Donegal crooner Daniel O’Donnell has said climbing Croagh Patrick with Charlie Bird as part of a major fundraising campaign was “quite amazing”.
The country singer was among thousands of people who climbed the Mayo mountain alongside Bird, who is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease.
Daniel opened up about the climb, saying he was never part of anything that united the country like Climb With Charlie did.
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He said: “The whole experience with Charlie was incredible. I don’t know if I have been involved in anything that has united the country like Charlie’s climb.
“It was quite amazing that I was getting messages from people at home, saying ‘oh we’re climbing Errigal’ and there were people climbing mountains in Wicklow and Tipperary – everywhere,” he told Ray D’Arcy on his RTE Radio One show.
Daniel said he remembers standing at the bottom of Croagh Patrick and seeing all the people walking, which he described as “amazing”.
“Then when we eventually arrived at the top when Charlie got up to the top, it was unbelievable the feeling that was there. The atmosphere and he obviously addressed people.
“We sang a few songs, then Vicky Phelan out of the blue came on the phone. There were friends of hers there and we were able to put her on loudspeaker. It was just a moment in time.
“I’m sure other people felt the same.”
He said both Charlie and Vicky have had “terrible diagnosis” but they are still able “to do such positive things”.
He added it was an “honour” for him to be part of the day.
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