Meath singer Jim Tobin comes out of retirement for a one-off night in Carndonagh on Friday, 10 October.

The man from Dunshaughlin became closely associated with the music of Jim Reeves back in the 1970s.

Now comes the news of this special appearance, in the year that marks the golden jubilee of the death of the great Texan country singer.

Jim released his debut single, This Is It, a Jim Reeves number, which immediately won favour on the circuit. He was fronting a band called The Firehouse at the time. Little wonder that his debut album was entitled Jim Tobin Remembers Jim Reeves, a collection of a dozen of Reeves’ most popular recordings.

Other hits followed, including The Happiness of Having You, Don’t Fight the Feelings and The Little Isle of Green.

A second LP, Rhythm of Love, was issued in 1977. In 1979, he had a number one in the Irish charts with Welcome John Paul 2, a song to mark the papal visit to Ireland that year.

When the scene went into rapid decline with the onslaught of the disco era in the 1980s, Jim, like so many more in the music business, opted out. He focussed on the transport and haulage business, where he drove quarry trucks, and also undertook various transport works associated with the agricultural scene.

A feature on Jim, here in Irish Country Sound over a year ago, created a lot of interest in the man who had faded from the scene all those year ago.

He expressed amazement at the response he received from so many people after the article was published. Hugh Doherty from the Inishowen area of Donegal, a well-known singer, along with his daughter Maria, managed to convince Jim to do this show and it is generating plenty of interest among country fans.

“We are delighted that Jim has accepted our invitation to come to Tully’s Bar in Carndonagh, where Maria and I will be on stage with him for the night.

“Over the last year or two we have been honoured to have legends like Gene Stuart, Brian Coll and Mick Flavin perform with us here in Carndonagh, as well as Lisa Stanley who also did a lovely show.

“When Robbie and Josephine Cunningham, the proprietors of Tully’s, mentioned some time ago that they were big Jim Tobin fans, it was decided there and then that we would try and get him out of retirement and up to Donegal. Jim finally agreed to make the trip and we are really looking forward to seeing him again and hearing him back on stage after all these years,” said Doherty.