Margo O’Donnell Opens Up About Losing Her Partner Tony to Cancer — “That Knocked Me Back”
It was a moment of deep vulnerability and courage when Margo O’Donnell, one of Ireland’s most beloved country voices, opened her heart about one of the most painful chapters in her life: the loss of her longtime partner Tony Tracy. Known for her warm spirit, generous nature, and unmistakable Donegal charm, Margo revealed that behind decades of musical success lies a private story shaped by profound love, heartbreaking loss, and the quiet resilience of a woman who learned to survive when life felt impossibly heavy.
Margo and Tony shared nine precious years together, bound not just by affection but by music. Tony, who played lead guitar in her band, was not only her soulmate on stage — he was her companion in life, a steady presence beside her during long tours, long drives, and long days away from home. Their relationship was one built on trust and gentle devotion. But in 1986, everything changed. Tony passed away after a battle with cancer, leaving a void that would follow her for decades.
“That knocked me back,” Margo confessed, her voice carrying the softness of a wound that time has healed, but never erased. “Tony and I eventually would have got it together. But it didn’t happen.”
The loss was devastating — a turning point from which her life would never be the same. While she continued to perform and bring joy to fans across Ireland, the UK, and beyond, her private world shifted. Margo found herself retreating inward, choosing a quieter path marked by reflection and a determination simply to keep going.
“To be honest with you, after that, I just decided I’m going to live,” she said gently. “I did go out with people, but I was always scared. I was never a person that was full of confidence. I lack confidence. Even to this day. I always had anxiety when I was younger. I was always afraid of failure.”
These words revealed a rarely seen side of Margo — a woman whose bravery does not come from the stage lights but from her willingness to admit her fears. For all her fame, she never felt fully secure in the spotlight. Yet she kept standing, kept singing, kept showing up for the people who loved her.
Before she ever stepped into a studio or onto a stage, Margo had imagined a very different future. “You see, I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to get married and settle down and have a couple of children,” she said wistfully. Life, however, had other plans. Instead of healing in a hospital, she healed people through her music — offering comfort in melody, reassurance in lyrics, and hope in every performance.
In a touching and unexpected detail, Margo shared a moment that brought the past rushing back to her. “It’s strange that you should come today,” she said, “because my first love phoned me yesterday. I saw the missed call. So I called him. We love each other. We grew up together. He is married and his wife is beautiful, and he has two great kids. Then, of course, I fooled myself in a couple of other relationships… because nobody else ever came close.”
Her words carried the honesty of a woman who has loved fully and remembers every chapter — even the painful ones — with tenderness.
Heartbreak touched her more than once. Margo also endured the passing of her mother, Julia, in May 2014 at nearly 95 years old. Losing her mother was another profound loss. “People say it’s terrible when somebody dies young, but I feel the longer you have them, the worse it is,” she said. “She was always there in the corner. She always guided us.”
Faith, however, remains her anchor. “I say to her, ‘Help me through this day.’ Daniel would be the same. My dad always helped me too. My father was extremely spiritual.” In her home, she keeps their wedding photograph and a cherished birthday letter from her father — one of his final messages to her. It ends with the words that still guide her through life:
“My dear Margaret, may God bless you. Mind yourself. Say your prayers and be a good girl.”
Through grief and grace, fear and courage, Margo O’Donnell continues to live with honesty, humility, and a heart that, despite its scars, still believes in the beauty of love — and in the healing power of a song.