Olive Travers Writing Workshop

There are still a few places left on Olive Travers' writing workshop entitled 'The Art of Awareness', which promises to be a very stimulating and inspirational opportunity for all writers.

Hosted by Olive Travers, clinical psychologist, creative writer, workshop facilitator and regular contributor to RTE 1’s Sunday Miscellany, the workshop is hands on and engaging, incorporating practical mindfulness, psycho-drama, psychology & creative writing.

Following on from successful workshops in Sligo & Enniskillen, this is a new & fun way of charging your creativity. The workshop will be in the beautiful setting of the Abbey Mill Wheel with the workshop content adapted to reflect the stunning location.

Tickets are available from
allinghamfestival.eventbrite.co.uk

Listen Back to Susan Mc Kay on Arena

On Monday night's Arena (RTÉ Radio 1, 7pm), Susan Mc Kay had a chat with Sean Rocks about her upcoming lecture at the Allingham Festival on Thursday night (8pm, Thursday Nov. 9th, Abbey Arts Centre). Listen back to the show by clicking on the link below.

Susan's lecture on Thursday night promises to be one of the highlights of the weekend. Taking as her starting point the “No Man’s Land” that lies along either side of the Irish border, writer Susan McKay will explore No Woman’s Land, the somewhat larger territory which nonetheless remains to be fully mapped.  Originally from the border town of Derry, and currently living near the border in Leitrim, she will look at questions to do with the crossing of lines, incursions.  She will look at how women who are writers have negotiated frontiers into places where they were never expected to be, and where their voices are not always heard.  She will draw on writings by poets Eavan Boland, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, Rita Ann Higgins and Seamus Heaney, essayist Rebecca Solnit and Professor Mary Beard, as well as on her own experiences. 

Susan Mc Kay on RTÉ's Arena: www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=b9_21266584_0__

Music at the Allingham Festival

Jazz, folk, trad, classical, choral, contemporary songwriting...the Allingham Festival has music to suit all tastes this weekend in Ballyshannon. The festival begins with some cool West Coast Jazz at Wednesday night's fringe gig in Dicey's. On Friday night, Marc Geagan's troupe of local musicians will perform 'Songs from the Erne'. Following that, we have twelve diverse new songs performed by twelve acts from all over the country in the Allingham Songwriting Contest, always a very enjoyable night celebrating new talent. On Saturday evening, fiddle maestro Maurice Lennon will play along to stunning photographs from the Letrim area. Later that night, we have classical piano pieces from Marie Askin, classical voice by Claire Breslin, jazz by Lorraine Walls and Eddie Lynch, followed by the beautiful harmonies and wide range of tunes from the Henry Girls. Don't forget the Festival Club in McIntyre's on Thursday night and the Rushy Glen on Saturday night. On Sunday, we have more stories and songs in the Thatch, the Songwriters' Circle in Dicey's, and we finish off with choral pieces performed by Bel Canto in St. Anne's. 

Updates & Hidden Gems at Allingham 2017

UPDATES AND HIDDEN GEMS 

On Nov 9-12, the 2017 Allingham Festival will bring writers, artists, workshops and excitement to Ballyshannon. Please note the following updates in the schedule, and please join in the daytime events and other “Hidden Gems” of the Allingham Festival.  

Updates: 

Thursday 

• Festival Opening – “No Woman's Land” – Susan McKay will speak about her life and career as a cross-border journalist – 8:00 pm in the Abbey Centre, following a wine reception. The Opening Night programme is sponsored by AIB.

• Friday 

• John D. Ruddy / “Manny Man” – 11:30 am Friday in the Abbey Centre – see detail below.

• Jo McCusker – 2:00 pm Friday in the Abbey Centre – see detail below.

• “Songs of Erne” musical programme – 8:00 pm in St Anne's Church.

• Saturday 

• High-tech vinyl cutting and design by The Fab Lab – a free event, but pre-booking is essential for limited seats – 10:30 am, The Mall 

• The Allingham Concert – 8:30 pm in the Abbey Arts Centre.

Hidden Gems

• Jazz Night – the first fringe event of the Allingham Festival – 10:00 pm Wednesday 8  November at Dicey Reilly's.

• Fighting Words – public information session about the new creative writing programme for primary and secondary students – 10:30 am Friday in the Abbey Centre.

• John D Ruddy / Manny Man – a YouTube celebrity shares his secrets – guaranteed to interest the younger crowd – 11:30 am Friday in the Abbey Centre.

• “The Art of Awareness: A Creativity Workshop for Adults” – personal and artistic insights with Sunday Miscellany favourite Olive Travers – 1:30 Friday in Ballyshannon's unique Abbey Mill Restaurant. 

• Jo McCusker – award-winning BBC sports documentary producer – stories and film clips for filmmakers and sports fans – 2:00 pm Friday in the Abbey Centre.

• Wild Atlantic Writers – poetry and songs by Mick DeLap and local writers Win McNulty, Monica Corish, and Enda McGloin – 4:00 Friday in Dicey Reilly's, preceded by a brewery tour at 3:45. 

• “For the Right Reason” – Maurice Lennon's Ireland – original music, storytelling and photography – 5:00 Saturday in the Abbey Centre.

Plus nationally-acclaimed writers, award ceremonies, open mic sessions, the Allingham Songwriting Competition finals and a Sunday-afternoon screening of The Jungle Book (1967). Pick up a programme or check the website www.allinghamfestival.com for an overview of the event-packed, family-friendly 2017 Allingham Festival. 

- Tom Sigafoos, Chairperson

Susan Mc Kay on RTÉ's Arena Tonight

Susan Mc Kay will be interviewed tonight on RTÉ's Arena programme (RTÉ Radio 1, 7pm). Susan will deliver the Allingham Lecture on Thursday night in the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon. 

Taking as her starting point the “No Man’s Land” that lies along either side of the Irish border, writer Susan McKay will explore No Woman’s Land, the somewhat larger territory which nonetheless remains to be fully mapped.  Originally from the border town of Derry, and currently living near the border in Leitrim, she will look at questions to do with the crossing of lines, incursions.  She will look at how women who are writers have negotiated frontiers into places where they were never expected to be, and where their voices are not always heard.  She will draw on writings by poets Eavan Boland, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, Rita Ann Higgins and Seamus Heaney, essayist Rebecca Solnit and Professor Mary Beard, as well as on her own experiences.