In pictures: All smiles at the Allingham Arts Festival launch

The evening began with a wine reception, followed by the officIal launch of the festival including a preview of the 2026 programme

The 2026 Allingham Arts Festival has been officially launched at the Abbey Arts Centre in Ballyshannon.

Guests were then treated to live music from two homegrown talents, Rian Mc Cauley and Michael Joseph McColgan.

McCauley had enjoyed a successful 2026, having performed alongside Tinie Tempah at Electric Picnic and been named a Highland Radio Local Hero. Ballyshannon’s Mc Colgan, an emerging rock and blues guitarist, had also recently won the Letterkenny Chamber Busking Competition.

The launch marked the beginning of the 2026 Allingham Arts Festival, with a programme of events set to take place in the area in the coming weeks.