Ostrea edulis, the gourmet's favourite, also known as the European Flat Oyster, is the oyster which is native to our Irish shores. Long ago there was an abundance of these oysters and they were a readily available source of free food during the Great Famine. The Romans also had a great love for the edulis oyster so much so that they used to pay for them by their weight in gold. Today Native oysters are considered to be a great luxury due to being a relatively scarce species. They are in season from September to April when there is an 'R' in the month.

The best way to enjoy the full flavour of Kelly Galway oysters is to eat them raw served on the deep shell to hold their succulent juices. Fresh lemon juice or a drop of Tabasco sauce are often used as accompaniments. In Ireland oysters are often served with traditional brown bread and washed down with a glass of stout.

Taste the Difference

It is the taste that has made Kelly Galway oysters famous the world over. All oysters provided by us are sourced from carefully managed native oyster fisheries along the West Coast of Ireland and are then relayed in the rich estuarine water of our own oyster bed, where they fatten and develop their own unique flavour. And what a flavour with the Atlantic flushing in twice daily mixing with the rich fresh waters from the Clarinbridge and Kilcolgan rivers giving just the right mix of water. Then the oysters themselves filtering up to 11 litres of this pristine water every hour. Multiply that by the four to five years it takes to grow to edible maturity, and you may indeed believe you hold in your mouth the very essence of the ocean.

Our oyster bed is in Inner Galway Bay, adjacent to the world famous Clarinbridge oyster bed where the native oyster still grows wild, the bay is one of the most environmentally protected areas in Europe with both the waters and habitat being protected by Irish and European legislation. We are proud to boast that Kelly Galway oysters are grown in grade "A" water, which is tested on a regular basis to ensure that it remains in compliance with stringent standards laid down by the European Union.

How to open an oyster.