Daniel O'Donnell

For other people named Daniel O'Donnell, see Daniel O'Donnell (disambiguation).

Daniel O'Donnell MBE
O'Donnell in concert in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell
Also known as	"Wee Daniel" [1]
Born	(1961-12-12) 12 December 1961 (age 63) Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Ireland
Genres	Country, easy listening, folk
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1980–present
Website	www.danielodonnell.org

Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) ^[2] is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. ^[3] After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had considerable success in Australia. ^[4] In 2012, he became the first artist to have a different album in the British charts every year for 25 consecutive years. ^[5] This record has been extended and as of 2021, O'Donnell has had an album in the Official Albums Chart each year for the last 33 years making him one of the most successful recording artists of all time. ^[6]

Known for his close relationship with his fanbase, and his charismatic, personable ^[7] and engaging stage presence, ^[7] O'Donnell's music has been described as a mix of country and Irish folk, and he has sold over ten million records to date. ^{[8] [9]} He is widely considered a "cultural icon" in Ireland, and is often parodied in the media. ^[10] Affectionately known as "Wee Daniel", ^{[1] [11]} O'Donnell is a prominent ambassador for his home county of Donegal. ^{[12] [13] [14] [15]}

Early life

O'Donnell was born in and brought up in the village of Kincasslagh, in The Rosses district in the west of County Donegal, Ireland. He grew up as the youngest of a Roman Catholic family, with his parents, Julia (née McGonagle born 1919; died 18 May 2014) ^[16] and Francis O'Donnell, and siblings John (the eldest), Margaret (Margo), Kathleen and James. He has described his upbringing as mostly happy, with the exception of the death of his father after a heart attack when O'Donnell was six years old.

During his school years, O'Donnell considered pursuing a career in banking. Despite this, a career in music was also always a possibility. As a youngster, O'Donnell performed in the local religious choir. In 1980, he went to Galway to pursue business studies, however, he never settled down and by Christmas he was in his sister Margo's band. Margo had already forged a successful career in Ireland.

Career

Rise to fame

Not getting enough opportunities to perform solos with the band, in 1983 O'Donnell decided to record his own record. On 9 February 1983, he recorded his first single, Johnny McCauley's "My Donegal Shore", with £1,200 of his own money, selling all the copies himself. Later that year, he formed his own musical group, Country Fever. After the group disbanded, he formed The Grassroots. In 1985, the manager of the Ritz label, Mick Clerkin, saw him perform and introduced him to Sean Reilly, who remains his manager to this day.

Under the management of Reilly, O'Donnell started to sell concerts out in England on a regular basis. According to O'Donnell, by January 1992, he had hit rock bottom with exhaustion. After a three-month recovery break, he returned to the stage, this time at the Point Theatre, Dublin. ^[17]

Success

By the mid-1990s, O'Donnell had become a household name across Ireland and Great Britain. He appeared on popular television shows in both countries and won various awards. Among the accolades, O'Donnell was named Donegal Person of the Year in 1989, which he still rates as the best award. He was given the Irish Entertainer of the Year award in 1989, 1992 and 1996. O'Donnell's first chart hit single in the UK was in 1992 with "I Just Want to Dance With You" (later covered by George Strait). This also led to his first appearance on Top of the Pops .

During his lengthy career, O'Donnell has made friends with his childhood idols, including Cliff Richard and Loretta Lynn. He also forged a close professional relationship with the Irish singer Mary Duff, who regularly tours with O'Donnell.

O’Donnell had to cancel a series of concerts in Northern Ireland because of death threats from loyalist paramilitaries in 1994. The threat was made in a phone call to Daniel O’Donnell's Viking House Hotel in Kincasslagh, County Donegal. The caller said O’Donnell would be killed if he went ahead with four sell-out concerts to be held in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, County Down. ^{[18] [19]}

2000–present

In 2002, he was awarded an Honorary (because of his Irish citizenship) MBE for his services to the music industry. ^[20] He has had twenty UK Top 40 albums as well as fifteen Top 40 singles and has sold 10 million records to date. O'Donnell garnered considerable success in North America, when he starred in seven concert specials on public television stations (PBS) in the United States. He has charted 18 albums in the Top 20 of the U.S. Billboard's World Music Album Chart and also has had several entries in the Independent Albums Chart too. ^[21] He was afforded an RTÉ Christmas Day special, Daniel at 50, in 2011 to mark his 50th birthday. ^[22]

In 2015, O'Donnell became the first artist to have charted at least one new album in the UK charts for 28 consecutive years (1988–2015), when his latest album The Hank Williams Songbook entered the UK Artist Albums Chart at number 5.

