Well, that was an opening night we won’t be forgetting!
Ballyshannon Samba band kicked us off with their usual energy, then in for the reception in the foyer before a melodic treat from the Coláiste Cholmcille Choir under the directorship of Mark Cronin.
County Council Arts Officer, Traolach O’Fionnáin did us proud in his official opening of the festival with an engaging few words tracing a parallel path between the venue, the festival and his own career.
Finally, there was the Allingham Lecture by Nelofer Pezira-Fisk. She traced her personal history and that of her late husband, Robert Fisk, into an analysis of the current state of international geopolitics in the Middle East and around the world.
She expressed trenchant views, not all of them shared by everyone in the audience but no one could doubt the depth of her knowledge and the intensity of her commitment to truthful reporting on the reality of the modern world.
Thanks to Brian ODroma for the excellent photos.