Daniel O’Donnell to Take Extended Break from Touring Due to Health Challenges
DONEGAL — Daniel O’Donnell, the beloved Irish singer whose gentle voice and enduring stage presence have made him a household name across Ireland, the UK, and beyond, has announced that he will take an extended break from touring beginning in late 2025 due to ongoing health challenges.
The Donegal native, now 63, confirmed the decision through a spokesperson, who described it as a “difficult but necessary” step after years of extensive performing. O’Donnell will honor all of his scheduled commitments through December 2025 before stepping back to focus on his well-being.
“After much reflection, Daniel has decided to take an extended break from touring,” the statement read. “This decision was not made lightly, but it is driven by the health challenges he has faced over the past few years, particularly with allergies and recurrent chest infections while touring extensively. Daniel will continue his touring commitments until December 2025, but he has realized that he needs to step back and focus on his health and well-being. This pause is essential for him to recharge and recover. He emphasizes that this is not a retirement but rather a temporary break.”
Fans, many of whom have followed O’Donnell for decades, were reassured that the singer still has a handful of special appearances planned. He will return to host his annual Opry le Daniel television show on TG4 in early 2026 and has also committed to performing aboard Gertrude Byrne’s Mediterranean Cruise in September 2026. These, however, remain the only confirmed engagements on his calendar following the conclusion of his 2025 tour.
The announcement marks the third time in O’Donnell’s career that he has stepped back from performing. In 2014, he temporarily withdrew from touring to support his wife, Majella, during her successful treatment for breast cancer. Two years earlier, in 2012, he had scaled back his schedule after celebrating three decades in the music industry, citing the need for balance after years of near-constant travel.
For O’Donnell, who has sold more than 15 million records and cultivated a loyal international fan base, health and family have always remained priorities alongside his career. Known for his teetotal lifestyle and steady demeanor, he has often credited his discipline and faith with sustaining him in an industry that demands constant performance. Still, he has been candid about the challenges of touring, particularly the physical toll it takes.
“Allergies and chest infections are things many people deal with, but when you are singing night after night, they become more difficult to manage,” he explained in a recent interview. “This is not about ill health or retirement — it is simply about recognizing when you need to stop and take care of yourself.”
O’Donnell’s decision has drawn sympathy from fans and industry colleagues alike, many of whom expressed gratitude for his decades of dedication and understanding of his need for rest. The announcement also comes at a time when O’Donnell continues to reflect on his career’s longevity, having achieved the rare distinction of placing an album in the UK Top 40 for 35 consecutive years.
Despite the break, O’Donnell shows no sign of stepping away from music altogether. “I don’t think I’ll always tour, but I hope I’ll always sing,” he has often said. For his fans, that reassurance suggests that while the stages may fall silent for a time, the voice that has been a soundtrack to so many lives will continue to find its way into the world.
As he prepares to wind down his commitments through 2025, O’Donnell’s focus is clear: rest, recovery, and ensuring that when he does return, it will be with the same warmth, humility, and joy that have defined his career for more than four decades.