The Ulster-American Folk Park near Omagh will host its annual Bluegrass Festival this weekend. The wonderful venue will echo to the sounds of banjo and fiddle and all that makes bluegrass so infectious and attractive. This is the 23rd year of the Omagh festival and the weekend attracts thousands of aficionados who come year after year for what has become a pilgrimage for so many devotees. Some of the great names of American bluegrass have played here over the years and another lovely occasion awaits on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 29 to 31 August.

Dale Ann Bradley is the bill-topper this year. She is one of the major names on the bluegrass circuit in the USA, having being honoured with the female bluegrass vocalist of the year in America on five occasions, the most recent in 2012.

Born and raised in Kentucky, her father was a coal-mining Baptist minister. Dale Ann and her band were accorded a wonderful reception when they performed at the festival in the Ulster-American Folk Park a few years ago.

She headlines the big concert on Saturday night where she will also be joined by The Outliers (USA) and Four Wheel Drive and Yolanda Peters (the Netherlands). Dale Ann and her band are also playing The Spirit of Bluegrass Gospel Concert at 6pm on Sunday evening. Also on this show are Robirohi from Estonia.

The action gets under way in the Folk Park on Friday evening with the highly acclaimed Sligo outfit Rackhouse Pilfer, which includes Sandy Kelly’s son, William. Love Cannon, the April Verch Band and others are also on the Friday evening show.

The Bluegrass in the Park sessions from noon to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday are hugely popular with day-trippers and admission is available at the main entrance office. A wonderful selection of bands from the USA, the island of Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe will entertain the crowds at six different stages throughout the Folk Park.

All patrons are assured the best of an Ulster welcome at the Bluegrass Festival in the Folk Park.

The 74th Royal Meath Agricultural Show will be held in Porch Fields in Trim on Sunday 7 September. Ethel Lydon tells us the event always attracts a great crowd to the venue. Matt Leavy will be on stage from 2pm, providing some great country music.

Derek Ryan travels west on Saturday 30 August for a meet-and-greet session at Downtown Records in Castlebar. Derek and the band are playing in the McWilliam Park in Claremorris on Saturday night.

The Premier Ballroom in Thurles has for many years being a centre of entertainment in Tipperary. Catherine and The Images are playing there on Sunday 31 August. A six-week course in social dancing for beginners gets under way at the venue on Tuesday night, 2 September at 8.30pm.

Road Trip is the latest single from Richie Remo. The song was composed by James McGarrity. The young Ulsterman will record a concert for a live DVD and CD on Tuesday 14 October at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre in Limavaddy.

Mike Fallon Snr from Portumna has penned some good songs in recent years. His latest, Fond of the Bottle, is the new single from Brendan and Patricia Lee, who are based in Birr.

John McNicholl and James Kilbane were among the country singers to perform in Knock Basilica during the August Novena last week. Ashford Castle singer and harpist Annette Griffin also maintained her tradition of singing at the final night.

Geraldine and Kinfolk will perform two shows on the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, on 23 September. They return by popular demand after going down a treat last year.