Michael English is looking foward to being part of the action at the inaugural RTÉ Irish Country Music Awards in association with the Irish Farmers Journal.
ADVERTISEMENT
Country Music will be centre stage on the island of Ireland on Friday night 24 June, when RTÉ will host the inaugural Irish Country Music Awards in association with the Irish Farmers Journal. The show, featuring many of the top names on the country circuit, will be broadcast live from the RTÉ studios between 9.30pm and 11pm. All indications are that the show will attract massive viewing figures on its debut.
RTÉ has embraced the country awards with open arms and is mounting a huge publicity campaign ahead of the big night. And so, too, have the readers of the Irish Farmers Journal, who have been voting in the two public categories as well as sending in thousands of entries in the audience tickets competition.
The excitement is palpable as the countdown continues and RTÉ is working hard on a class production which is sure to have a massive knock-on effect in broadening the appeal of the country genre.
ADVERTISEMENT
Michael English sees the RTÉ country awards show as a major breakthrough and believes it will do wonders for the scene in Ireland.
“I am delighted to be part of this special night and it is a huge honour for me,” says Michael. “It is great to see RTÉ and the Irish Farmers Journal give such a massive platform to country music. A show like this can only help to bring a whole lot of new people to the business and create a much wider audience.
“This is something people have looked forward to for a long time, a prime time show on RTÉ honouring country music and its role in the lives of so many people in Ireland.
“It will be a fantastic night and it will be lovely to be among so many of our own people in country music. It is also a big honour for my parents and family too. It goes to show just how popular country music is now and how people in various parts of the media have come to realise what an integral part of life it is all over the island of Ireland,” says Michael.
Niamh Lynn, who along with Cliona Hagan, Jordan Mogey, Barry Kirwan and Shane Owens, is among the nominees in the newcomer of the year category, is native of Dublin. Niamh and her husband Seamus and their sons Tadhg and Donnacha now reside in Cavan.
“I’ve grown up listening to all types of music but one of my favourite singers of all time is the wonderful Patsy Cline. I loved her pure velvet tones and as a teenager would listen to her in my bedroom, along with Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and June Carter.
“I loved to listen to the Beatles and I’d sometimes throw a bit of Doris Day in there. I’m quite eclectic but country music is where I can really show my vocal ability; it suits me and I suit it,” says Niamh.
Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song, which was a big song for Billy Joe Spears, secured a lot of airplay and attention for Niamh. Last February, she appeared on The Late Late Show when she did a duet with Johnny Brady on A Love I Think Will Last.
“Being nominated for the RTÉ newcomer of the year at the ICMA is a truly special achievement for me. Just being there is an award in itself and I am looking forward so much to June 24th in Dublin,” says Niamh.
The attitude of Niamh is reflective of so many of those who have received nominations in the various categories. The winners will be announced live on the show.
It will be a night when country music will walk tall on the national stage and when the current heirs to the throne will share the limelight with some of the legends who will be honoured with the hall of fame and lifetime achievement awards.
The Irish Farmers Journal has been at the forefront in supporting the Irish country music scene over the last few years. It has a massive outreach into the true heartlands of the country genre. Week after week, we bring you stories from the country scene and have been very much at the heart of showcasing country music to a much wider audience.
Let us all rally together and spread the news about the RTÉ ICMA awards night in association with the Journal on Friday 24 June.
This is the last call for top jivers out there to send in video clips of their jiving skills. A selection of the entries will be chosen and featured on the live show on RTÉ on Friday 24 June.
The jiving competition has been incorporated into the big night to showcase the special appeal that jiving commands with so many dancers of all ages. Young dancers have taken it on board in a special way and it has become immensely popular in the Ulster region.
Top dancers have their own interpretation on the jive, just as sean nós dancers put their own stamp on their style of dancing.
The final selection of the top 10 entries for the dance-off will be made over the coming days and the jiving dance-off should be a highly entertaining part of the awards night.
