Ollie Hennessy is a proud Carlow man. The immensely respected musician and producer, who also serves as RTÉ’s musical director for the Rose of Tralee festival night, is wrapped up in a devotion to the red, green and yellow of his county.

When I spoke to him last week, Ollie was attending a Division 2 league game between his own club, Éire Óg, and Railyard down in Moneenroe, just over the border in Co Kilkenny.

“The football and the hurling has always been a special part of my life outside of music. I love my county. The GAA is part of the fabric of Irish life,” reflects Ollie.

Two years ago, Ollie was one of the pioneers of the Follow Me Up To Carlow initiative, which has now blossomed into a cultural delight. Four Lakes Productions is behind the venture and the company, comprising of John Candy, Ollie Hennessy and Olivia Smith, now hosts six shows each year.

The warm and welcoming Seven Oaks Hotel is the home for the bi-monthly shows, which attract a large and loyal audience, with full houses the norm.

The Follow Me Up To Carlow Orchestra, comprising of nine members, and directed by Ollie, is a huge part of the success of these concert shows. It features professional musicians and backing vocalists with fabulous musical arrangements that ensure the highest quality for audiences and performers alike.

“The shows have taken on a life of their own,” says Ollie. “The concert format works a treat, with high-profile personalities in the entertainment sector in Ireland joining local Carlow artists. Each concert also has a Rising Star segment and this aims to provide a launching pad for new and emerging talent.

“John Candy is the compere each night and he has a great rapport with audiences through his stories and introductions. We include well-known artists from every genre of music in what is always a lovely evening of stories, songs and top-class entertainment.”

Foster and Allen headline the next big show in the series on Friday 19 May. The Westmeath duo are assured of a very warm welcome in Carlow. They have enjoyed huge international success for over 35 years with tours worldwide, including in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Louise Morrissey will also perform at the show and the well-known country singer from Tipperary is very much looking forward to her trip to Carlow. Sarah Brennan from Castlecomer is a fine local singer and features on this special night, as does David O’Neill from Tinryland – a highly rated young singer-songwriter who recently returned from Canada. Cliona McGagh from Myshall, who is doing music at Limerick University, features in the Rising Star category (ages 13-20) on this occasion.

John Candy is the genial host and compere for the shows. It is something that comes natural to him. John is a gifted storyteller who creates a special bond with the audience and sets the scene for the night.

“It is wonderful to invite and welcome these artists and audiences to Carlow, many of whom stay to sample what is on offer in the Carlow region. It is a powerful thing when people meet together to enjoy live entertainment, to laugh and sing and have a good time in the intimate comfort of the Seven Oaks Hotel,” says John.

All the indicators suggest John Candy has hit the nail on the head. The people are speaking with their feet. Follow Me Up To Carlow has caught the imagination of many, especially in the Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny and Kildare areas where shows of this kind have been sadly lacking for many years.

Ollie Hennessy, one of the most modest and down-to-earth people in Irish showbiz, whose family have been steeped in the entertainment scene around Carlow for many years, is over the moon with how people have been flocking to the shows.

“What people love about the concerts is that we welcome entertainers from all kinds of music. From country, classical and showband to jazz, pop, trad and folk, the same warm welcome and appreciation is shown to all the artists we invite to our shows. Variety is the spice of life and at the core of the success of Follow Me Up To Carlow.

“We have groups who now join us on a regular basis from Bunclody and Ferns down in Wexford as well as folks from Kilkenny and Waterford and our neighbouring counties in Carlow.

“The show is directed by Olivia Smith and she does a superb job. John Candy has a great way with the storytelling and the shows are always intimate and top-class. Charlene McDonagh does a great job for us in the PR stakes. And Michael Walsh and all the team at the Seven Oaks ensure that the welcome and hospitality is top shelf for each show,” says Ollie.

Further dates for the diary in the Follow Me Up to Carlow series are Thursday, 27 July when Philomena Begley and TR Dallas come to town.

This night is in conjunction with the Sue Ryder Foundation, Carlow, with funds being raised going to support this renowned organisation and the facilities they offer. On Saturday 9 September, in conjunction with Carlow GAA, patrons can look forward to a big Carlow welcome for Paddy Cole, Mickey Harte (Tyrone manager), Trudi Lalor, Nicky Kealy, Mick Kavanagh, and Regina McDonald. CL

• Tickets (€25) for the Follow Me Up To Carlow concert on Friday 19 May, featuring Foster & Allen, Louise Morrissey and other guests, can now be booked from the Seven Oaks Hotel on 059-913 1308 or from John Candy. The show starts at 8pm.