Cappamore Community Centre in Co Limerick will host a special nostalgic concert on Sunday 30 August.

The theme of the show is rolling back the Dromkeen years and Brendan Bowyer will headline the night.

The show will recall many happy memories of the famous Oyster Ballroom in Dromkeen (now a furniture store) that was one of the most successful venues in the country during the days of the showband boom in the 1960s and 1970s.

The hall opened on Wednesday 19 November 1958, but subsequently changed its dances to Sunday night and hosted all the top bands over the next two decades and more.

The Donie Collins Showband from Abbeyfeale played for that opening night when the admission was 10 shillings and dancing ran from 9pm to 3am. American country icon Jim Reeves sang many of his hit songs on the stage in Dromkeen during his Irish tour in 1963.

Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband were the top band for a number of years.

The proprietor of the ballroom, Packie (PJ) Hayes, was renowned for his business acumen and saw a gap in the market for a dancehall in the region.

Buses from all the surrounding areas would descend on Dromkeen on dance nights and many stories about the famous ballroom involve a missed bus and a long walk home.

No doubt, Brendan Bowyer will recall some of those special nights in the Oyster Ballroom when he appears in this special concert in Cappamore on 30 August. It will surely revive memories of former times when all the big stars of the time descended this region of Limerick.

Brendan will be joined on stage by his daughter Aisling and a special band for the night which includes local Cappamore man, Jim Hanley.

Lisa plans ahead

Lisa McCrory will launch her debut album in the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on 29 October. The young Tyrone singer is delighted to announce details of her special night. Among her guests will be Hugo Duncan, Johnny Brady, Barry Devlin and Liam Kelly. Lisa’s love of traditional country music is reflected in her choice of material for the new album.

Rosney for Virginia Show

The 74th Virginia Show takes place on 19 August. The gig-rig runs from 2:30pm with Timmy King and local musicians. A second stage has been added and Ciarán Rosney, an award-winner at our Country Sound Show in March, will entertain from 4pm to 7pm, which gives people plenty of time to dance the evening away.

Kilcullen show

Seamus Moore is undertaking a series of shows during August. Seamus is doing a special afternoon gig in The Mill, Milehill, Kilcullen, on 16 August, where he will be joined by local entertainer Paul Dixon. Seamus will also be back in Laois for the Ploughing Championships. CL

Marty Mone performed his hit song, Hit The Diff, during the interval of the Monaghan V Tyrone game in Croke Park on Saturday evening.

The Monaghan man got a great response from the thousands who enjoyed one of the hit songs of the summer of 2015.

Marty has close associations with the agricultural community in Monaghan and his song is a celebration of farming and rural life.

Inver Community Festival

The Inver Community Festival will be staged this weekend in the Barony of Erris, Co Mayo. The marquee festival opens on 14 September with Pat McKenna and Hughie Turner, known as Glenshane Country. On stage on Friday will be Kevin Prendergast and Eunice Moran. Lee Matthews is there on Saturday night and Johnny Brady will make an appearance on Sunday.