More details can be had from our website, www.farmersjournal.ie/countrymusic, or by emailing clips to webdesk@farmersjournal.ie or calling 01-419 9500.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
Country Music will be centre stage on the island of Ireland on Friday night 24 June, when RTÉ will host the inaugural Irish Country Music Awards in association with the Irish Farmers Journal. The show, featuring many of the top names on the country circuit, will be broadcast live from the RTÉ studios between 9.30pm and 11pm. All indications are that the show will attract massive viewing figures on its debut.
RTÉ has embraced the country awards with open arms and is mounting a huge publicity campaign ahead of the big night. And so, too, have the readers of the Irish Farmers Journal, who have been voting in the two public categories as well as sending in thousands of entries in the audience tickets competition.
The excitement is palpable as the countdown continues and RTÉ is working hard on a class production which is sure to have a massive knock-on effect in broadening the appeal of the country genre.
Michael English sees the RTÉ country awards show as a major breakthrough and believes it will do wonders for the scene in Ireland.
“I am delighted to be part of this special night and it is a huge honour for me,” says Michael. “It is great to see RTÉ and the Irish Farmers Journal give such a massive platform to country music. A show like this can only help to bring a whole lot of new people to the business and create a much wider audience.
“This is something people have looked forward to for a long time, a prime time show on RTÉ honouring country music and its role in the lives of so many people in Ireland.
“It will be a fantastic night and it will be lovely to be among so many of our own people in country music. It is also a big honour for my parents and family too. It goes to show just how popular country music is now and how people in various parts of the media have come to realise what an integral part of life it is all over the island of Ireland,” says Michael.
Niamh Lynn, who along with Cliona Hagan, Jordan Mogey, Barry Kirwan and Shane Owens, is among the nominees in the newcomer of the year category, is native of Dublin. Niamh and her husband Seamus and their sons Tadhg and Donnacha now reside in Cavan.
“I’ve grown up listening to all types of music but one of my favourite singers of all time is the wonderful Patsy Cline. I loved her pure velvet tones and as a teenager would listen to her in my bedroom, along with Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and June Carter.
“I loved to listen to the Beatles and I’d sometimes throw a bit of Doris Day in there. I’m quite eclectic but country music is where I can really show my vocal ability; it suits me and I suit it,” says Niamh.
Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song, which was a big song for Billy Joe Spears, secured a lot of airplay and attention for Niamh. Last February, she appeared on The Late Late Show when she did a duet with Johnny Brady on A Love I Think Will Last.
“Being nominated for the RTÉ newcomer of the year at the ICMA is a truly special achievement for me. Just being there is an award in itself and I am looking forward so much to June 24th in Dublin,” says Niamh.
The attitude of Niamh is reflective of so many of those who have received nominations in the various categories. The winners will be announced live on the show.
It will be a night when country music will walk tall on the national stage and when the current heirs to the throne will share the limelight with some of the legends who will be honoured with the hall of fame and lifetime achievement awards.
The Irish Farmers Journal has been at the forefront in supporting the Irish country music scene over the last few years. It has a massive outreach into the true heartlands of the country genre. Week after week, we bring you stories from the country scene and have been very much at the heart of showcasing country music to a much wider audience.
Let us all rally together and spread the news about the RTÉ ICMA awards night in association with the Journal on Friday 24 June.
This is the last call for top jivers out there to send in video clips of their jiving skills. A selection of the entries will be chosen and featured on the live show on RTÉ on Friday 24 June.
The jiving competition has been incorporated into the big night to showcase the special appeal that jiving commands with so many dancers of all ages. Young dancers have taken it on board in a special way and it has become immensely popular in the Ulster region.
Top dancers have their own interpretation on the jive, just as sean nós dancers put their own stamp on their style of dancing.
The final selection of the top 10 entries for the dance-off will be made over the coming days and the jiving dance-off should be a highly entertaining part of the awards night.
More details can be had from our website, www.farmersjournal.ie/countrymusic, or by emailing clips to webdesk@farmersjournal.ie or calling 01-419 9500.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS