One of Ireland’s homeliest towns, the lovely Westport in Mayo, is going country this year. While the town will host the major Harvest Festival in August, the early days of February will see the Westport Woods Hotel roll out a big welcome for country enthusiasts as it hosts their first Country Music Week.

Westport is blessed with wonderful civic pride and the town is very much at the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way in this part of the western region. Croagh Patrick (The Reek) is just out the road, while the popular Great Western Greenway runs through Westport too.

The Westport Woods Hotel, Spa and Leisure Centre, is delighted to host the Country Week, which will run from Sunday 5 February to Thursday 9 February, with Mayo’s own Gerry Guthrie and his band getting the show on the road on the opening night.

In 2015, Gerry was presented with the performer of the year award at the Country Sound awards night in Athlone. The Ballina man continues to make major inroads on the scene and has a whole array of dates at home and overseas during 2017.

TR Dallas and Joe King will ensure another happy night for dancers on Monday 6 February. The runaway appeal of the TV drama series Dallas in the late 1970s led to a stage name change for Tom Allen from Mount Temple (Westmeath), who became known as TR Dallas in 1980. All these years later, TR is still out on the country ranges and as busy as ever.

The Tuesday night dance features Stuart Moyles from Ardagh near Ballina. Stuart comes from a musical family and his brothers Trevor and Jason are also well known in showbiz circles. They are first cousins of Gerry Guthrie.

Brendan Magee and Eugene Cunningham, a popular duo on the dancing circuit, will be on stage on Wednesday night. Both are natives of Fermanagh.

Brendan, who is a qualified pilot, co-hosts the Ireland’s Country show on Sky 266 and also presents a Sunday show on Mid West Radio. Eugene, who featured with the John Hogan and Jimmy Buckley bands and others, plays lead guitar and mandolin.

Mike Denver and his band will bring the curtains down on what should be a special week in the Westport Woods Hotel. They take to the stage on Thursday 9 February. Mike launched his new band back in January 2003 at a dance in the Park House Hotel, Edgeworthstown.

The Portumna man has become one of Ireland’s top dance attractions over the last 14 years. Mike was honoured with the entertainer of the year accolade (as voted by the public) at the inaugural RTÉ Irish Country music Awards last June.

Tara O’Brien from sales and marketing at the Westport Woods Hotel, says they are delighted to support the live music scene.

“Westport is a great destination and everyone attending our Country Music Week is assured of a warm welcome and great time. We are also running two social dancing weeks commencing on 26 March and 5 November.”

• For details of the Country Music Week and other events at Westport Woods Hotel, contact 098-25811 or log on to www.westportwoodshotel.com