During a somber lockdown funeral in West Cork, Daniel O’Donnell brought a surprising and uplifting moment to mourners grieving the loss of Margaret McCarthy, a lifelong fan of the Donegal country singer. Margaret, who passed away in Marymount Hospice, Cork, was remembered fondly by her family for her deep affection for Daniel’s music. She was so devoted to his work that her husband, Jimmy, and their family often joked that there were “three people in the marriage,” with Margaret being as passionate about Daniel’s concerts, calendars, and albums as she was about her own family.
Margaret’s passing was felt deeply by her loved ones, but they had no idea that Daniel would play such an important role in her funeral. Her daughter Ann Phayer reached out to Daniel’s team, hoping to receive a simple condolence message. What she didn’t expect was for Daniel to go above and beyond. After seeing his tribute posted on RIP.ie, Daniel personally reached out to Ann’s sister, Catherine, to offer condolences. He spoke warmly of Margaret, recalling her great smile and expressing his sadness at her passing.
On the day of the funeral, the family had planned to play Daniel’s song, “Beyond the Rainbow’s End,” at the graveside, a poignant ballad about death. However, Daniel took it a step further. Watching the live stream of the mass, he rang the family’s undertaker, Robert Gabriel, and made a surprise call to the graveside. Ann said that when they heard Daniel on the phone, it lifted everyone’s spirits. What was a deeply emotional and somber moment turned into one of joy and warmth.
“I had said to my brothers to make sure we had this Daniel song on at the graveside. It is a very poignant song about dying. Then Daniel rang, and it was fabulous. We were all shocked,” Ann said. “It lightened the moment and made it so much more uplifting.” After singing, Daniel also took a moment to speak with Jimmy, Margaret’s husband, who was touched by the call. Jimmy had been particularly moved by Daniel’s personal gesture and even found it difficult to believe that the singer had gone to such lengths to connect with the family during such a difficult time.
Margaret’s children and grandchildren, as well as the community, were forever grateful for Daniel’s kindness. Margaret had always been a bubbly and fun-loving woman, full of life and laughter, and she adored Daniel’s music from the beginning of his career. Ann shared that her mother would have been overjoyed by Daniel’s phone call and would likely have “nearly fainted” from excitement.
This unexpected, heartfelt gesture by Daniel O’Donnell meant the world to the McCarthy family. In a time when restrictions and sadness marked so many funerals, Daniel’s surprise performance was a reminder of the power of music, kindness, and community, even in the most difficult times. It was an act of compassion that will be remembered for years to come.