Achill seafood festival a huge success

Organisers delighted with Achill seafood festival


Anton McNulty

THE re-birth of the Achill Seafood Festival which took place over the weekend was deemed a huge success by the organisers who are confident that it will be a prominent feature of tourism on the island in the coming years.
The re-energised and re-branded Féile Bia na Mara Acla took place over the weekend and among the attractions was the appearance of TV chef, Clodagh McKenna - who officially opened the festival. The seafood festival had not been run in Achill for a number of years and at the Gala Seafood Buffet, Clodagh said she was delighted to accept the invitation to attend and praised Achill Tourism for celebrating the local produce and the fishing industry.
As well as officially opening the festival, Clodagh took part in cookery demonstrations and judged a seafood recipe competition. There were also attractions for children and young people with a sandcastle competition, kayaking on Keel lake and the Cáilín Óg competition. There was music and entertainment throughout the island and the festival was concluded with the final of Achill’s Got Talent.
Kenneth Deery, the Chairman of Achill Tourism said they were delighted with how the weekend was run and the positive reaction they got from both locals and tourists who attended the events. He said the decision to employ a communications company to promote the festival and invite Clodagh McKenna had given the festival national exposure.
“We were very happy with the weekend and I am confident that the festival will run into the future,” he told The Mayo News. “There were full houses at the cookery demonstrations and despite the weather putting a dampener on some of the events, on a whole it was well run and the people seemed to enjoy themselves. The national exposure Clodagh McKenna brought to the festival was very important to us and the professional media campaign around it put Achill on the national stage and it was not just a local festival. Our sponsors Údaras na Gaeltachta and Bord Iascaigh Mara were delighted with the coverage they got and are staying with us for another year. We couldn’t justify the expenditure if it was not worth it but the take-up over the weekend does justify it. There was a number of tourists taking part in the events and it was great to see them mixing in the festival and next year we will look to extend the calendar.