If Irish rugby captain Brian O'Driscoll moves to France next year, he wants it written into his contract that he will be free to attend the Galway International Oyster Festival for the rest of his career.
The Irish and Leinster captain was guest of honour at this year's festival which he attended with his girlfriend Glenda Gilson.
While the couple did not make it to Friday night's Mardi Gras party, they joined in the festivities at the giant marquee at Nimmo's Pier in the Claddagh on Saturday afternoon and attended the gala banquet in the Radisson SAS Hotel that night.
Adding to last week's media speculation about his plans when his contract with Leinster finishes at the end of the current season, O'Driscoll strongly hinted that he would consider going to France to play rugby next year and joked that he was brushing up on his French in advance.
Some 3,000 people ate, drank and danced the day away - some dressed down in denim and others dressed up in cocktail dresses and suits - on Saturday afternoon in the marquee at Nimmo's Pier in the Claddagh.
As always, the highlight of the annual event was the Guinness World Oyster Opening Championship which took place on Saturday afternoon with 18 international champions competing for the title.
For the second year in a row, Norway came first, with Oystein Leinstarg opening his 30 oysters in a time of two minutes and 35 seconds.
Irish entrant, Michael Moran of Galway's famous oyster restaurant, Moran's of the Weir, came third but is determined to practise harder and win next year. His father, Willy Moran, was the fastest oyster opener of all time, opening 30 oysters in a time of one minute and 31 seconds in 1977.
The title of most elegant lady was taken by Clare Killeen, from the Radisson Hotel in Galway, who wore an elegant beige two-piece suit, teamed with coffee brown shoes.
Almost 1,000 people attended the gala banquet where West End star Rebecca Storm performed. It was a far cry from the humble beginnings of the festival 50 years earlier when less than 40 people turned up at the banquet. Over 100,000 native oysters of the Ostrea Edulis variety were consumed and in excess of €6 million was spent by Galwegians and visitors to the city during the festival which ended last night.
Festival chairman Pádraic Ó Máille was thrilled with the success of this year's event and the huge numbers that attended from the UK and abroad.
"The festival was better than ever this year," he said.
