Ballyshannon is also famous as the birth place of poet William Allingham (1824-89). He lies buried in the graveyard of St. Anne's Church. From here you can see the small island of Inis Saimer where, according to legend, Greeks founded the first colony in Ireland after the Great Flood.
The town is a great location from where you can explore the surrounding coastline. It also makes a good base for day trips into Northern Ireland. During August of each year there is a festival of traditional music, which is one of the best of its kind in the country.