Big Tom & legends for Bundoran

Big Tom McBride, fresh from his all-conquering appearance on The Late Late Show, will be joined by a host of great country artists as Bundoran becomes the country music capital of Ireland this weekend.

The Great Northern Hotel will host two wonderful concert shows on Friday and Saturday night as people make their way to Bundoran from all parts of the country, as well as from the UK and America.

It will be curtain-up time at 8pm on Friday night as the weekend gets into full swing. This show features Frankie McBride, Tony Kerr, Matt Keane, Jordan Mogey, Dermot Hegarty, Brendan Quinn, Pat McKenna, Deirdre Bonner, Jacqui Sharkey, Joe Moore, PJ Murrihy, Kieran Lundy and Joe Boyle.

It will be a night of absolute nostalgia for country fans on Saturday night when a capacity audience will acclaim some of the great names on the circuit over many decades. This is a show for the ages with many of the people who put down the roots of country music in Ireland.

The bill features one of the biggest country night of the year in Ireland, with Big Tom, Gene Stuart, Brian Coll, Ray Lynam, Philomena Begley, John Glenn, Dermot Hegarty, Pat Ely, Gloria, Muriel Day, Billy McFarland, Art Supple and Brendan Quinn.

The weekend draws to a close on Sunday with afternoon dancing to Tony Marren and others while Blue Ridge Country from Galway with special guest Hugo Duncan will perform for the closing dance from 9.30pm to midnight.

All enquiries for tickets can be directed to the Great Northern Hotel on 071-9841204 or Showtours on 0818-300888.

Sean keeps it country in Kildare

Sean Fleming has just released a new five-track album featuring Forty Shades of Green, My Donegal Shore, Let’s Turn Back the Years and Dreaming of Old Sweethearts. The other track is the Dermot Hegarty hit Twenty One Years, which is picking up lots of airplay. The man from Allenwood is delighted with the response to his new release.

Omagh Country and Gospel night

The Silver Birch Hotel in Omagh is the venue for a country and gospel concert on 25 November. The show, which gets underway at 7.45pm, will feature Frank McCaffrey, Cowboy Larry, Crawford Bell, Curtis Magee, Steve Farlowe and Elaine Wood. The compere is Gary Wilson.

Clonmel hosts Trip

to Tipp weekend

The annual Enjoy Travel Trip to Tipp Festival takes place in the Clonmel Park Hotel from 5 to 8 November. Clonmel man Mick Mackey, who conducts the popular sessions for Enjoy Travel on their Spain and Portugal trips, is on home ground for this venture. Like all Enjoy Travel trips (guided by Gerry Flynn), the weekend features céilí and social dancing as well as the sessions.

Some of the many performers at the festival include Mick Mackey and Friends, Sean Gilsenan (London), Pat Casey (Crossmaglen), Austin Nevin (Ardee), Mountain Road Céili Band, Dave Lawlor and the Enjoy Travel Band, Tom Healy, Enda McGlone, Matt Cunningham band, Brendan Shine, The Moynihan Brothers and the Sliabh gCua Ramblers to name just a few.