David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I have been passed a note by my colleague and friend Senator Alice-Mary Higgins which contains a question she did not think of asking. The national capital of culture programme which was meant to be every four years has been suspended. I seek reassurance from the Minister that it will be reactivated speedily after Galway's successful period as European Capital of Culture.

We should remind ourselves that culture covers a very wide spectrum. One element that seemed absent from the Minister's contribution was food. Some years ago I was invited to open the oyster festival in Galway, but, unfortunately, I was not able to do so. We should be extremely proud not only of natural products such as shellfish and salmon but also of our cooking, which is now really quite extraordinary. Places such as Moran's on the Weir are absolutely wonderful. I remember going to Inishbofin in the 1960s with a friend of mine, Mr. Tony Hanahoe, who was then captain of the Dublin football team. We had a choice between going shark spotting and having a ten-bob lobster lunch in Mrs. Vaughan's hotel. As I am very greedy, I went for the lobster lunch. I relaxed and patted my expanded belly. From the foreland, I looked out over the cliff and there was a pod or whatever one calls it of sharks. Tony came back and he had not seen as much as a tailfin. I managed to do both and still remember the lobster lunch.

In the west one has the most wonderful prawns, not the awful rubbery yolks that are flown in from the Far East. They are real, beautiful Atlantic prawns with batter which are cooked and served so beautifully. I would like to believe seafood and the general culture of food presentation will be part of the festival.

I believe I am right in saying the great sean nós singer Seosamh Ó hÉanaí was from Connemara.