I live in Ireland, country music is not far more popular, it depends what area you are in, down the west coast traditional music appreciation is strong,areas such as and Kerry, Clare, Sliabh Luchra, Cork City and to a lesser extent West Cork, Traditional music is popular in these parts.
Of course country music is popular in fact quite a LOT of people like both .
I happen to like Irish traditional music, and old timey music and even some country artists like The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, I know I am not unusual in having a broad taste in music.
neither does everyone in IRELAND like just single line tradtional irish music, many of us appreciate good guitarists, pianists bodhran players, harpists, accompanying the music, what many appreciate, particularly when it comes to playing for dancing, is the piano played in the style of Josephine Keegan or Reg Hall, or the guitar of Paul deGrae, or the bodhran of Colm Murphy.
listen to all the good Irish ceili bands, most of them have a good piano player accompanying the melody line