A Daniel O'Donnell Visitors' Centre was opened in Dungloe in May, 2012, which displays all his gold discs, awards and wedding suit. ^[23]

In Autumn 2015, he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing . ^{[24] [25]} He was eliminated third; in week 4 of the series.

In October 2015, Daniel and his wife Majella starred in the first series of their TV programme Daniel and Majella's B&B Road Trip. That series aired on UTV but moved to RTÉ in 2016. ^[26]

Personal life

Fans meeting O'Donnell at his annual 'tea party', at his mother's residence in Kincasslagh, County Donegal

O'Donnell was married, aged 40, on 4 November 2002, to 41-year-old divorcée Majella McLennan from Thurles, ^[27] whom he met on holiday in Tenerife three years previously. McLennan received an annulment of her previous marriage, ^[28] by which she had two children. The couple live in Meenbanad, County Donegal, and spend time at their second home in Tenerife. ^[29]

O'Donnell's home in Meenbanad, County Donegal

O'Donnell is proficient in Irish and presented a show in that language for the broadcaster TG4. ^[30]

O'Donnell rarely speaks about politics but voiced his support for the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland in 2015. ^{[31] [32]} He has also spoken out in support of redress for homeowners in Ireland whose houses were built using mica.

Philanthropy

O'Donnell has been involved in many charitable causes for many years, most notably in Romania. He has championed the Romanian Challenge Appeal, a charity that helps orphaned Romanian children re-establish themselves within society. He was involved in urging Irish families to home these young people in Ireland for a period. ^[33]

Image

O'Donnell is arguably better known for his gentle, soft-spoken personality and clean-cut image, than for his music. Over the years he has attracted vast media attention and there have been many cultural references to the performer. O'Donnell is frequently satirised in Irish and British comedy because of a common supposition that his audience consists mainly of older women. ^[34] He was parodied as celebrity singer "Eoin McLove" in the Father Ted episode "Night of the Nearly Dead", as well as an episode of BBC sketch-show Chewin' the Fat , as an Irish singer named "Donald O'Daniel". The comedy show Bull Island and the radio sketch segment "Gift Grub" portrayed him in sketches frequently singing about his "mammy". ^[35] DJ Chris Moyles has parodied O'Donnell on numerous occasions. ^[36]

O'Donnell is known for his close relationship with his fans and has a meet-and-greet session after almost every concert. He used to host a massive tea party for his fans outside his Donegal home every year. ^[1] He has expressed a wish to appear in Coronation Street . ^[37]

