BILL Clinton had another engagement which kept him from renewing his acquaintance with Irish stout. But Brendan Bowyer was there and he hasn't had a pint in 14 years.
Either way, Murphy's, sponsors of this year's Clarenbridge Oyster festival, weren't complaining. And why would they, with an estimated 10,000 oyster-roistering visitors due to descend on the Co Galway village on September 6th for two days of festivities.
This years tourists include a contingent of 200 English publicans, rewarded for promoting Murphy's, and the television and stage actor, Peter Bowles, as guest of honour.
The organisers predict that 50,000 oysters and 7,000 pints of stout will be downed over the weekend as revellers celebrate the yearly harvesting of the oyster, a tradition since the first festival in 1954.