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Private Notes
To mark his ten years on the road, Keepin’ ‘Er Country at Home hooks up with Derek Ryan at his new home in Fermanagh, as he reflects on his music career from boyband teen idol to the hottest ticket on the country music circuit. Derek has topped the charts with hits such as God’s Plan and Hold Onto Your Hat, and has experienced many highs and lows over his years on the road, playing everywhere from dance halls and festivals to sell-out stadiums. We find out how he got his big break in country music with the song that changed his life, and the Keepin’ ‘Er Country archive is raided as Derek relives the moment he provided the live soundtrack to a rather unusual situation - his first gig in a stable! Derek speaks about the standout moments from his musical journey, we catch up with the family, and there is a sneak preview of a new song about up his life on the road. And Derek gets back on stage as he brings his whole band back together to perform a gig in a real venue for a virtual audience of some of his biggest fans. He will be joined on stage by one of his all-time idols, Sharon Shannon, for a unique virtual duet.
Over the past two decades, Ireland has become a destination for some of the best music festivals in Europe - Electric Picnic, Longitude and Oxegen have introduced a whole generation to the music festival experience. Now country music fans are saddling up for their own festival alternative! Held in the heart of County Leitrim, Cowboys and Heroes is a weekend of cowboys, horses, country music stars and mud! A little corner of the American frontier in the north west of Ireland. Organiser Simon Power saw the opportunity for a festival aimed at the country music fan, and the family ranch at Drumcoura outside Ballinamore seemed like the ideal location. With a huge amount of money invested, Simon is under pressure to pull in the country music loving public in their droves... he is also praying for sunshine! In this episode, we go behind the scenes of Cowboys and Heroes to meet the sheriff, the horses and the country music lovers who are blazing a trail to the biggest country music hoedown this side of Texas. So will the sun shine on the festival goers? Will Simon's dreams of a profit be realised? Will the line-dancing horses woo the crowds? All will be revealed. Welcome to the surprising world of Irish country music!
Country music has always been considered the domain of the older generation - until five years ago, when Nathan Carter, a young man from Liverpool, lit a fuse under the country music scene and kick-started a country music revolution for a whole new generation of country music fans. His signature tune Wagon Wheel has audiences in their thousands packing out venues across Ireland - from Ballynahinch to Ballykeefe. At only 25 years old, his career success has been meteoric, with three number one albums and thousands of obsessive fans who would make One Direction jealous. In summer 2015, 'Cartermania' reached fever pitch as he played a record number of gigs in the build-up to the biggest gig of his career at the Marquee in Cork. In this episode, we join Nathan over the course of two weeks in the nail-biting build-up to the Marquee. We get to know the man himself, and we meet the family of musicians and crew who keep the Nathan Carter machine running smoothly and pull out all the stops to make the Marquee gig utterly spectacular. We spend time up close and personal with the woman behind the superstar, Nathan's grandmother Anne, and we get on the road with the superfans who genuinely love Nathan - his music, his personality and the chance to meet him after every show. They will travel any distance to see Nathan again and again and again and again...! Join us behind the scenes of the phenomenon that is Nathan Carter!
In this episode, we follow the fates of some very competitive young dancers who have their sights set on the top prizes at the jiving competition at the Monaghan Town Country Music Festival - which attracts the top dancing talent in Ireland. We traverse the country roads of Ulster with jiving aces as they gear up for the big competition showdown.
With the resurgence of country music and country music dance nights, people from 18 to 80 can be found on the dance floors of Irish dance venues. With this multi-generational scene comes a certain old-fashioned charm where people can go out, even on their own, and they can easily make friends in a very safe environment because of the shared love for dancing and music. So, for so many people in midlife, country music has become a lifeline, a way to start again after divorce or separation. In this episode, we follow three middle-aged country music enthusiasts as they plot new life journeys on the country music roads of Ireland. We meet Kilkenny-born Ger Walsh, who has made her new life in Galway. Her passion for country music has saved her from loneliness after a difficult divorce, and has opened her up to a whole new set of friends with whom she travels the country to see her beloved Mike Denver. We see Fermanagh man Tommy Breslin at home playing music with his family before a night out to find love. Tommy's daughters pack him off to Lisdoonvarna to see if he can make a match at the big Robert Mizzell weekend. And we meet Cathy McGuigan from County Londonderry, whose love for jiving at country dances has helped her to lose six stone. We go on a journey of discovery with Cathy as she has a full makeover in her efforts to find the perfect companion on the dance floor, as she seeks to prove life does indeed begin at forty!
In Ireland, the further north you go, the hotter the passion for the new country music scene, especially amongst young people who specialise in the fast jive. Ulster is the place to be for all Irish country music lovers. One town is 'the Nashville of the North' - Bundoran. The once-beleaguered resort has been revitalised by country music - it is everywhere and the epicentre of all things country is the Allingham Arms Hotel. In this episode, we spend the busiest weekend of the summer behind the scenes at the hotel - meet the staff, the artists and the guests for a crazy weekend away! We meet Peter and his staff as they welcome their guests over this busy weekend. We catch up with chef Brian, who is poised to feed 800 hungry country fans with traditional fare, we try to keep up with the housekeeping staff as they speed to prepare the 132 rooms for Saturday check-in, and barmen Kamel and Dave keep the thirsty dancers happy - a double act with a difference! Amongst the guests, dance enthusiast Pat Fairon is making the journey from Armagh to test out the Allingham floor - one of the only dance floors in Ireland he hasn't danced on. While Mayo girls Sandra and Aoife are on a road trip to the Allingham in search of new friends and a fast jive.