He appeared on Martin and Paul's Surf 'n' Turf. ^[38]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions			Certifications
		AUS [39]	NZ [40]	UK [41]
The Boy from Donegal	Released: 1984 Label: Prism Leisure Corp. Plc (HLP4)	—	—	—
Two Sides of Daniel O'Donnell	Released: 1985 Label: Ritz Records (RITZLP0031)	—	—	—
I Need You	Released: 1986 Label: Ritz Records (RITZLP0038)	—	—	—
Don't Forget to Remember	Released: 1987 Label: Ritz Records (RITZLP0043)	—	—	—
From the Heart	Released: October 1988 Label: Telstar (STAR2327)	—	—	56	BPI: Gold [42]
Thoughts of Home	Released: October 1989 Label: Telstar (STAR2372)	—	—	43
The Last Waltz	Released: November 1990 Label: Ritz (RITZCD0058)	—	—	46
Follow Your Dream	Released: November 1992 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD701)	—	—	17	BPI: Silver [42]
Especially for You	Released: October 1994 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD703)	—	—	14	BPI: Gold [42]
Christmas with Daniel	Released: November 1994 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD704)	—	—	34	BPI: Gold [42]
Timeless (with Mary Duff)	Released: March 1996 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD707)	—	—	13	BPI: Silver [42]
The Daniel O'Donnell Irish Collection	Released: July 1996 Label: Ritz (RITZCD0080)	—	—	35	BPI: Silver [42]
Songs of Inspiration	Released: October 1996 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD709)	—	—	11
I Believe	Released: October 1997 Label: Ritz (RITZBLC710)	—	—	11	BPI: Gold [42]
Love Songs	Released: October 1998 Label: Ritz (RITZBLC715)	36	—	9	BPI: Gold [42]
Faith and Inspiration	Released: October 2000 Label: Ritz (RZBCD717)	—	—	4	BPI: Gold [42]
Live, Laugh, Love	Released: November 2001 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2002)	—	—	27	BPI: Gold [42]
Yesterday's Memories	Released: October 2002 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2020)	—	—	19
Daniel in Blue Jeans	Released: March 2003 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV001)	—	—	3	BPI: Gold [42]
At the End of the Day	Released: October 2003 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2040)	—	—	11	BPI: Gold [42]
The Jukebox Years - 20 More Blue Jeans Classics	Released: March 2004 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV005)	36	—	3
Welcome to My World	Released: October 2004 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2050)	87	—	6
Teenage Dreams	Released: September 2005 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2060)	87	—	10
Until the Next Time	Released: October 2006 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2080)	48	36	10
Together Again (with Mary Duff)	Released: November 2007 Label: Rosette (ROSCD2090)	66	19	6	BPI: Gold [42]
Country Boy	Released: October 2008 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV035)	64	—	6	BPI: Gold [42]
Peace in the Valley	Released: October 2009 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV036)	—	18	8	BPI: Gold [42]
O' Holy Night	Released: November 2010 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV040)	—	—	21
Moon Over Ireland	Released: March 2011 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV042)	—	10	9
Songs from the Movies and More	Released: October 2012 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV048)	60	10	7	BPI: Silver [42]
A Picture of You	Released: November 2013 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV052)	—	3	16	BPI: Silver [42]
The Hank Williams Songbook	Released: October 2015 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV061)	51	—	5	BPI: Silver [42]
I Have a Dream: Classic Songs from the Seventies	Released: November 2016 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV063)	—	—	12	BPI: Silver [42]
Christmas with Daniel	Released: November 2017 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV067)	—	—	19
Walkin' in the Moonlight	Released: November 2018 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV072)	—	—	23
Halfway to Paradise	Released: October 2019 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV076)	—	—	8
Daniel	Released: 16 October 2020 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV077)	84	—	3
60	Released: 15 October 2021 Label: DMG TV	—	—	4
I Wish You Well	Released: 4 November 2022 Label: DMG TV	—	—	16
How Lucky I Must Be	Released: 27 October 2023 Label: DMG TV	—	—	39

Live albums

List of live albums, with selected chart positions and certifications

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions			Certifications
		AUS [39]	NZ [40]	UK [41]
A Date with Daniel Live	Released: October 1993 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD702)	—	—	21
Stand Beside Me – Live in Concert	Released: November 2014 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV059)	—	31	21	BPI: Silver [42]
Hope and Praise	Released: May 2015 Label: Brockwell, Rosette, Sony Music Australia	82	—	—
Back Home Again	Released: March 2017 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV064)	72	4	14

Charting compilation albums

List of charting compilation albums, with selected chart positions and certifications

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions			Certifications
		AUS [39]	NZ [40]	UK [41]
Favourites	Released: April 1990 Label: Ritz (RITZCD0052)	—	—	61	BPI: Silver [42]
The Very Best of Daniel O'Donnell	Released: November 1991 Label: Ritz (RITZBLD700)	—	—	34
The Classic Collection	Released: November 1995 Label: Ritz (RITZBCD705)	—	—	34
Greatest Hits	Released: September 1999 Label: Ritz (RZBCD716)	97	23	10	BPI: Gold [42]
The Very Best of Daniel O'Donnell	Released: 2002 Label: Ritz (RITZBLC700)	—	6	—
Memories	Released: March 2004 Label: CRIMSON (CRIMBX44)	—	—	94
The Rock 'n' Roll Collection	Released: March 2005 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV015)	—	—	86
From Daniel with Love	Released: January 2006 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV027)	32	—	5	BPI: Gold [42]
Early Memories	Released: 2006 Label: CRIMSON (MCDLX033)	—	—	94
The Essential Daniel O'Donnell	Released: March 2010 Label: Big Joke/ Sony	—	9	—
The Ultimate Collection	Released: October 2011 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV045)	—	11	7	BPI: Gold [42]
The Best of Music and Memories	Released: February 2016 Label: DMG TV (DMGTV062)	—	—	15
The Gold Collection	Released: March 2019 Label: Crimson (CRIMCD622)	—	—	23

