This is not a Movie

In light of today's (Monday's) news from Gaza, we feel it important to reference a very special event in this year's festival. We have already announced Nelofer Pazira's Allingham Lecture to launch this year's event.

On Saturday, November 8th, we offer the opportunity to see 'This is Not a Movie'.

Nelofer was one of the writers of this rarely seen film tracing the work of her late husband, Robert Fisk, arguably one of the greatest ever writers on the politics and people of the Middle East.

At a time when journalism and journalists are under threat as never before, this film (movie or not) should give us all pause.

It will be seen in the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon, admission €10 with proceeds going to a cause of Nelofer's choice, to be announced later.

Setting and Weather and Afric McGlinchey

Poet and memoirist Afric McGlinchey will lead an immersive creative writing workshop at the 2025 Festival on “Setting and Weather as Metaphor”.

The two-hour workshop for 15 participants will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 am in Kilbarron House, Ballyshannon on Saturday morning 8th November. Admission €10.

An Irish-born poet, freelance book editor and mentor for the Munster Literature Centre, Afric McGlinchey spent her formative years and early childhood in Zambia and Zimbabwe. She has published poetry collections including The Lucky Star of Hidden Things and Ghost of the Fisher Cat, and a memoir titled Tied to the Wind. She is the recipient of many awards and testimonials.

Afric McGlinchey will launch her new collection titled À la Belle Étoile at the Literary Lunch, also on 8 Nov 2025.

Please download details of the workshop and reserve your place by emailing allinghamfest@gmail.com with 'Creative Writing Workshop' in the subject line.

Tom and Monica do it again!

OK, so who's been paying attention?

Back on June 28 we were delighted to announce that two great friends of the Allingham Arts Festival, Tom Sigafoos and Monica Corish, both had books out which had made it to the Fiction Longlist for the prestigious Carousel Awards for Irish Independent Authors, 2025, under the patronage of Paul Lynch. We were so excited for them as this is a very significant achievement.

Well, they've only gone and made the Short List!

Yes, between them they hold 33.333% of the Short List. Of course we can't hope for one over the other so we can only pray that the judges do the honourable thing and announce them as joint winners during the gala occasion on October 10th in Chapters Bookstore in Dublin.

Copies of LeafLight Moon are available at A Novel Idea, Ballyshannon and at the Liber Bookstore, Sligo.

Congratulations and best wishes to them both.

Poets in the Pub

Friday November 7th will offer Ballyshannon audiences the opportunity to hear two of the finest women writers working in Ireland today, Aideen Henry and Christina Hennemann.

Aideen has an MA in Writing, from NUI, Galway, was a recipient of a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council and was shortlisted for the Hennessy XO Literary Awards. She has published 3 books of poetry with Salmon Poetry, and a collection of short stories with Arlen House. Her short stories have been shortlisted for Francis McManus Awards and her radio plays for the PJ O’Connor Awards. Her work has been broadcast on RTE Radio and has been published in The Irish Times, The Stinging Fly, The Honest Ulsterman, Cyphers, and many others.

Christina is a poet and writer. Her poetry book “Leafing” is a winner of the Cerasus Poetry Chapbook competition. Her pamphlet “Witch/Womb” was funded with an Agility Award from Arts Council Ireland. She received a Doyle Award and a Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction, as well as a Mayo Artist Bursary. Her work appears in Poetry Ireland, Poetry Wales, Southword, Skylight 47, and elsewhere. Her debut collection "Birthmark" is forthcoming with Shearsman. www.christinahennemann.com

Come along to Dicey’s on the Allingham Friday afternoon to enjoy this special opportunity. Time to be confirmed. Admission free.

Allingham Lecture 2025

We are beyond delighted to confirm that this year’s Allingham Lecture will be delivered by Nelofer Pazira-Fisk. This lady requires no introduction to those who were lucky enough to attend the Fifth Court podcast recording at last year’s festival. For those less fortunate, well...

Nelofer is an award-winning Afghan-Canadian author, journalist and filmmaker. She was based in Beirut, for fifteen years working alongside her late husband Robert Fisk. Nelofer reported for Canadian television and radio as well as UK and Canadian newspapers from Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Egypt and Syria.

In 2001, she starred in the film Kandahar, based on her real-life story, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival. She has directed and produced several films including Return to Kandahar (2003), Act of Dishonour (2010), and This is Not a Movie which premiered at Toronto Film Festival (2019).

Nelofer’s 2006 book, A Bed of Red Flowers: In Search of My Afghanistan, won the Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize. She is a recipient of Gemini Award, New York’s Media Award, Gabriel Award and A.D. Dunton Award of Distinction. She has a degree in journalism and English literature (Carleton University), an MA in Anthropology, Sociology and Religion (Concordia University), and two honorary doctorates from Carleton and Thomson River universities in Canada.

Recently, she saw the completion and publication of Robert Fisk’s last book – Night of Power: The Betrayal of the Middle East.

We cannot wait for Nelofer to share her profound knowledge of the history and peoples of the Middle East. While we may all hope that November will see some relief from the tragedy of that region, there is no doubt that there will still be a need to hear truth spoken with passionate eloquence.

Admission is free and all welcome at 8.15 pm, Wednesday, November 5th, in the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon.