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Join the beloved balladeer for a heartwarming concert, “DANIEL O’DONNELL FROM CASTLEBAR, IRELAND” – March 7 at 11 p.m.

Posted on: Friday, March 1, 2024

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DANIEL O’DONNELL FROM CASTLEBAR, IRELAND

Saturday February 24, 2024 at 6:30 pm

The Beloved Irish Balladeer Delivers a Heartwarming Concert, Performing Easy-Listening and Inspirational Renditions of  His Most Treasured Songs

 

Daniel O’Donnell, one of Ireland’s most popular folk singers of all time, returns to the public television stage this spring in a new concert special. The performance, filmed at the T.F. Royal Theatre in Castlebar, Ireland, offers an Irish-country rendering of easy-listening tunes and inspirational favorites.

O’Donnell hails from humble beginnings. His unstoppable ambition, positivity and determination fueled his global success. He has made a household name for himself in Ireland, Britain and the US over the past 20 years through numerous PBS television specials, starting with his first program in 2002. Counting this new collaboration, PBS has produced 17 specials with O’Donnell.

The winsome O’Donnell connects with his audience and knows how to work a crowd. His genuineness, self-deprecating demeanor and engaging presence have captivated audiences for decades. He considers his far-reaching popularity stems from his longstanding relationship with public television.

“It’s great to be back on PBS again,” he said. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since that first special. I couldn’t have imagined I would have my own shows on public television, playing in homes across the US — it’s a dream come true. From the very beginning, the PBS family made me feel at home and I’m so grateful to them and to those who have continued to support me.”

DANIEL O’DONNELL FROM CASTLEBAR, IRELAND includes a montage of songs that O’Donnell feels emotionally connected to and others that pay tribute to his Emerald-Isle roots, such as “Heaven Around Galway Bay” and “The Boys from Killybegs.” Additional songs include inspirational tracks “Far Side Banks of Jordan,” “Open Up Them Pearly Gates” and “Praying,” along with some of his personal favorites like the Hank Williams classic “Hey Good Lookin’” and Merle Haggard’s “My Favorite Memory.” New to his repertoire is a rendition of the Ed Sheeran chart-topping hit, “Perfect.”

O’Donnell’s unique mix of Irish traditional, folk and country renditions, along with his buoyant and authentic personality, has won over loyal listeners around the globe. He has sold more than 15 million records, with more than 20 albums ranked in the US Billboard Top 20. The Donegal-based crooner is also one of the most prolific and successful recording artists on the UK charts and is the only artist in the world to score a hit in the UK album charts every year since 1988.

“Over the years the only criteria I have for selecting songs to sing is that I love them,” O’Donnell said. “But each one I choose to sing has a memory for me.”

In celebration of his milestone 60th birthday, O’Donnell returned to the studio in 2021 with legendary producer Nigel Wright who co-produced the recordings of many of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals, including the film versions of Evita, starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas.

A sampling of songs from the 60 album includes “Happy to Be on an Island in the Sun,” “Down at the La de Dah,” and the international hit by the Bellamy Brothers, “Let Your Love Flow,” which is also performed in Daniel’s new PBS special.

Daniel delighted fans in November 2022 with the release of his studio album of original material titled I Wish You Well.  The release entered the UK Albums Chart at #16, the fifth highest new entry in a week of stiff competition from artists Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, Arctic Monkeys, among others, and gave Daniel his 35th consecutive year that he has had an album in the UK Top 40 Charts.

A few of O’Donnell’s favorites from the I Wish You Well compilation includes “Pillow Talk,” “Under a Spell of Lovin’ You” and the title track, “I Wish You Well,” a sentimental, self-effacing love letter that is bound to tug at the heartstrings.