Daniel O’Donnell broke records in 2022 by making the top 40 for 35 years straight – but the Kincasslagh crooner is far from done yet.
With 15 million in album sales under his belt, he’s revealed a duet with Westlife is top of his wish list for 2023.
Embracing his 60s, he’s showing no signs of slowing down with his 14-track collection I Wish You Well smashing records and his Halloween spoof video Night Of The Daniels going viral.
READ MORE: Ireland weather: Snow to kick off 2023 as Met Eireann forecast brief wintry blast
Just returned from a tour in Missouri and a cruise to Barbados with his wife of 20 years Majella, he told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I wouldn’t mind dueting with Westlife at all but sure them young lads now, would they be wanting an auld fella like me?
“I’m open to things like that. I’ve dueted with lots of the young country singers, doing bits and pieces with them.
“I love Flying Without Wings – it was our song [with Majella] when we first met, it was on, we used to sing it in the bars in Tenerife, we love it.”
There are many highlights for Daniel in a career spanning four decades and he prides himself on his connection with his legions of loyal fans.
Recalling his early years he revealed: “I’ll never forget 1984 or 1985 going to Wembley Market to sign the first albums on a market stall.
“I can’t remember who would have even put me up for that. I remember sitting there on a seat signing them for anyone who might pass by to buy one.
“If you think nearly 40 years later and where we’ve come, I’ve been very lucky. I never ever take it for granted.
“I must have believed in what I was doing, I suppose you have to have self belief.
“But I never thought I’ll play in the Royal Albert Hall or the Palladium or Carnegie Hall.
“But I was open to whatever was coming, I had good people around me, good management, good musicians.”
Daniel reckons his teetotal lifestyle helped keep him away from the “late night situation” in the music industry.
He added: “It never appealed to me – it didn’t do anything for me if I took a drink, so I thought why would you bother.
“I was still the same with or without it.”
The Night Of The Daniels video he describes as “great fun” – with TikTok bringing a new generation of followers.
He said: “I don’t know if [me being on TikTok] would make the youngsters come to the shows.
“But I did hear recently about some young ones planning to come because of it, but who knows. If you’re not in you won’t win.”
Daniel and Majella bought each other the Barbados cruise for Christmas – quality time spent together they treasure after her battle with cancer.
He revealed: “When it comes to experiences, we’d rather do it than say we wish we did it.
“We’re very lucky that we get to go on cruises, we’re very appreciative of that. Things aren’t easy for lots of people now but we’re so blessed that we can.”
Self care for Daniel involves a round of golf and a game of bridge – “I find it calms the mind down” – which he’d choose any day over watching TV.
But he was beyond proud of Majella when she spoke openly about her depression on RTE’s Keys To My Life. He revealed: “She has certain things she does to look after herself. The important thing is if you don’t feel like going somewhere, even at the last minute or doing something, she just doesn’t do it.
“If we’re going somewhere and Majella thinks I don’t want to go, she does not go, I just go on my own and we make no apologies for it.
“A lot of times, you do things for other people. I can do that, because it takes nothing out of me, but when you’re not well, if you don’t feel mentally well you don’t do it.
“You just have to look after yourself in that situation.
“I say that to anybody who has that in their lives, that has depression, you need to look after yourself first and foremost.”
Asked if he found it hard at the beginning to understand it he replied: “I suppose you do, but we have great times, it doesn’t impact.
“I’m talking about it because you’re asking me about it, but we don’t think about it on a daily basis.”
Daniel now holds the record for having an album in the UK top 40 for 35 consecutive years – and he refuses to set a date for hanging up his mic.
He revealed: “I don’t have a date or a year in my head [for retirement].
“What I say is I don’t think I’ll always tour, but I hope I’ll always sing.”
One thing he’s grateful for is his Donegal home renovated by TV architect Dermot Bannon on one of the most infamous episodes of RTE’s Room To Improve ever.
Daniel revealed: “Every so often we’re in touch with him.
“Listen, Dermot did a great job, we still absolutely love the house.
“I’m sitting here, it’s like a showhouse, it’s not as tidy now as it was on the television, but you know the expanse of it.
“I’m sitting here in the sitting room, looking through to the kitchen, stairs and fireplace and it’s just beautiful.” Asked about his faith he added: “If things are going wrong I find if you have that [faith] it gives you strength.
"There are other people who get through life without it but I feel lucky that I have it. I was brought up Catholic and I’ve stuck with that."
He added: “I pray not just at night, it depends on what’s going on. It’s amazing the things that happen, little things that happen you can take them as coincidences, miracles or signs or whatever you want to put on them.
“It depends on how you accept them.”
READ NEXT :
Grieving family of murder victim reveal torment of keeping killer behind bars
Irishman proposes to girlfriend on Kilimanjaro 'with no plan B if she said no'
Celebrities attend wedding of Shay Given's sister and Dublin publican in Clare
UK crime agency declares caging of Kinahan lieutenant a major 2022 success
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
