Irish country music legend Declan Nerney was inducted into the ICMA Hall of Fame on Friday night's Late Late Country Music Special.
The Longford singer-songwriter has delighted countless crowds over his six decades on the road. "Every show is a happy hooley with him," Fr Brian D'Arcy summed up aptly on the show.
"I wasn't expecting that to tell you the honest truth," a clearly taken aback Nerney told host Patrick Kielty when he was handed the Hall of Fame trophy.
After sitting down for a chat with Nerney's niece, The Saturdays star Una Healy, Ireland's Queen of Country Philomena Begley, and Fr Brian D'Arcy, the Drumlish star said of the accolade: "I'm very honoured I have to say, and I was thrilled to be invited here as a guest, but to have this here is something else."
Picture: Andres Poveda
When asked how he felt about joining previously awarded Hall of Fame inductees Big Tom, Daniel O'Donnell, Philomena Begley, and Margo, Nerney said: "They're my idols, being honest about it Patrick, they're the people who I looked up to.
"And the people who has me here tonight. They kept the whole country going in good times and in bad times."
Una Healy was full of praise for her uncle. "Can I just say how I proud I am, you've been my mentor in music and a great uncle and godfather," she told Nerney, and revealed the remarkable fact that he made his first guitar when he was just eight years old.
"There was no guitars to be found and no way of learning. My sister used to buy these magazines and you'd be drooling looking at these guitars. And I decided to make my own," Nerney said in his typically modest fashion.
Nerney kicked off the proceedings on Friday's Late Late Country Music Special with a lively performance of Stop The World that got the audience clapping, singing and dancing along.
He was joined on the show by a host of Ireland's top country talent to celebrate the music that has been lighting up dance halls across the nation for many decades.
Gathered in the crowd were 200 of the "biggest country music fans of Ireland", host Kielty said. The presenter previously revealed that country music was "the soundtrack to my childhood" and that he grew up in the dance halls of County Down.
"Honestly I couldn't be more excited," the host told the audience at the top of the show.
Kielty's enthusiasm showed as he enjoyed performances from the likes of Nathan Carter and Sharon Shannon, Sandy Kelly, Cliona Hagan and The Tumbling Paddies.
The Co Down presenter even took to the microphone to himself, joining Gerry Guthrie for a spirited rendition of It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. He equipped himself very well.
In one of the show's sweetest moments, Nathan Carter made couple Michelle and Ricky's night with a surprise performance of Caledonia, their favourite song.
Ricky had planned to propose to Michelle at a Nathan Carter gig to the tune of Caledonia, but when Carter failed to sing the track on the night he had to go to Plan B, "in the room with a bit of YouTube!"
Carter made it up to them by inviting them to an upcoming gig in Killarney, with drinks on him.
Watch some highlights from The Late Late Country Music Special:
The Tumbling Paddies perform The Way I Am with Derek Ryan
Nathan Carter shocks fans with a special Caledonia performance
Cliona Hagan performs Jolene by Dolly Parton
Philomena Begley sings ABBA's The Way Old Friends Do
Nathan Carter and Sharon Shannon delight the audience with In a Rocket
Sandy Kelly regales the crowd with a hilarious anecdote about Johnny Cash
The Three Amigos lead the Country Special finale
The Late Late Show, Fridays on RTÉ One
