Margo O’Donnell, beloved Irish country music star, has revealed that none other than her longtime friend Dolly Parton was among the first to congratulate her following her induction into the Irish Country Music Hall of Fame—a moment that marked a career-defining high for the Donegal singer.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday World, Margo shared that Dolly’s message brought joy and laughter. “Dolly was very funny about Daniel and myself both getting that honour,” Margo recalled with a smile. “She said, ‘Didn’t happen in our family. None of them got it—only me!’ She was delighted for me.”
The pair’s friendship stretches back to the 1990s, when Margo traveled to America and recorded in Dolly’s famed basement studio, alongside members of Parton’s own family. “We’d order pizzas at two in the morning and eat them right there in the studio,” Margo reminisced. “I duetted with Dolly and she was just wonderful.”
Margo, now 71, became visibly emotional during the Hall of Fame induction—held live on The Late Late Show—when her brother, Daniel O’Donnell, presented the honor.
“The last thing I wanted to do was break down,” she admitted. “But when Daniel leaned in and whispered, ‘You’re doing great,’ it was like hearing our father. His voice, his side profile… for a moment, it was as if Dad was right there. I adored him.”
Their father, Francie O’Donnell, passed away suddenly at age 49, a loss that still resonates deeply with Margo.
As only the fourth person to be inducted into the Irish Country Music Hall of Fame—following Big Tom, Philomena Begley, and her brother Daniel—Margo says the moment was made all the more special by the family connection.
“It’s such an honour. Our Grand Ole Opry,” she said. “And for Daniel to be the one to present it to me, that’s what really broke me. I thought of Mam and Dad, and of Kathleen.”
Margo’s beloved sister Kathleen passed away recently, and the singer shared an extraordinary story of how her presence was still felt after the funeral. As she returned home, her phone unexpectedly began playing a video of Petula Clark singing “Sailor”—Kathleen’s favourite and only performance song. The eerie moment occurred again during The Late Late Show, with a different version of the same song mysteriously playing from her phone.
“I have a very strong faith,” Margo explained. “And I believe the dead don’t leave us. I felt Kathleen was around.”
Despite this emotional high point in her career, Margo announced that she is stepping away from full-time touring. While she is not officially retiring, she plans to perform just two shows a year—one in Killarney and one in Letterkenny—“as long as I’m above the clay,” she joked warmly.