Daniel O’Donnell on Surprise Vow Renewal with Majella and the Joy of Family Milestones: “You Have to Dance to Their Tune”
After two decades of marriage, Daniel O’Donnell still knows how to surprise his wife Majella—and last year, he did just that with a secret vow renewal ceremony that left her speechless.
The beloved country music icon revealed that Majella had no idea what was planned until the day itself, when a small circle of family gathered in their Donegal home to celebrate 20 years of marriage.
“We had a lovely time,” Daniel told RSVP Country. “It was quite a ceremony, really—Fr. Martin came, we had a couple of close friends, Siobhán and her husband Gavin, Michael and Sarah, and of course, the grandchildren: Olivia, Archie, and little Luca.”
The celebration was intimate, heartfelt. “We read some lovely pieces,” he added. “It was just us around the table for dinner. Majella didn’t know about it until that morning. We actually did something similar on our 10th anniversary too—it’s become a kind of tradition.”
But alongside moments of joy, the family has also been walking through grief. Majella recently lost her mother, and Daniel says her family is still adjusting to the absence.
“She was 86, had dementia, and didn’t have a long illness,” he said gently, “but that doesn’t take away the pain. They’re trying to accept that she’s gone. It’s never easy, even when you think you’re prepared.”
While Majella recently appeared on RTÉ’s Keys to My Life, Daniel isn’t rushing to follow suit.
“I haven’t moved around much,” he laughed. “I was in Donegal, then Dublin, then back to Donegal. I never emigrated. I don’t have a long list of places to revisit.”
Looking ahead, joy is returning to the family in the form of a wedding—Majella’s son, Michael, is tying the knot in Italy this July.
“We’re all really looking forward to it,” Daniel said with a smile. “Will I sing at the reception? I don’t know yet… we’ll see. We haven’t gotten that far with the plans.”
One thing he’s sure of? The love he has for his three grandchildren.
“They’re great craic,” he beamed. “We talk every day. They’re full of their own business, and you just have to dance to their tune.”
Olivia is now eight, Archie nearly six, and Luca just two—but in their granddad’s eyes, they’re already stars of their own little show.
“They bring us so much joy. Every day with them is a blessing.”