For decades, Daniel O’Donnell has been a beloved figure in the world of Irish and country music — known for his warm voice, gentle spirit, and unwavering devotion to family and faith. But behind the soft-spoken charm was a man carrying a deep, quiet grief that he rarely spoke of publicly.
That changed this week, when Daniel, now 62, sat down for a rare and emotional interview — and finally opened up about the woman who shaped his soul: his late mother, Julia O’Donnell.
“I talk about her all the time,” Daniel began softly. “But there are things I’ve never said out loud… until now.”
Julia, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 94, was more than just Daniel’s mother. She was his first teacher, his greatest supporter, and the quiet strength behind every step of his journey. Raised in a modest home in Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Daniel recalls a childhood filled with music, prayer, and the constant presence of his mother’s unwavering love.
“She didn’t have much,” he said, holding back tears. “But she gave us everything.”
In the interview, Daniel revealed that Julia was the reason he first believed in his own voice. Long before sold-out tours and gold records, there were small kitchen concerts — just Daniel, his mother, and a battered old cassette recorder.
“She’d say, ‘Sing that one again, Daniel,’ and she’d close her eyes like she was listening to the radio. I thought if she believed in me… maybe the world would too.”
But what moved fans most was Daniel’s revelation about his final moments with his mother. He shared that, during her last days, he would sit at her bedside and sing her favorite hymns — sometimes through tears, sometimes barely able to speak.
“There was one night I sang ‘Our Lady of Knock’ to her,” he recalled. “She couldn’t speak anymore, but a tear rolled down her cheek. I knew she heard me.”
Daniel admitted that for years after her passing, he couldn’t bring himself to perform that song. It carried too much. But recently, during a quiet moment backstage, he sang it again — this time with peace.
“I felt her there. Not in a sad way, but in a warm way — like she was telling me to keep singing.”
Fans flooded social media with messages of love, many sharing how Julia’s quiet presence had always been felt through Daniel’s music. “Now we understand the depth behind every note,” one fan wrote. “It wasn’t just a performance. It was a tribute.”
In the end, Daniel said, his music will always carry her with him.
“Every time I walk on stage, I walk with her. She’s not just part of my past — she’s part of every song I’ll ever sing.”
And through his voice,
Julia O’Donnell’s love still echoes — soft, strong, and eternal.