey’s Essential Guide

All over Ireland, villages and coastal communities are getting ready to share the very best of their locally-sourced and skillfully-prepared seafood at festivals celebrating the bounty of coastal life. And we don’t want you to miss a moment of the fun.

Here are the best seafood festivals taking place around Ireland in 2019!

1. Connemara Mussel Festival, Galway

3rd – 5th May 2019 

First off this year head to the beautiful west coast for the Connemara Mussel Festival which offers a veritable feast for the senses. Originally established to promote the excellence of the mussels from 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. Great people, great atmosphere, this is a really great one and a fantastic way to welcome the longer days!

Visit the official Connemara Mussel Festival website

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2. Dublin Bay Prawn Festival, Howth, Dublin

17th – 19th May 2019

Taking advantage of the sunnier weather this firm favourite Dublin Seafood festival moves to May this year. Howth has tons of great restaurants that participate and they have a stacked programme of events with loads of stalls and family entertainment. Whatever way you like your prawns – Howth’s many award-winning restaurants will serve your favourite prawn dishes in bite-sized portions at the food village of this year’s Dublin Bay Prawn Festival, in addition to a variety of other fish and chip and luxury lobster dishes. In such a picturesque setting, make sure to get a cliff walk in as well!

Find out more here

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3. Baltimore Seafood Festival, Cork

24th – 26th May 2019

Summer is truly here in May and where better to spend a few days that Baltimore, West Cork, definitely one of the most beautiful places in Ireland and a fantastic spot for a festival. This three-day seafood festival is a showcase for the products of Baltimore’s fishing and fish-farming industries, and for other local food producers. Visitors have the opportunity to sample some of the best of the fish and shellfish from the seas off Baltimore, together with other local produce like cheese and home-baking. There is musical entertainment in the Square every day and free shellfish is served in all the bars. The festival is held in conjunction with the Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival, making this one of the most festive weekends of the year.

Visit here for more info Baltimore Seafood Festival

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4. Wicklow Seafood Festival, South Quay, Wicklow Town

June 2019 – Exact date to be confirmed

A celebration exciting seafood flavours, creative cooking and family fun on the Wicklow Quays. Lots of exciting activities including boat trips to Black Castle and Wicklow Head, the Pirate’s Cove train, puppet shows, face painting and of course delicious seafood. The day also celebrates the birthday of local legend Sammy the Seal!

Visit here for more info Wicklow Seafood Festival

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5. Féile na Mara, the Festival of the Sea, Achill Island

1st – 31st July 2019

Féile na Mara, the Festival of the Sea, takes place on the gorgeous Achill Island on the Wild Atlantic Way. This is a celebration of seafood at it’s best, showcasing the spectacular seafood of the Atlantic Ocean and embracing Achill’s rich heritage. There will be fresh seafood and lobsters at the Purteen harbour festival as part of the Féile na Mara events.

Visit the official site here Féile na Mara

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6. Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival, Wexford

3rd – 7th July 2019

A seafood festival in Wexford with its rich maritime and fishing history is an absolute must.  Each July, Kilmore Quay, Wexford’s charming and picturesque fishing village, on the south-east coast of Ireland, celebrates summer with delicious seafood platters, fishing and lots of fun activities for all the family. Kilmore Quay is a really special little town and time spent here is well spent time especially in the long summer days!

For more info: Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival

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7. Valentia Island King Scallop Festival, Co. Kerry

July 2019 – Exact dates to be confirmed

The annual Valentia Island King Scallop Festival is a family-friendly celebration on the beautiful Valentia Island with live music, entertainment, competitions and at the heart of it the delectable scallop! The weekend will see this little mollusc been served up in a number of tasty dishes and the highlight of the festival will be the cook-off and crowning or Mr King Scallop!

More info: Valentia Island King Scallop Festival

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8. Carlingford Oyster Festival, Louth

8th – 12th August 2019

The beautiful and historic town of Carlingford has a really great festival. The Carlingford Oyster Festival offers a four day fun-filled festival for the whole family is packed with traditional children’s activities including Magic Show, Face Painting, the ever popular Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Free Kayaking in the Harbour, Children’s Funfair & Bouncing Castles. If you like watersports, there is so much for you in Carlingford.

For more info: Carlingford Oyster Festival

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9. Dalkey Lobster Festival, Dublin

23rd – 25th August

The Dalkey Lobster Fest takes place in the chilled out village of Dalkey and the festival see’s a fusion of local seafood with the best of current global jazz musicians and lots of fun events for all the family to enjoy.  There are lots of free events on throughout the day. It’s a fantastic weekend for all the family. So come along and enjoy some crab, lobster and all that jazz.

For more info: Dalkey Lobster Fest

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10. Clarenbridge Galway Oyster Festival

9th – 15th September 2019

The perfect conditions that exist in Clarenbridge for growing and harvesting Oysters – a sheltered bay, a perfect ratio of fresh and salt water and added to this the skill and knowledge of a community who are immersed in Oyster harvesting since Roman times makes for some seriously delicious Oysters. Now celebrating the festivals 65th year there’s so much going on here with a full programme of events, but here the Oysters are the proverbial pearl!

For more info: Clarenbridge Oyster Festival

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12. Galway Oyster Festival

27th – 29th September 2019

Want even more Oysters in Galway? Us too! Welcome to the oldest oyster festival in the world and the most internationally recognised Irish festival after St Patrick’s Day. Deemed one of Europe’s longest-running food extravaganzas, the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival was launched in September 1954 by Brian Collins, the manager of the Great Southern Hotel (now called Hotel Meyrick). That year just 34 guests attended the first Oyster Festival Banquet and feasted on several dozen oysters each. These days, the event is one of the biggest on Ireland’s social calendar, drawing big numbers who gleefully down tons of the famous native Galway Oysters.

For more info: Galway Oyster Festival

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13. Hooked Killybegs Seafood Festival

7th – 8th September 2019

This festival is relatively new to the seafood scene but a few years in and it’s already paving the way to be one of the best Irish seafood festivals out there. The festival is run by the Killybegs Community and aims to showcase what the premier fishing port of Killybegs has to offer and to celebrate its seafood, traditional seafaring and maritime heritage.

More info: Hooked Killybegs

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So those are best Irish seafood festivals around Ireland this year but if you think we’ve left out your favourite festival or got something to add, get in touch! Contact us at info@coastmonkey.ie