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected chart positions

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		AUS [39]	UK [41]
The Love Songs	Released: May 1997 Label: Ritz (RITZCD306)	96	27

Singles

List of charting singles, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
		IRL [43]	AUS [39]	UK [41]
"I Need You"	1987	—	—	126	I Need You
"Summer In Ireland"	1987	—	—	164	The Daniel O'Donnell Four Track EP
"Two's Company" (with Margo)	1988	3	—	171	Two's Company EP
"Far From Home"	1989	1	—	—	Thoughts Of Home
"My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You"	1989	—	—	101	Thoughts Of Home
"Last Waltz of the Evening"	1990	7	—	—	The Last Waltz
"Marianne"	1991	22	—	—
"Letters from the Postman's Bag"		9	—	—
"The Three Bells"		19	—	71
"I Just Want to Dance with You"	1992	2	—	20	Follow Your Dream
"The Love in Your Eyes"	1993	23	—	47
"What Ever Happened to Old Fashioned Love"		15	—	21	Especially for You
"Singing the Blues"	1994	27	—	23
"The Gift"		—	—	46	Christmas With Daniel
"Secret Love" (with Mary Duff)	1995	20	—	28	Timeless
"Timeless" (with Mary Duff)	1996	—	—	32
"Footsteps"		28	—	25	The Classic Collection
"Give a Little Love"	1998	5	82	7	Love Songs
"The Magic Is There"		—	—	16
"The Way Dreams Are"	1999	—	—	18
"Uno Mas"		—	—	25	Greatest Hits
"A Christmas Kiss"		—	—	20
"Light a Candle"	2000	—	—	23	Faith & Inspiration
"Morning Has Broken"			—	32
"You Raise Me Up"	2003	—	—	22	At the End of the Day
"Crush On You"	2006	—	57	21	Until the Next Time

Awards and honours

• 1988 – RTÉ Guide Favourite Country Artist of the Year
• 1989 – RTÉ Guide Favourite Country Artist of the Year
• 1989 – Donegal Person of the Year
• 1989 – IRMA Entertainer of the Year
• 1990 – RTÉ Guide Favourite Country Artist of the Year
• 1991 – RTÉ Guide Favourite Country Artist of the Year
• 1991 – British Country Music Awards International Artist of the Year
• 1991 – CMRU Most Popular British Vocalist
• 1991 – IRMA Entertainer of the Year
• 1992 – IRMA Entertainer of the Year
• 1992 – RTÉ Guide Favourite Country Artist of the Year
• 1992 – British Country Music Awards International Artist of the Year
• 1992 – CMRU Most Popular British Vocalist
• 1995 – British Country Music Awards International Artist of the Year
• 1997 – British Country Music Awards Ambassador Award for Outstanding Services to Country Music
• 2000 – This Is Your Life Tribute ^[44]
• 2002 – Awarded an Honorary MBE for services to the music industry and charity
• 2004 – Lifetime Achievement Award from The Irish Post
• 2011 – Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sunday World

See also

• List of baritones in non-classical music
• Music of Ireland
• Country and Irish

