Question 1

When is oyster season in Ireland?

Accepted Answer

The native flat, the famous Galway oyster, is sold September through April: the months with an R. It spawns in summer, when it is milky and not worth eating. Pacific rock oysters, which are most of the oysters grown in Ireland, are farmed and available all year, so there is no month in which you cannot eat oysters here well.

Question 2

Is the R months rule real, or a myth?

Accepted Answer

For the native flat it is real, and it is biology rather than superstition. For Pacific rock oysters it is largely obsolete, because most are triploid or farmed in a way that avoids the summer spawn. If a room offers you natives in July, ask a second question.

Question 3

Which month is the single best for an oyster trip?

Accepted Answer

Late September. The native season has just opened, the festivals are on in Clarinbridge and Galway city, the west is still warm enough to sit outside at Moran's, and the summer crowds have gone. October and November are quieter and just as good on the plate.

Irish oysters, answered

When to come, and what will be on

How to eat one, and what to drink

Raw shellfish, first timers, and carrying things home

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Irish oysters, answered

When to come, and what will be on

When is oyster season in Ireland?

Is the R months rule real, or a myth?

Which month is the single best for an oyster trip?

How to eat one, and what to drink

How do you actually eat an oyster?

Lemon, mignonette or Tabasco?

What do you drink with Irish oysters?

How many should I order?

Raw shellfish, first timers, and carrying things home

Are Irish oysters safe to eat raw?

What if I have never eaten an oyster and I am nervous?

Can I bring oysters home to the United States?

Should I learn to shuck one?

Continue planning