18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Daniel O'Donnell reassures fans he'll return after break
'I haven't made this decision because of ill-health or anything, it's because I just feel that the continuous touring is not suiting me now and I need to figure out what to do'
It follows Daniel's announcement this week that while he has no plans to retire, the performer is taking an extended break from touring when he completes his current 2025 schedule in December.
He said in a statement this week that the decision was not made lightly. It's driven by the health challenges he has faced over the past few years, 'particularly with allergies and recurrent chest infections while touring extensively.'
He also emphasised that 'this is not a retirement but rather a temporary break.'
Daniel has told fans that he's 'absolutely fine'
News in 90 Seconds - May 18th
Daniel, who is currently on tour – he plays Killarney's INEC in August and has performed a string of nightly shows in the last couple of weeks - yesterday told the Sunday World: 'I've been fine doing the recent shows and I intend to complete all the shows that are currently booked up to the end of this year.
'I'm looking forward to them, but I just felt that I needed to take a break and recharge my batteries after this year.
Daniel on Strictly with Kristina Rihanoff
'Because we're doing shows for the rest of 2025 in Ireland, the UK and America, I decided to make the announcement now so that if people want to get out to see a show before I take the break they are getting enough notice.
'For the past number of years I've had frequent chest issues, which wouldn't have bothered me if I wasn't singing.
'Loads of people have what I have and it doesn't bother them one bit.
'I function absolutely perfectly with the issues as well and I'm otherwise in perfect health.
'But because I'm singing it's more difficult with those problems.
'I haven't made this decision because of ill-health or anything, it's because I just feel that the continuous touring is not suiting me now and I need to figure out what to do.'
Daniel, a native of Kincasslagh, Co Donegal, has had an incredible career going back to the 1980s when he became a sensation on the Irish country music scene.
As he achieved global success, Daniel performed everywhere from London's Royal Albert Hall to Australia's Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as an annual residency in Branson, Missouri, as a top attraction.
He's had hit TV shows, including the award-winning B&B Road Trip with Majella, and was a contestant on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.
Daniel even received an MBE, awarded by the late Queen Elizabeth in her 2001 New Year's Honours list and presented to him by the then Prince Charles, for his contribution to the music industry and his charity work.
Now in his 60s, Daniel cut back on touring in recent years, but yesterday he told how lots of shows and appearances still eat into his time off.
Daniel performs on stage
'Even though I have cut back on my performances and tours in recent years, I never really get a long enough break as there's always the odd thing here and there, for a charity or whatever, that I do during my official time off,' Daniel tells me.
'So I'm never really off and that's something I now need to change for the foreseeable future.
'I really need a good break.'
However, as one of Ireland's best-loved entertainers, fans will be happy to learn that he has no plans to retire from the stage anytime soon.
'People are asking me all the time, 'Are you ever going to retire?' I would say, 'Well I'm going to slow down'…and I did slow down, but just not enough.
'I started two weeks ago on this tour and this is the 11th show today and that's too much. I find that performing night after night after night is not suiting me now.
'After this year I'll figure out what works best for me doing the shows. But I'm certainly not retiring,' he adds.