References

1. "Donegal County.com & Dún na nGall.com – Daniel O'Donnell". Dun-na-ngall.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
2. "About Daniel". Daniel O'donnell Official Website. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
3. "O'Donnell made honorary MBE". BBC News. 31 December 2001.
4. "Daniel O'Donnell lights the way for Aussie fans". Belfast Telegraph. 6 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
5. "Daniel O'Donnell secures unique UK charts record". Highland Radio. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
6. "Daniel O'Donnell extends UK chart record as new album 60 becomes his 41st Top 40". Official Charts. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
7. "Archives". Archives. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
8. "Daniel O'Donnell Tickets Available". Worldticketshop.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
9. "Daniel O'Donnell | Gratis". Myspace.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
10. "The Secret World of the Irish Male – New Island". Newisland.ie. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
11. "Bland wee Daniel is No 1 at winding up top celebrities – National News". Independent.ie. 31 December 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
12. "Jim McGuinness and Daniel O'Donnell singalong". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 25 September 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2012. Donegal's greatest ambassador Daniel O'Donnell made a special trip home for the event and played a number of songs for the fans.
13. "Corporate Website | – About Tourism Ireland Marketing Programmes". Tourism Ireland. 4 April 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
14. "Daniel Helping To Boost Donegal Tourism". Donegal Daily. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
15. Keys, Colm (28 August 2012). "Donegal stand united in rise from the ashes: McGuinness evolution based around brains as well as brawn". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 28 August 2012. If the sea cliffs of Bunglass, just a few solid belts of an O'Neills size five away from where McHugh grew up in Kilcar, were transformed into the county's Mount Rushmore, Daniel's image would surely take pride of place.
16. O'Donnell stated in a TV3 interview, Up Close and Personal with Daniel O'Donnell, screened on Friday 13 March 2009, that his mother would be 90 later that year.
17. "Daniel O'Donnell music downloads, Daniel O'Donnell songs". eMusic.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
18. "BBC Two - Pop Goes Northern Ireland, Series 1, 1994, Daniel O'Donnell receives death threat". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
19. "Daniel O'Donnell Death Threat". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
20. "Daniel O'Donnell made honorary MBE". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
21. "O'Donnell made honorary MBE". BBC News. 31 December 2001.
22. "RTÉ choose Daniel for Christmas Day evening special". Donegal Daily. 24 December 2011.
23. "Daniel O'Donnel leads fans through his new visitors' centre – Republic of Ireland, Local & National". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
24. Steve Wright in the Afternoon, BBC Radio 2, 20 August 2015
25. "Daniel hopes his sharp tongue won't be his undoing on Strictly Come Dancing". evoke.ie. 23 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
26. "Daniel and Majella's B&B Road Trip travels to RTÉ". RTÉ. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
27. "PLAYING MY SONG; Majella Makes Her Album Move". Sunday Mirror . Retrieved 1 July 2018.
28. "Unofficial Daniel O'Donnell website". Danielodonnell.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
29. "Daniel O'Donnell ties the knot". BBC News . 4 November 2002.
30. "Donegal's Daniel O'Donnell for TG4 series". IrishDigest.com. 31 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
31. "Daniel O'Donnell reveals support for 'Yes' vote in marriage referendum". Independent.ie . 15 May 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
32. O'Donoghue, Anna (15 May 2015). "Daniel O'Donnell speaks out about the marriage referendum". IrishExaminer.com . Retrieved 9 October 2023.
33. The Romanian Challenge Appeal, a charity that helps orphaned Romanian children re-establish themselves within society.
34. "Daniel is 'shite', Geldof has no talent, says Louis Walsh – National News". Independent.ie. 27 August 2006. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
35. "Strictly Come Dancing contestant Daniel O'Donnell: We profile the Donegal singer". Belfast Telegraph DIGITAL. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
36. "Chris Moyles – Daniel O'Donnell Lyrics". Lyricsmania.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
37. "Daniel O'Donnell wants Corrie role". RTÉ. 2 December 2010. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010.
38. Byrne, John (25 August 2012). "Daniel was catch of the day". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2012. Anyway, Paul's prey was eventually intercepted, the meat was cooked, and Daniel, like a benign cult leader, led the assembled acolytes in a chorus of The Homes of Donegal.
39. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 207.
    • Songs from the Movies and More: "auspOp ARIA watched 118". 12 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    • Hope and Praise: "Chart Watch 320". auspOp. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    • The Hank Williams Songbook: "Chart Watch 340". auspOp. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    • Back Home Again: "ARIA Chart Watch 409". auspOp. 25 February 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    • Daniel: "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 November 2020". The ARIA Report. No. 1600. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 November 2020. p. 6.
40. "Daniel O'Donnell at New Zealand Charts". charts.nz. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
41. "Daniel O'Donnell | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 26 October 2019.
42. "British album certifications – Daniel O'Donnell". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 5 December 2024.Select albums in the Format field. Type Daniel O'Donnell in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
43. "Daniel O'Donnell". The Irish Charts.
44. "Michael Aspel tells the story of the Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell". IMDb. Retrieved 4 June 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Original website
• Daniel O'Donnell at IMDb
• story covering O'Donnell's honorary MBE at the BBC
• Interview with Daniel on ITV Yorkshire, 20 October 2008
• Interview on Loose Women with Daniel and his wife in 2016