IT wasn't 99 red balloons floating in the skies above Letterkenny on Friday but a more politically correct 100 biodegradable balloons.

Members of the Earagail arts festival committee and an enthusiastic band of children gathered at noon on Friday in the Letterkenny Town Park to launch the 'golden ticket' for the Earagail Arts Festival.

The 'golden ticket' is attached to one of the balloons which will entitle the lucky finder to become a Friend of the Festival and gain entry to all events free of charge. The 99 other balloons all had 20 percent discount tickets attached and were last seen floating out the Port road.

The 100 balloons, embossed with the Earagail Arts logo, were sourced in Japan and selected because of their eco-friendly composition. Even the tickets attached are biodegradable so any happy hunters need to be quick before the wind and rain wipes them away!

Conscious of the carbon footprint of the festival this year, Director Paul Browne has ensured that the even the Earagail Festival programmes have been printed by Ireland's first carbon neutral printing company GPS Colour Graphic in Belfast.

"The core ethos of the festival is making it accessible to everyone in all parts of Donegal. It is important that in doing so we are conscious we look after the environment for our children and future generations," said Paul.

The Festival committee have also passed on their eco goodwill to many of the artists who have committed to reducing their carbon count by coming to Donegal this year by boat and bus, in an effort to contribute their small bit to the environment.

Poet Kevin McNeil is making the trek across from Glasgow on one of Donegal's local bus companies and several others are coming across by boat.

The festival proper was launched on Saturday at the new Regional Cultural centre. The themes of this year's festival are Migration and Diaspora - central to many people's lives in Donegal, including Paul Browne who has recently returned to Donegal from Belfast.