'EXTRA ORDINARY' added to Allingham 2019 Programme

We’re delighted to announce that our good friends at Wildcard Distribution have offered us a screening of the hilarious ‘EXTRA ORDINARY’, starring Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward and Will Forte. The Irish comedy, written/directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, has been receiving both critical acclaim and audience praise since its release.

The film stars comedian/writer/actress Maeve Higgins (Naked Camera, Inside Amy Schumer), Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall, MAZE), Will Forte (Nebraska, Run & Jump, Last Man on Earth), and Claudia O’Doherty (Trainwreck, Love, Inside Amy Schumer) and tells the story of Rose, a sweet and lonely small town driving instructor who must use her supernatural ‘talent’ to save the daughter of a local man from a washed up rock-star looking to use her in a satanic ritual that will reignite his fame.

The quirky and irreverent Irish comedy has won praise from critics and audiences alike. The Sunday Times called it ‘A standout Irish film’, which is ‘special in its pure daftness; it's hard to resist falling under its quirky spell’. Variety’s critic noted that it is ‘Consistently funny in a pleasingly off-kilter way’.

A quick trawl of Twitter reviews shows Irish audiences appreciate the particular brand of humour:

@ExtraOrdFilm has to be the best film I've seen so far at @grimmfest hope it gets a national release so more can see it.#ExtraOrdinaryFilm #Grimmfest2019

— 🏳️‍🌈🎈🎈Scarecr0w__Z3r0🎈🎈🏳️‍🌈 (@marknbrandon) October 5, 2019

Extra Ordinary was brilliant. So brilliant that while the credit rolled, I was already trying to work out when I could see it again. @maevehiggins absolutely smashed it and I would enjoy seeing more of her please. Tbh, everyone smashed it, but she was my fave. #IrishCinema

— Tara Curtin (@TaraTalksAlot) September 16, 2019

Watching Extra Ordinary was the most I have laughed in a cinema in a long long time. Go see it! Support Irish film! (And laugh your hole off at the same time) https://t.co/PzwUjPOCUo

— Sean T. O'Meallaigh (@SeanT_OM) September 17, 2019

‘EXTRA ORDINARY’ will be screened in the Abbey Arts Centre at 3.15pm on Sunday 10th, €5 entrance fee. See you there!

Sandhouse Hotel Special Offer

Visiting Ballyshannon for the Allingham Arts Festival this November? Festival partner and sponsor, the Sandhouse Hotel & Marine Spa, is offering fantastic rates for festival-goers: one night B&B for €65pps, or two nights B&B for €120pps.

Special Offer at Dorrian's Hotel

Visiting Ballyshannon for the Allingham Arts Festival this November? Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel in the heart of the town are offering 2 Nights B&B with one dinner for €125 pps!!

Olive Travers 'Sketching with Words' Workshop

Join Olive Travers at the Allingham Festival for her 'Sketching With Words' writing workshop.

This fun workshop is an introduction to the concept of “Conscious Creativity”. It explores how we can express ourselves authentically by increasing our awareness of the world within and around us.

It is suitable for all levels of both writers and all those interested in nurturing their core creativity through any medium.

[Tea/Coffee and scones provided. Please wear comfortable footwear as weather permitting, the workshop will include a short walk in the outdoor beauty of nature.]

Writing Workshop: "Sketching with Words" with Olive Travers
-Saturday Nov. 9th, 10am-11.30am
-Coláiste Cholmcille, Ballyshannon

Mc Hugh Changes History

Minister Joe Mc Hugh met secondary school students from Enniskillen and Ballyshannon at an Allingham Arts Festival cross-border schools event, where he had an influential conversation with one student about the downgrading of History as a subject in the Junior Cycle curriculum.

We were delighted to hear that Minister for Education Joe Mc Hugh has decided to reintroduce History as a special status subject at Junior Cycle, and it was very exciting for us at the Allingham Festival to learn that last year's festival had a part to play in his decision!

Mr. McHugh is going against the advice of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), which maintains History should remain an optional subject in the Junior Cycle. Awarding it Special Status means it will be studied by all student in Junior Cycle, just like the core subjects English, Irish and Maths.

Yesterday morning on the Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1, Ryan asked the Minister what made him change his mind on this matter and overturn the NCCA decision. Mr Mc Hugh explained that he had heard a great deal of opposition from all corners of society on the plan, and cited one particular conversation he had at one of our cross-border schools events last year.

"One of the biggest impacts was a young man from Enniskillen, St. Michael’s in Enniskillen, and we were at a cross border event in Ballyshannon one day and he came up to me and he says 'Excuse me Minister,' he was very polite, 'Would you mind me asking why are you downgrading the subject of history in the Junior Cycle?' so there was somebody who wasn’t involved directly in the curriculum but he got the importance of history."

Minister Mc Hugh had visited a Sligo IT Creative Writing Workshop held in Coláiste Cholmcille that morning, before meeting students from Ballyshannon and Enniskillen in the Abbey Arts Centre, who had come together for a talk by Niall Mac Monagle on Art & Poetry. Minister Mc Hugh casually chatted to students from both sides of the border, and took questions from the floor.

We're delighted that one of our events has had any sort of an impact on public policy, and helped bring History back to the Junior Cycle at a time of great upheaval in politics and society around the world...and it's worth pointing out that this came out of an Arts event.

Listen Back on the RTÉ Radio Player - interview begins at 1:55
https://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/share/radio1/21628109