What is Daniel O'Donnell's Net Worth?
Daniel O'Donnell is an Irish singer and television personality who has a net worth of $20 million. Daniel O'Donnell rose to local fame in the 1980s. Known for his blend of country and Irish folk music, his albums include "From the Heart," "Follow Your Dream," "Faith and Inspiration," "Daniel in Blue Jeans," and "Songs from the Movies and More." O'Donnell is considered a cultural icon in his native Ireland, where he is affectionately nicknamed "Wee Daniel."
Early Life
Daniel O'Donnell was born on December 12, 1961 in Cionn Caslach, County Donegal, Ireland as the youngest child of Roman Catholic parents Julia and Francis. His siblings are John, Margaret, Kathleen, and James. When O'Donnell was six years old, his father died from a heart attack. Growing up, he showed an affinity for music and performed in the local religious choir. In 1980, O'Donnell moved to Galway to study business, but he soon left to join his sister's band.
Music Career
In early 1983, O'Donnell recorded his first single as a solo artist, a cover of Johnny McCauley's "My Donegal Shore." Later in the year, he formed the group Country Fever. After that group disbanded, O'Donnell formed another band called the Grassroots. In 1984, O'Donnell released his debut solo album, "The Boy from Donegal." The following year, he signed with Ritz Records and released the album "Two Sides of Daniel O'Donnell." It was at this time that he began being managed by Sean Reilly, who has remained his manager ever since. O'Donnell went on to release the albums "I Need You" and "Don't Forget to Remember." In 1988, he had his first charting album in the UK with "From the Heart," which reached number 56 and was certified Gold by the BPI. O'Donnell's subsequent album, 1989's "Thoughts of Home," charted at number 43. In the early 1990s, he released "The Last Waltz" and "Follow Your Dream," the latter of which reached number 17 in the UK. During this time, O'Donnell began selling out concerts in England. By the mid-90s, he had become a household name in Ireland and the UK, and was appearing on popular television programs in both countries. O'Donnell continued releasing successful albums over the remainder of the decade, including "Especially for You," "Timeless," "Songs of Inspiration," "I Believe," and "Love Songs."
O'Donnell's first album release of the new millennium was "Faith and Inspiration," which made it to number four on the UK Albums Chart. His next album, 2001's "Live, Laugh, Love," peaked at number 27. That was followed in 2002 by "Yesterday's Memories," which made it to number 19. O'Donnell had his highest-charting album yet in 2003 with "Daniel in Blue Jeans," which reached number three in the UK. The same year, he released "At the End of the Day." O'Donnell's subsequent studio albums were "The Jukebox Years – 20 More Blue Jeans Classics," "Welcome to My World," "Teenage Dreams," and "Until the Next Time." In late 2007, he had a big hit with "Together Again," his second collaborative album with singer Mary Duff. O'Donnell continued his success with the albums "Country Boy," "Peace in the Valley," "O' Holy Night," "Moon Over Ireland," and "Songs from the Movies and More." In 2015, he released the album "The Hank Williams Songbook," which debuted at number five on the UK Albums Chart. This made O'Donnell the first artist ever to have charted a new album in the UK for 28 consecutive years. He has since extended that record with his subsequent albums, which have included "I Have a Dream: Classic Songs from the Seventies," "Christmas with Daniel," "Halfway to Paradise," "Daniel," "60," and "How Lucky I Must Be."
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Television Appearances
Among his many notable television appearances, O'Donnell competed on the British dance competition show "Strictly Come Dancing" in 2015. He was eliminated in the fourth week of the season. Also in 2015, O'Donnell and his wife Majella began starring on their own show, "Daniel and Majella's B&B Road Trip." After originally airing on UTV, it moved to RTÉ in 2016.
Philanthropy
O'Donnell has been active in philanthropy, most notably in Romania. There, he supports the Romanian Challenge Appeal, a charity that assists orphaned Romanian children.
Honors and Awards
Since his rise to fame in the 1980s, O'Donnell has won numerous honors and awards for his career in the music industry. Between 1988 and 1992, he was named the RTÉ Guide's Favorite Country Artist of the Year five times. During that time, O'Donnell was also named IRMA Entertainer of the Year three times. He has also won three British Country Music Awards for International Artist of the Year. In 2002, O'Donnell was named an Honorary MBE for his services to the music industry. Among his other honors, he received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Irish Post and the Sunday World.
Personal Life
In late 2002, O'Donnell married divorcée Majella McLennan, whom he had first met while on vacation in Tenerife three years earlier. From his wife's previous marriage, he has two stepchildren named Siobhan and Michael. O'Donnell and McLennan split their time living in Meenbanad, County Donegal and Tenerife.
