Clifden Arts Festival 2010 – Clifden Community Arts Week celebrating its 33rd anniversary in 2010, and is a great celebration of the Arts.

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Tourism Ireland 22 Sep 2010

A Canadian media group – including journalists from some of Canada’s major newspapers and travel magazines – is visiting Galway and the West of Ireland this week.  Invited here by Tourism Ireland in Toronto, they are here to experience the world-famous Galway International Oyster Festival at first-hand.  They will have a chance to sample some new season Galway Bay oysters and will attend the Oyster Festival Gala Ball in the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Also included in the journalists’ itinerary, designed by Fáilte Ireland, are visits to Kylemore Abbey and Gardens as well as the Connemara Smokehouse in Ballyconneely, a walking tour of Galway city and a visit to Inishbofin island.

Commenting on the visit of the influential journalists, Jayne Shackleford, Tourism Ireland Canada, said: “Tourism Ireland is delighted to bring these journalists to Galway, to showcase Ireland’s beautiful west coast and allow them to experience the famous Oyster Festival at first-hand.  Media visits such as these are extremely important to help build awareness of Galway, and the island of Ireland in general, among potential holidaymakers around Canada.  The West of Ireland is a popular region for Canadians and the visit of these journalists provides an excellent opportunity for them to share the excitement and fun of the Oyster Festival, the fantastic visitor attractions and the warm Galway welcome with thousands of potential Canadian holidaymakers.”

Leading Canadian travel journalists – here to experience the world-famous Galway International Oyster Festival – stopped off at Moran’s Oyster Cottage in Kilcolgan to sample some oysters.  Pictured are (back row) Andrea Gannon, Tourism Ireland Canada and Christina Walsh, Fáilte Ireland with Canadian journalists Emilie Folie-Bovin, Barbara Taylor, Lisa Mon Forton and tour guide Thérèse Cunninghan; and (front row) Janie Roninson, Valerie Martin, Andree Le Bel and Anita Draycott.

Nick Hand

Nick Hand  born in Bristol a trained typographer and works as a graphic designer and photographer. Cycling is one of his main hobbies and wondered what it would be like to cycle around the coast of Britain. So summer 09′ he put that thought into reality by covering nearly 5000 miles. His lasting memories are of the amazing people that he has met along the way,  he  uploads interviews in the form of recorded sound-slides and has blogs and maps of his progress on a dedicated website throughout the trip.

So after covering the coast of Wales, England and Scotland he thought he would continue the journey by cycling around the coast of Ireland, leaving from Belfast and traveling clockwise around the coast of Ireland and on this journey he has continued his project of talking to artisans that he meets, meeting people who have a passion and have developed and honed a skill.

Nick dropped into the Connemara Smokehouse one late afternoon on the 2nd of September and had a long chat to Graham and took some photos. Graham gave him some product to snack on his way. He was stopping in Clifden for the night and then heading north to Clare Island. We followed him on twitter from then on.

The journey around Ireland is between 1500 and 2000 miles.  You can see from Nick’s map ” follow” where he has travelled  and who he met along the way.  As well as doing this for fun Nick decided to do it for a cause as well. Nick has an older brother Bob who he has always idolized as his hero. One day Bob told Nick that he has Parkinson’s Disease also known as a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system.  So last year Nick raised £6000 for the Parkinson’s Disease Society and his aim for this year is £10,000, he has raised over £9,000 so far and rising, you too can make a difference, if you would like to help Nick reach his target “Just Giving”.

Through the potholes and the rain of our Emerald Isle the Connemara Smokehouse wish Nick every success.

Monty Halls & Graham Roberts Connemara Smokehouse

Monty Halls the presenter of the BBC’s Great Hebridean Escape and The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and  Scuba Dive West host Dive & Wildlife Festival

Monty Halls explorer, television presenter and public speaker. A former Royal Marines officer who worked for Nelson Mandela on the peace process in South Africa, he left the services in 1996 to pursue a career in leading expeditions.  His television career began when he won Channel Four’s Superhuman competition in 2004. Since then he has presented series and documentaries for the Discovery Channel, The National Geographic Channel, BBC1 and BBC2, Channel 4, and the History Channel. Monty is currently spending 6 months here in Connemara filming for another series of Great Escape and has settled right in with taken part in a lot of the local activities.

Monty along with The Whale and Dolphin Group and Scuba Dive West here in Connemara,  got together and organised a Dive & Wildlife Festival. There aim is to raise money for a Dolphin and Whale rescue pontoon for the Irish West Coast.

