 Pictured left to right: Micheál Sugrue, Sharon Sugrue and Emmet Casey, Réalt na Mara |
New shellfish tour and tasting experience launched in Kerry with support from Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD, congratulates Réalt na Mara Shellfish on investment
A tasty new Co. Kerry visitor attraction is bringing shellfish, aquaculture heritage, marine biodiversity and fourth-generation storytelling to the Wild Atlantic Way.
Réalt na Mara Shellfish, an award-winning aquaculture business run by fourth-generation fishers based in Cromane, has opened a Shellfish Tour & Tasting Experience which includes a fully equipped visitor centre and multimedia hub.
Set on the shores of Castlemaine Harbour, one of Ireland’s most unspoiled and productive shellfish environments, Réalt na Mara Shellfish supplies premium purified Irish mussels and oysters to customers at home and abroad. The expansion sees the business go beyond production and wholesale into an exciting tourism offering that blends food, ecology, heritage, and hands-on coastal storytelling.
The development of the Shellfish Tour & Tasting experience was selected for funding by the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) Southwest, under the Coastal Communities Development Scheme, receiving a grant of €10,000 for this project. This scheme is implemented under Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme which is co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD, said: “FLAG funding is designed to strengthen coastal communities, and Réalt na Mara Shellfish is a perfect example of that vision in action. This investment supports the local tourism and aquaculture industries and showcases the best of what can be experienced along the spectacular southwest coastline.”
He added: “This funding will help keep communities alive. The FLAG programme is delivering tangible benefits by supporting businesses like Réalt na Mara Shellfish to expand, with a ripple effect to the local economy.”
Behind the new venture are brother and sister, Sharon and Micheál Sugrue, and Emmet Casey. The Sugrue’s grandfather Patrick and Emmets grandfather, Jimmy, worked together in the 1960’s in the area’s early Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) purification facility.
A bespoke 20 x 10 fully finished container unit has been installed to serve as a visitor centre for the new tourism attraction which has a multimedia learning space and a shop. The space is filled with historical photographs and artefacts from Cromane’s long aquaculture tradition, including images of the founders’ grandfathers working together.
Drone footage of the harbour, biodiversity videos, and behind-the-scenes insight into parts of the business usually inaccessible to the public, such as the purification facility and working boats, will also be showcased.
Outside, the tour experience includes an oyster shucking bar, on-site tastings, aquaculture demonstrations, and guided walks that bring visitors into the landscape that has shaped Cromane’s identity for generations.
Marine biologist Sharon designed and delivered the tours, drawing on her background in wildlife biology, environmental monitoring, and her extensive experience with the Marine Institute and EU-funded marine projects.
“We are very proud that we are continuing working in a business that our grandfathers worked in together. We are lucky as three young people to be able to keep tradition alive. Adding the new tours is a wonderful spin off and another revenue opportunity.”
Sharon and her sisters work at weddings and private functions doing pop-up oyster bars, something which is very popular.
The investment is expected to significantly boost Cromane’s tourism offering. As part of BIM’s Taste the Atlantic – A Seafood Journey, Réalt na Mara is already a recognised stop for food enthusiasts seeking authentic experiences along the coast.
The project is expected to double visitor numbers within the first year and increase revenue by up to 40% within 18 months, through higher tour capacity, improved visitor engagement, and an expanded retail section offering branded merchandise and locally made crafts.
Among the products will be Sharon’s own wildlife paintings and upcycled oyster-bag accessories, further connecting visitors with Cromane’s natural and cultural landscape.
Beyond direct employment, the initiative is anticipated to support local cafés, restaurants, B&Bs and transport providers, enhancing Cromane’s position as a small but vibrant coastal destination. It also aligns with local FLAG priorities by diversifying fishermen’s income, creating niche tourism, promoting environmental education, and protecting the unique character of Irish coastal communities.
Founded in 2015 by Micheál Sugrue and Emmet Casey, Réalt na Mara has grown steadily, achieving SFPA validation for its purification facility in 2019 and earning multiple national awards including Good Food Ireland’s Seafood Producer of the Year in 2022 and 2024, and a Gold Award at Blas na hÉireann.
The new business will feature at the Failte Ireland Meithal trade tourism event as a new experience.
The FLAG Coastal Communities Development Scheme is administered by BIM on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and has reopened for applications. More information, including how to apply, can be found at bim.ie