Niall Hannigan from Letterkenny, County Donegal was the overall winner of the Poetry Ireland, Poetry Aloud competition 2013, winning the Seamus Heaney Clarissa Luard Award. Niall is fifteen years old and is a Transition Year student at Colaiste Ailigh in Letterkenny. As a result of his success, Niall has appeared on the Sean O'Rourke show on RTE 1 on numerous occasions. He has also participated in the MacGill Summer School, Listowel Writer's Week, the Dublin History of World War I Event at Dublin Castle and a similar event in Trinity College. The highlight of his year was his appearance at a Seamus Heaney tribute event in the National Concert Hall, where he performed alongside many famous artists including Paul Brady, Donal Lunny, Theo Dorgan, President Michael D. Higgins and Paul Simon. Niall is no stranger to the Abbey Centre stage having performed there with the Lifford players and the Donegal Youth orchestra, he is really looking forward to the Allingham Arts festival.