Multi Award-Winning Newry Firm Produces New Daniel O'Donnell Series

A Newry television production company is behind a new series of TG4's highest rating country music programme, which returns to screens later this month.

Big Mountain Productions based at Carnbane has produced the latest series of Opry le Daniel ar Thuras, hosted by legendary country music star Daniel O'Donnell. The popular show will feature six music-filled episodes plus two compilation programmes running across eight weeks, starting on Tuesday 28 October at 9.30pm.

The multi award-winning Newry-based company filmed the series earlier this year before live audiences over three nights at Derry's Millennium Forum. The new series will showcase a variety of special guests performing alongside Daniel across different themed shows.

The series kicks off with Classic Country, featuring Lisa McHugh from Glasgow, John McNicholl from Derry, and Gerry Guthrie from County Mayo. The following week on 4 November sees Country 'n Irish with Dominic Kirwan from Omagh in County Tyrone, TR Dallas from County Westmeath, and Claudia Buckley from County Galway.

Country Folk airs on 11 November with Tully from Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, Ceol from Dublin, and The Henry Girls from Malin in County Donegal. The fourth show on 18 November, called New Country, features Jack Keogh from County Wicklow, Patricia Maguire from Newtownstewart in County Tyrone, and Jamie Donnelly from Strabane in County Tyrone.

The Songs Of John Denver programme goes out on 25 November includes performances from Marc Roberts from County Mayo, Gina from County Cork, and John Hogan from County Westmeath. The sixth show, Celtic Country, airs on 2 December and welcomes Dan McCabe from County Kildare and The High Kings from Dublin to the Derry stage.

Speaking on the series Daniel O'Donnell said: "It really was fantastic to be back on stage for this new series of Opry le Daniel ar Thuras. It is always a pleasure to perform in front of the great audiences in Derry's Millennium Forum. And what a line-up we had this time round, you won't want to miss it when the series begins on TG4 on October 28th."

The series wraps up with two special programmes on 9 Decemberand 16 December featuring highlights from across the six weeks of shows.

Now in its fifteenth season, the show has seen Ireland's number one country music artist Daniel O'Donnell host some of the biggest names in country music from the world stage, including Charley Pride, Crystal Gayle and Rita Coolidge, as well as plenty of Irish homegrown talent.

All episodes will be available to watch on the TG4 player after they're broadcast.