Apologies to our Post-Primary Supporters

Some disappointing news this evening, I'm afraid. For just about as long as there has been an Allingham Festival there have been writing competitions for all ages as part of it. We've seen some wonderful creativity come through this process but it takes a lot of moving parts working together to make it happen.

Unfortunately, this year we ran into some unforeseen problems with the result that we are going to have to give the Post-primary school competitions a break. We know that this will cause disappointment in many schools whose loyalty we really value. Please take it as a break and not a final curtain. We hope to return with an exciting reboot in 2026.

Thankfully, the Primary school competitions are unaffected and will take place in the usual format. Watch out for updates coming soon. Once again our thanks to all our loyal supporters, students and teachers alike for their engagement with us over the years.

See you in '26.

John Creedon in conversation with Sean Perry

As we work to finalise details of the 2025 programme, one of the mouth-watering prospects is undoubtedly John Creedon's conversation with Sean Perry on the Sunday afternoon, November, 9th, when they will discuss John's most recent book, the childhood memoir, 'This Boy's Heart '. John Creedon has worked in RTE on both Radio and TV in many guises since he first joined the broadcaster in 1987. If we take a close look at his body of work one thing stands out and that is his love of and fascination with this country.

A proud Corkman he has been broadcasting and writing about Ireland in a hugely entertaining way for decades. He has travelled the length of the Wild Atlantic Way in a 1960s campervan.

Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way, Creedon’s Epic East, Creedon’s Shannon and several series of Creedon’s Atlas of Ireland, earned him the title Irish Travel Journalist of the Year. Indeed, John’s work has taken him from China to the Arctic Ocean, and from Central Africa to Guatemala to filming Loggerhead turtles in the Gulf of Mexico.

His first book, That Place We Call Home, become an instant bestseller followed by - An Irish Folklore Treasury which also topped the bestseller’s list and was named ‘Best Irish Published Book of the Year’ at the 2022 An Post Book Awards and to cap a wonderful year, John was also announced as Cork Person of the Year 2022. His recent childhood memoir ‘This Boy’s Heart’ was shortlisted for the 2024 An Post Awards and has gone on to become yet another Irish bestseller.

Nowadays his John Creedon show on RTE Radio I is a must for all music lovers. A consummate storyteller John is sure to entertain, delight and inform you in equal measure as he delves into his books, broadcast work and his fascination with Ireland. Just prior to his visit to Ballyshannon in November, he will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Arts at University Collage Cork.

Sean Perry is a highly skilled broadcaster, interviewer and MC. He has worked on local radio and with RTE for many years and his relaxed style is certain to bring the best out of our guest and ensure an afternoon to remember for the audience.
Sunday November 9th, 2.30 Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon.

Donal Ryan and Nuala O'Connor Share a Stage.

We are thrilled to have a return visit to Allingham from multi award winning author Donal Ryan. Since his debut novel, The Spinning Heart, took the literary world by storm in 2012 his career has been on an upward curve. He has been longlisted for the Booker Prize for The Spinning Heart and From a Low and Quiet Sea. He has also picked up numerous awards including six Irish Book of the Year Awards, Costa Book Award, the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award among others.

In June this year his latest novel, Heart be at Peace became an instant best seller and won the Orwell Prize for political fiction. A wonderful reader and storyteller Donal Ryan will be interviewed by fellow best selling author Nuala O Connor.

A fascinating conversation awaits us.

Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8th 3.30 pm Admission €15

Trad

BREAKING NEWS!

We're very excited (only extreme excitement can drive us to using all that upper case) to announce a last minute addition to this already much-anticipated event.

After the film showing there will be a very special Q&A with Lance Daly, the writer and director, and Patrick O'Neill, executive producer. Please abandon any other plans you may have for Thursday evening and join us.

Trad is the title of a wonderful film directed by Lance Daly (Black ’47) which premiered to huge acclaim at the Galway Film Fleadh this year. Initial positive reviews were confirmed when it was announced as recipient of the Audience award.

Over the course of 95 minutes we follow the story of gifted young fiddle player Shona McAnally and her young brother Mickey as they leave their home in Donegal and join a troupe of wandering musicians and embark on a journey of adventure, romance and musical exploration.

The cast includes Sarah Greene, Peter Coonan, Aidan Gillen and newcomers Megan NicFhionnghaile and Cathal Coade.

As a reviewer on the LetterboxD website put it, the film is… “…really tightly structured, but also feels so organic, exciting and unpredictable; it couldn't be further from formulaic. Trad by name, but the exploration of Irish music here is complex and multifaceted, exploring it in its purest forms, and in interactions with rock, rap, dance and American folk.”

This film will delight audiences and is brought to us courtesy of Patrick O Neill and Wildcard Distribution who have always been great friends of our Festival.

November 6th, 8.00PM, in the Abbey Arts Centre, Theatre 1 Admission €7

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.