Daniel O'Donnell

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 the US[4] and Australia.[5] In 2012, he became the first artist to have a different album in the British charts every year for 25 consecutive years.[6]

Daniel O'Donnell
O'Donnell in concert
Background information
Birth nameDaniel Francis Noel O'Donnell
Also known as"Wee Daniel"[1]
Born (1961-12-12) 12 December 1961
Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Ireland
GenresCountry, easy listening, country and western, Irish folk, Rock and Roll
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter,
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1980–present
Associated actsMajella O'Donnell, Margo, Mary Duff
Websitewww.danielodonnell.org

Known for his close relationship with his fanbase, and his charismatic[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 as 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 songstress 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 loyalists paramilitary 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.

2000–present

In 2002, he was awarded an Honorary (because of his Irish citizenship) MBE for his services to the music industry. 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. [18] He was afforded an RTÉ Christmas Day special, Daniel at 50, in 2011 to mark his 50th birthday.[19]

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.[20]

In Autumn 2015, he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing.[21][22] 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.[23]

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,[24] whom he met on holiday in Tenerife three years previously. McLennan received an annulment of her previous marriage,[25] by which she had two children (Siobhan and Michael). The couple live in Meenbanad, County Donegal, and spend time at their second home in Tenerife.[26] Daniel is proficient in Irish and presented a show in that language for the broadcaster TG4.[27]

O'Donnell's home in Meenbanad, County Donegal

O'Donnell also has two step-grandchildren - a step-granddaughter, Olivia, and a step-grandson, Archie, who are his wife's grandchildren.[28]

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.[29]

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.[30] 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".[31] DJ Chris Moyles has parodied O'Donnell on numerous occasions.[32]

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.[33]

He appeared on Martin and Paul's Surf 'n' Turf.[34]

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
  • 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

Discography

Daniel O'Donnell albums
Year Album Peak chart position Certifications
(sales thresholds)
AUS
[35]
UK
[36]
1985 The Boy from Donegal
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: Ritz
1988 From the Heart
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Telstar
56
1989 Thoughts of Home
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Telstar
43
1990 Favourites
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Ritz
61
1990 The Last Waltz
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Ritz
53
1991 The Very Best of Daniel O'Donnell
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Ritz
34
1992 Follow Your Dream
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Ritz
17
1993 A Date with Daniel Live
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Ritz
21
1994 Especially for You
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Ritz
14
1994 Christmas with Daniel
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Ritz
34
1995 The Classic Collection
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Ritz
34
1996 Timeless
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Ritz
13
1996 The Irish Collection
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Ritz
35
1996 Songs of Inspiration
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Ritz
11
1997 I Believe
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Ritz
11
1998 Love Songs
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Ritz
36 9
1999 Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Ritz
97 10
2000 Faith and Inspiration
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Ritz
4
2001 Live, Laugh, Love
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Rosette
27
2002 Yesterday's Memories
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Rosette
19
2003 Daniel in Blue Jeans
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: DMG
3
2003 At the End of the Day
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Rosette
11
2004 The Jukebox Years
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Rosette
36 3
2004 Welcome to My World
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Rosette
87 6
2005 Teenage Dreams
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Rosette
87 10
2006 From Daniel with Love
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Rosette
32 5
2006 Until the Next Time
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Rosette
48 10
2007 Together Again
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Rosette
66 6
2008 Country Boy
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Rosette
64 6
2009 Peace in the Valley
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: DMG TV
8
2010 O' Holy Night
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: DMG TV
21
2011 Moon Over Ireland
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: DMG TV
9
2011 The Ultimate Collection
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: DMG TV
7
2012 Songs from the Movies and More
  • Released: 2012
  • Label: DMG TV
60 7
2013 A Picture of You
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: DMG TV
16
2014 Stand Beside Me – Live in Concert
  • Released: 2014
  • Label: DMG TV
21
2015 Hope and Praise
  • Released: May 2015
  • Label:
82
2015 The Hank Williams Songbook
  • Released: October 2015
  • Label: DMG TV
51 5
2016 The Best of Music and Memories
  • Released: 2016
  • Label: DMG TV
15
2016 I Have a Dream
  • Released: 2016
  • Label: DMG TV
12
2017 Back Home Again
  • Released: February 2017
  • Label: DMG TV
72 14
2017 Christmas with Daniel
  • Released: November 2017
  • Label: DMG TV
19
2018 Walkin' in the Moonlight
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: DMG TV
23
2019 The Gold Collection
  • Released: 2019
  • Label: Crimson
23
2019 Halfway to Paradise
  • Released: 2019
  • Label: Crimson
8
2019 The Gold Collection
  • Released: 2019
  • Label: Crimson
23
2020 Songs To Bang To
  • Released: 2020
  • Label: Records DK
2020 Daniel
  • Released: 16 October 2020
  • Label: DMG TV
84 3

See also

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 Tickets & 2011 Concert Tour Dates". Getmein.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  5. "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.
  6. "Daniel O'Donnell secures unique UK charts record". Highland Radio. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  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. "O'Donnell made honorary MBE". BBC News. 31 December 2001.
  19. "RTÉ choose Daniel for Christmas Day evening special". Donegal Daily. 24 December 2011.
  20. "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.
  21. Steve Wright in the Afternoon, BBC Radio 2, 20 August 2015
  22. "Daniel hopes his sharp tongue won't be his undoing on Strictly Come Dancing". evoke.ie. 23 August 2015.
  23. "Daniel and Majella's B&B Road Trip travels to RTÉ". RTÉ. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
  24. "PLAYING MY SONG; Majella Makes Her Album Move". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  25. "Unofficial Daniel O'Donnell website". Danielodonnell.org.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  26. "Daniel O'Donnell ties the knot". BBC News. 4 November 2002.
  27. "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.
  28. "First family photo of Majella and Daniel O'Donnell with grandchild Olivia". Irish Independent. 7 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  29. The Romanian Challenge Appeal, a charity that helps orphaned Romanian children re-establish themselves within society.
  30. "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.
  31. "Strictly Come Dancing contestant Daniel O'Donnell: We profile the Donegal singer". Belfast Telegraph DIGITAL. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  32. "Chris Moyles – Daniel O'Donnell Lyrics". Lyricsmania.com. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  33. "Daniel O'Donnell wants Corrie role". RTÉ. 2 December 2010. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010.
  34. 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.
  35. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  36. "Daniel O'Donnell | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  37. "British album certifications – Daniel O'Donnell". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 November 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Type Daniel O'Donnell in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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