IRISH country music's golden boy, Derek Ryan, will be kicking off his run of November UK tour dates with an appearance in Cumbria.

The multi-talented singer-songwriter, who has two number one albums in his home country, will be at the Carnegie Theatre, in Workington, on Friday November 9.

It was pop that first drew the fresh-faced 17-year-old Derek into the music business, when he followed in the footsteps of Irish acts Boyzone and Westlife as part of new Celtic teen pop phenomenon D-Side in 2001.

He enjoyed three British Top 10 hits with D-Side but when the pop bubble burst, he started following his Irish and American-inspired country music dreams.

Working as a solo artist from 2006, he spent three years honing his craft around the club and bar circuit in London while studying at the same time to be an accountant.

He returned to Ireland in 2009, and early self-validating songwriting success came in prestigious competitions such as A Song For Carlow and The International Song Of Peace.

Balancing huge demand from dancehall and concert theatre audiences with his constant desire to create new music, Derek has released six best-selling albums, and hit singles such as the 2016 number one smash, Yoyo (You're Only Young Once).

Recognition for his songwriting abilities came at the Sunday World and Irish Country Music Awards, and this year continues to be all go for Derek, with his second UK tour of the year coming up and the release of his seventh and eighth album simultaneously, Happy Man and This is Me.

Recorded in Nashville, Derek has just released his new album, This Is Me, and songs for the record feature in the set for the Workington show, on November 9.

Tickets are available from the venue's box office.