The weather on the day was just fantastic. It was a great success, the organisers were very pleased with the outcome. They managed to raise 2000 euros for the Irish Whale Dolphin Group Pontoon (IWDG) .

There was great lectures from Simon Berrow from the Whales and Dolphins Group in Ireland.  Michael Gibbons on Maritime history and wrecks off Connemara, Intro dives and snorkeling for family and friends.  Courses on whale and dolphin rescue and data collection.  Graham Roberts of Connemara Smokehouse hand slices a side of smoked salmon for all to taste and explains about his smoking methods, production and products. There was a Seafood demonstration on how to cook mussels, the list just goes on and on it was such a fantastic day.

Unfortunately we missed the evening party. There was competitions and quizzes followed by the roasted hog, snags and burgers and thai noddles, something for everyone. There was a bar on site for the night with traditional music and dancing to take them into the early hours.

There is even talks that maybe, they might do it again next year. So watch this space as they say and we will have to wait and see!

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ORGANIC-Market.info – Online Magazine – article by Claudia Frost

Connemara Smokehouse works with pure ingredients: fish, salt, smoke, herbs, sugar, honey and Irish whiskey. Operating since 1979, the Connemara Smokehouse is the oldest in the region and works with a kiln that was first commissioned in 1946. Using traditional methods, the Roberts family has been perfecting this ancient craft from generation to generation, and their priority has always been very high quality products. The Connemara Smokehouse specialises in producing wild and organic salmon and is a place well worth a visit, to take a tour and purchase a great array of traditionally hand-prepared seafood products. The company was the first in Ireland to start producing organic smoked salmon and Gravadlax in 1997. (Picture: Graham Roberts, CEO of the smokehouse)

The Smokehouse has a great array of products: smoked salmon, Gravadlax, honey roast smoked salmon, roast smoked salmon, smoked tuna, honey roast smoked tuna, smoked tuna mousse, kippers, plain smoked mackerel, peppered smoked mackerel, occasionally smoked cod, smoked eels, hot smoked trout, wild smoked trout, smoked tuna mousse and darnes of wild and organic salmon. All their salmon products are available in wild, organic and farmed. Connemara Smokehouse has received many awards and achievements – the Bridgestone Guide Award from John and Sally McKenna for 2001 to 2010 and the Authentic Logo for 2004 – 2010, to name just a few. In February 2008, they were awarded the Seafood Specialist plaque 2008 in the retail sector from the BIM Seafood Circle Association. This offers consumers a guide to where they can purchase top quality seafood for preparation at home, and the company again held this award for 2009 & 2010. In September 2009 they were award the “Best Use of Sustainable Local Fish” by Good Food Ireland. (Picture: Smoked Salmon by Connemara Smokehouse)

http://www.organic-market.info/web/Europe/Ireland/Ireland/220/232/0/7873.html

4th – 5th September 2010

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Scuba Dive West and Monty Halls

Invite you to the conservation event of the year, with all proceeds going towards a stranded whale and dolphin rescue pontoon.  Guest speakers, beach games, nature walks, shore & boat dives, and the mother of all parties…

A unique gathering of the Irish diving community to say farewell to Summer, and raise money for rescuing stranded dolphins and whales along the Connemara coast.

Only 200 tickets available for this event.

Entry Fee is €30 –Book now to avoid missing out.

ALL proceeds from this event will go towards the €4000 required to purchase a rescue pontoon for stranded whales and dolphins along the Connemara coastline.

so contact: diveroundstone@gmail.com soon to reserve your place.

WHAT’S ON…

Guest Lecturers:

Monty Halls – Footage from the last three months filming in Connemara and from around the world.

Simon Berrow – Whales and dolphins in Ireland.

Nigel Motyer – Underwater photography in Ireland.

Michael Gibbons – Maritime history and wrecks off Connemara.

Martin Pailthorpe – Shooting and directing wildlife and adventure documentaries.

- Courses – Whale and dolphin rescue and data collection.

- Intro dives and snorkeling for family and friends.

- Seafood cookery display

- Connemara Smokehouse demonstration

- Diving trivia quiz.

- Underwater Photography display.

- Beach games. – Charity Auction.

- Party into the night with Na Ciotogai – the greatest band in Ireland!

CRAIC , CETACEANS AND CONSERVATION…

SEE YOU THERE!