THREE SOLD out nights await country musician Derek Ryan this weekend, with the Carlow native packing the Ardhowen Theatre on his return to Enniskillen.

One of the biggest names in the genre in the country at present, Derek is on tour promoting his latest album, ‘The Simple Things’.

And, speaking to the Fermanagh Herald this week, Derek described as Enniskillen as the place ‘where it all began’.

“To be honest, Enniskillen was one of the first places I remember – I had the band on the road and we were doing a good few dances. The Ardhowen was the first place we did a concert with maybe two or three acts – and it was the first concert I performed in full, my first hour show,” he explained.

“So that’s where it all began, it’s great now to go back.”

Derek’s most recent album, ‘The Simple Things’ topped Irish charts – spanning singles, ‘Will Ye Go Lassie Go’, ‘Flowers In Her Hair’ and ‘Hold Onto Your Hat’ featuring Sharon Shannon.
On this current tour, audiences can expect a different type of show than the ‘dance hall’ show that most will be used to.

“They’d be different – the dance would be a different dynamic altogether. It’s fairly full on our dances at the moment. With the concerts – you’ve to concentrate on the dynamic, the highs and lows, the finales and all the rest.

And to try and keep the audience captivated at all times. I’d do an acoustic set too where it’s just me and the guitar and that works really really well. For a lot of the people that’s a highlight.”
Derek also said he appreciates the chance to speak with the audience about his own songs.

“I write a lot of my own songs too so it’s great to sit down and tell people how I wrote the songs and where they came from.

“A lot of people would say to me that they love the dance but they’ve never really sat down and listened to the lyrics.

“It’s not essential to me but it is nice to hear at the same time, it’s important to me.”

He described the country scene in Femanagh as ‘exciting’.

“A lot of young people come to the gigs. It’s alive and kicking and its a good place to go.

“There would be sometimes you’d be tired heading to a gig – and I live in Carlow so it’s a good spin to Fermanagh – but I don’t mind getting in the car because it’s always going to be a good gig.”

A new album is in the works, with a possible May/June release date, for now though, he remains focused on entertaining hundreds across three nights at the Ardhowen Theatre.