Cameras follow the build-up to the nuptials of Crystal Swing's Dervla Burke, who has set her heart on a country music-theme for her wedding to Tim O'Connor
Country music and farming life are inextricably linked. There's nothing like being out on a monster tractor bailing all day only to kick off the dirt with a night of dancing to the latest country tunes. In this episode, we meet the lads and lasses who love their tractors as much as their country music. We voyage to the country music heartland of Donegal for the biggest tractor and country music event of 2016 - where thousands of Ferguson tractors gather for a world-record attempt with a difference. Joined by Richie Remo, beloved country idol of the young farmers, we are set to 'Hit the Diff'.
Country music is so popular even the kids are getting into it! Across rural Ireland, youngsters want to follow in the footsteps of their country idols and be the next big thing on the country music scene. In this episode, we meet the kids who are set to make it big. We're also dancing up a storm with the tiny tots whose summer is all about the jive.
The programme follows two sets of fans making a country music pilgrimage to Spain for a week in the company of the Three Amigos and a host of other big Irish stars of the scene.
Stewarts Music Shop in County Tyrone is the epicentre of Irish country music. Since the 1970s, it has been the 'go-to place' for all the best country music sounds. Also home to the famous Sharpe Music record label, you never know what big star will walk through the door of the shop. We are with owner Raymond over the course of a landmark summer in the build-up to the biggest country music birthday celebration Ireland has ever seen!
This week, we meet the Elvis impersonator who has swapped his blue suede shoes for a stetson as he tries to make it big on the country music scene. We travel the roads with dance choreographer Tura as he immerses himself in all things country, and we are on a mission with the Bradys who are determined to bring country music back to the capital. Welcome to the unexpected world of Irish country music.
Series about Northern Ireland's country music scene. This edition follows some of Ireland's foremost line dancers to the biggest competitions both at home and away, exploring competitive line dancing from the rehearsals through to the glitz and glamour of the competition finals.
We're on the road with the men and women who, when they aren't jiving, just keep on trucking. With Ireland's biggest truck show in their sights, we jump in the cab with lorry-loving women who spend hundreds of thousands on their vehicles to keep them in tip-top condition, and the men who combine their weekly workload with pulling up to country music festivals at the weekends.
The religious anthem 'One Day at a Time' by country artist Gloria still remains the biggest hit in the Irish charts, so it is unsurprising then that country music that speaks to believers is a genre all of its own. In this episode, we meet the men of the cloth who are religious about country music. From singing reverends to jiving priests, it's a communion of the holy and the hooley.
We're on the road with the men and women who, when they aren't jiving, just keep on trucking. With Ireland's biggest truck show in their sights, we jump in the cab with lorry-loving women who spend hundreds of thousands on their vehicles to keep them in tip-top condition, and the men who combine their weekly workload with pulling up to country music festivals at the weekends.
We're out on the open range with the cowboys and cowgirls of Ireland as we saddle up with the men and women who live their lives western-style. From Desperate Dans competing in the All-Ireland western riding championships to a magnificent seven from Donegal staging an old-time bank robbery, it's like the Wild West out there!
The tiny village of Clonmany in Donegal hosts the longest-running country music festival in Ireland, and as it prepares for its 50th anniversary this year, we meet the locals who make it all possible. With a night of nostalgia focusing on the veteran stars, Philomena Begley and TR Dallas take centre stage in this trip down memory lane.
Competitive farmers take their sport as seriously as any footballer or Gaelic player might take a county or All-Ireland Final. From sheep shearers to prize pigs, there is money and serious bragging rights up for grabs at agricultural shows all across Ireland. The biggest of them all is the Ploughing Championships and with multiple stages, country music provides the soundtrack.
Ireland's leading country star Nathan Carter invites us into his new home for a performance of some of his most popular songs as well as a duet with brother Jake Carter.
Robert Mizzell dons his signature Stetson for a very special performance from his own home. Reflecting on two decades of tours and albums, he's also joined by Robert Vincent to cover a classic country song.
Lisa McHugh invites us into her home for a special performance from her kitchen. As well as a revealing interview about her new musical direction she's joined by Brian Kennedy for a duet of one of his biggest hits.
Jim Devine welcomes us to his Tyrone farmhouse for a special gig. As well as being busy on the farm, Jim reflects on a career in country music and is joined by a special guest star for a duet
Derek Ryan and Lisa McHugh get ready to take to the stage for the annual Farmers' Bash – a sold-out show at the biggest venue in the country. After nearly two years of postponements, the fans, many of whom work in the agri-sector, are ready to swap their wellies for their dancing shoes.
Nathan Carter travels to Spain for a week of performances in the sun with hundreds of fans from all over the world, and Philomena Begley heads to Bundoran for a special gig to celebrate two milestones, her 80th birthday and her 60th year on the road.
Jimmy Buckley has been singing and performing for over twenty years and has built up a loyal fanbase. Daughter Claudia is still a relative newcomer to the scene but already she's showing that country music talent runs in the family.
Robert Mizzell and Johnny Brady play the biggest country festival of the summer – the Cowboys and Heroes Festival in Co. Leitrim. It's a weekend that celebrates all things country and Americana, and it can get a little ‘wild west' when the music and the dancing starts!
