The FINAL Final Countdown!

Due to some unforeseen cicumstances, it was decided this evening to take the unusual step of extending tomorrow's deadline for competition entries for one more week.
Fiction writers will be competing once again for the Jim Keane Memorial Trophy while poets are vying for the brand new (and beautiful) Francis Harvey Award. We have already received many impressive entries so don't miss your opportunity to join this happy crew.
Full details of how to enter either by post or online are available on our competitions page.

..and while you're on the website, do also check out the Programme page where a full list of this year's events can be found.

Obituary on RTE1

There is great anticipation around Ballyshannon for tomorrow night’s Premiere of Obituary on RTE1 at 10:15 PM. The blacker than black comedy-drama was filmed around Ballyshannon and Bundoran some months ago. It stars Siobhan Cullen as the “prim reaper” Elvira Clancy who finds her job on the local newspaper under threat. She suddenly finds that writing obituaries is her only source of income. What’s a girl to do but make sure that there are plenty of obituaries to write?

By the time the Allingham festival comes around the full first season will have been shown but we are so confident of its popularity that we have acquired the rights to show episode one on the big screen in the Abbey Arts Centre at 7 PM on Friday, November 10. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with one of the producers, Paddy Hayes and, who knows, we may also persuade a few cast members to join us.

We hope you will, too.

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0923/1406957-siobhan-cullen-plays-the-prim-reaper-in-obituary/

Congratulations, Paul...

We're delighted to note that Paul Lynch's novel, Prophet Song,(described by at least one Allingham Committee member as "an excellent read") has reached the shortlist for this year's Booker Prize.
Paul delivered a seminar at the Allingham festival, 2014, and was one of our judges in 2017. We look forward to welcoming him back some time in the future, hopefully as a Booker Laureate!

Good News - It's not too late!

All entries, on-line and postal, must be received by midnight on September 29th.

Full details on our Competitions Page.

Good luck to all writers!

Return of the Little Top Stars

A huge hit at Allingham 2022 Little Top Stars return to bring the magic and wonder of circus skills such as Juggling and Diablo to the children and families of Ballyshannon. Participants are free to drop in any time and experience the sheer fun that Little Top Stars bring to their events.
Ideally, there will be an out-door event but Ballyshannon in November may not cooperate so watch out for details of venue nearer the time.
Admission free and no booking necessary.