Five reasons to love Daniel O'Donnell
O'Donnell made headlines this week after surprising a Cork family by singing over the phone at their mother's funeral.
It seems like everyone is talking about Daniel OâDonnell after he surprised an Innishannon family by singing over the phone at their motherâs funeral this week â just adding to the long list of reasons why the crooner is so beloved.
It wasnât the first act of kindness the Donegal native has carried out for fans, with the singer often reaching out to connect with the public. Between tea parties, video calls, meet and greets and shout-outs, âwee Danielâ has long captured hearts.
Here are just a few of the reasons why he has become a national treasure over the years.
This was what viewers were tweeting after OâDonnell told Ryan Tubridy that he planned to give all the money he made from a gig last year to his crew.
He set up the live stream as a way to make sure they would get an income during the pandemic, doling out the profits between them once expenses were covered.
"I was aware that the band didn't have any work and I just approached them and I said, 'Would you like to come together, the crew and the band, and do a show and we will live stream it and charge for the ticket'...I don't need anything from it.â Dead right Daniel.
OâDonnell was very open about his views on the 2015 marriage equality referendum, telling Ray DâArcy that he didnât see "what a Yes vote [was] going to do against anybody".
Sharing his opinion on the matter might have been a big break from his traditionalist image, but the singer felt the cause was worth talking about.
âI just feel weâre discriminating against a lot of people who feel their lives would be better. I canât see anything on the other side that will be detrimental. All of the people who know what they're talking about are telling us that itâs absolutely no difference who brings up the children, as love as theyâre brought up in a loving environment.âÂ
Many people have shared stories about random acts of kindness that theyâve witnessed when meeting OâDonnell.
One man even rang Radio One to share a story about how when his aunt and uncle were travelling home to Ireland from Seattle following the death of their son, OâDonnell was on the same flight and insisted on swapping seats so the grieving parents could fly first-class.
âMy aunt was crying in the departure lounge and Daniel came over and asked what was the matter. When she told him he stayed with my aunt and uncle comforting them. When they got on the plane he insisted on swapping seats with them so they could fly first-class and made sure they got everything they needed,â the listener said.
Another Twitter user shared a story about how the singer sends a Christmas card every year to their sister and phones her when she has surgeries.
âDaniel has called to our house for years to visit his biggest fan, my sister. Phoned her pre/post surgeries, sends Xmas card every year for 30 years, talks to her during concerts," the Tweet read.
He has also been known to send video messages to fans during the pandemic. One County Down native was âdelightedâ when OâDonnell popped up on her screen last year, after her granddaughter emailed to tell his management about how re-watching his concerts was getting her granny through lockdown.
âShe was only delighted. It was for her 88th birthday so it made it really special,â says Anna Vaughan. âShe was already his biggest fan but even more so now.âÂ
In 2018, OâDonnell received an award and was inducted to the Scandinavian Hall of Fame for his humanitarian work.
Most notably, the singer raised more than âŹ700k for the Romanian Challenge Appeal that year, which helped to build houses for disabled and abandoned children in Romania.
Though it broke many hearts, the world has fallen in love with Majella OâDonnell since she married the star in 2002.
Her memoir, , was a bestseller when it was released and her banter with her husband led to the couple even getting their own show, .
Fans adore her willingness to talk about issues such as her depression and followed her breast cancer journey with a heavy heart in 2013.
The businesswoman has an amazing voice in her own right and has often appeared onstage alongside her husband.
From Cork all the way up the Donegal Shore â the pair continue to be a power team that we just canât get enough of.
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