Allingham 2015 Songwriting Winner: Niamh Mc Kinney

Congratulations to Niamh Mc Kinney on winning the Allingham 2015 Songwriting Contest. The final was held in Dicey Reilly's Bar, Ballyshannon, on November 6th. 12 finalists performed in front of a large audience, MC John Meehan and three judges: Cathy Jordan, Ian Smith and Chanele Mc Guinness. The judges had the unenviable task of selecting one song out of 12 to win the grand prize of €1000.

Niamh's song is titled 'Down Near the Sea'. She was accompanied by her brother on guitar and her father on accordion. Although Niamh is new to songwriting, have only started writing quite recently, she has written poetry and other short pieces from a young age. Her influences include Joni Mitchell, Fairport Convention, Kate Bush, Paula Cole, Leonard Cohen and La Lugh. 

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition, and everyone who helped make the final night a great success. 

Particular thanks to all of our judges, fantastic MC John Meehan, sound engineer Michael Liston, and Dicey Reilly's/Donegal Brewery Company for the use of the venue and sponsoring raffle prizes. 

SATURDAY AT ALLINGHAM 2015

MINECRAFT AT COLÁISTE CHOLMCILLE

12.00-1.30       Under-10s (Sold Out)

2.00-3.30         Under & Over 10s (Sold Out)

WRITING & POETRY WORKSHOPS

11.30am          Children’s Writing with Olive Travers, Coláiste Cholmcille, €5

11.30am          Writing Workshop: Denise Blake, ‘Writing From Memory’, Dorrian’s Hotel, €10

2.00pm            Manchán Magan – Seminar, Dorrian’s Hotel, €10

4.00pm            Jane Clark – Seminar, Dorrian’s Hotel, €10

(There are spaces still available on the Denise Blake, Manchán Magan and Jane Clark workshops. Pay on arrival)

SCHOOLS FICTION & POETRY AWARDS

3.00pm            Primary Schools Fiction & Poetry Awards, the Abbey Centre, FREE

4.00pm            Secondary School Fiction & Poetry Awards, the Abbey Centre, FREE

ADULT FICTION & POETRY AWARDS

7.00pm            The Abbey Centre

CRAFT WORKSHOPS AT COLÁISTE CHOLMCILLE

12.00pm          Leather Techniques with Siobhan Corr, Coláiste Cholmcille, €20

2.00pm            Blacksmithing with Jonathan Ball, Coláiste Cholmcille, €20

2.00pm            Stone Sculpture with Brendan Mc Gloin, Coláiste Cholmcille, €20

FILM & RADIO AT THE ABBEY CENTRE

2.00pm            James Gavigan presents a Miscellany of Irish Shorts, Abbey Centre

3.00pm            James Murray-White presents independent films

4.00pm            Marc Menamin, Radio Documentaries

BOOK LAUNCH

5.00pm            Mark Geagan, the Abbey Centre

HISTORY

All Day           The Stevens’ Family Exhibition of historical artefacts, the Abbey Centre, FREE

6.00pm            History Ireland Hedge School with Tommy Graham: 1916 Outside Dublin, the Abbey Centre, €5

MUSIC

8.15pm            Chanele Mc Guinness, Great White Lies, Ian Smith, Jane Clarke, Manchán Magan, Coláiste Cholmcille Choir, the Abbey Centre, €10

11.00pm          Festival Club: Great White Lies, Stephen Murphy (performance poet) and festival guests – ALL WELCOME, FREE ENTRY.

FRIDAY AT ALLINGHAM 2015

11am-2pm: THE DESIGN WORKSHOPS, the Abbey Centre

4pm-6pm: 'INSPIRE CREATIVITY' SEMINAR, the Abbey Centre, FREE

With design and traditional craft practitioners speaking about their creative practice and visions, you will hear about projects such as the blacksmith/glass blower and his Islamic Art Gallery installation, to the potential of DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) in Donegal, as well as the projects and visions in jewellery, furniture making, culture tech, minecraft Edu and cybernetics & creativity.

7pm-10pm: 'Engage Enterprise', the Abbey Centre, FREE

- including Wes Sewell, Mark Boyle, a panel discussion on the creative economy in the North West, and a live set by the Wood Burning Savages

8.30pm: the Emerson Lecture - Joe O'Loughlin, the Abbey Centre, FREE

Donegal Historical Society present the Emerson Lecture with Joe O’Loughlin: “The catchment area for Ballyshannon Technical College of which the late Louis Emerson was headmaster included South Donegal, North Leitrim and West Fermanagh. I have endeavoured in this talk to give a general history of the area over the centuries. I include several stories of interest that have not been previously published. Many students from the local towns who attended the ‘Tec owe their success in life and the skilled trades they acquired under the leadership of Louis Emerson. On behalf of former students I wish to acknowledge the important part he played in their lives.”

10.00pm: Songwriting Contest - Live Final - Dicey Reilly's Bar, €5

12 finalists compete for the grand prize of €1000, with MC John Meehan and judges Cathy Jordan, Ian Smith and Chanele Mc Guinness.

10.30pm: Wood Burning Savages/designatmagee reunion, the Bridgend Bar, FREE. All Welcome!

Next Friday Night - WOW

At 7pm next Friday night - The doors for "INSPIRE CREATIVITY - ENGAGE ENTERPRISE" will open at the Abbey Centre, Ballyshannon. A unique opportunity to listen to and see the work of one of the film industry visual effects greats, Wes Sewell. 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0786609/

Wes is part of a fantastic lineup that will include Mark Boyle (The Moneyless Man) in conversation with Sean Perry, The Wood Burning Savages, and the 'Creative Economy in the NW' panel discussion chaired by Elaine McGee (BBC) with Paddy Nixon (Ulster VC), Paul Hannigan (LYIT President), Noel Kelly (VAI Chief Exec), Colin McKeown (ID2015) and Michael Tunney (LEO). This event is non ticket and is free of charge. Seats will be on a first come first served basis.

Full LineUp

Allingham 2015 Songwriting Live Final: 12 Finalists Announced

12 FINALISTS IN ALLINGHAM 2015 SONGWRITING CONTEST

The 12 finalists who will compete for the prize of €1000 in the Live Final of the Allingham 2015 Songwriting Contest on Friday Nov. 6th at 10pm in Dicey Reilly's are (in no particular order):

Alan Kavanagh - Just a Juke Box Away

Geraldine Gilmartin - Song for Sligo

Brigid O'Neill - You're Never Going to get to Heaven

The Hatchlings - Choir in the Belly of a Fallen Bird

Niamh Mc Kinney - Down Near the Sea

Jacqui Sterling - Holy Ghost

Sarah Buckley - Magic Powers

Harry Mc Gilloway - Vintage Wine

Alana Flynn-Picken - Breathe Easy

Marzella - Stones

Andy Cox - Free Fall

John Finn - Never to Return

Over 50 songs were entered into the competition, and while the standard was very high, only a few can proceed to the Live Final in Dicey's on Friday Nov. 6th. The event is open to the public and promises to be an evening of top-quality music covering a range of styles as all 12 songs will be performed live in front of judges Cathy Jordan, Ian Smith and Chanele Mc Guinness, with John Meehan as MC. Tickets are €5 on the door.