Daniel O’Donnell has told how he’s helping keep the local nursing home folk spirits up with free outdoor concerts.
The crooner is locked down in Donegal with his wife Majella and wanted to give back to the community.
Daniel, 58, said: “A few weeks ago I was here and said to Majella, you know I think if I got a wee speaker we’ll go up to the local hospital in Dungloe, that has a number of residents who are there all the time.
“I called the reception and they said come up surely, so I got a speaker from Sean McGlynn who’s the undertaker.
“He has it for the funerals, because I had nothing myself, but then the speaker broke down in the middle.
“So I ordered one online, yesterday I went up again, they have an enclosed garden in the middle of the rooms, we had a sing song.”
The word got out that Daniel was doing impromptu gigs: “Then I went to Gweedore they’ve another home there and I sang outside there.”
After that a few women from a local housing estate requested a sing-song and Daniel was happy to oblige.
He explained: “Sure it passes the time for me, takes nothing out of me and gives a wee bit of a change of atmosphere to those people who are in the hospitals and various places.”
The legendary singer has just released a new single inspired by the lockdown.
Daniel wrote Don’t Let The Music Die with fellow musician Sean O’Farrell in a bid to support musicians across the country struggling due to the pandemic.
Speaking to Alan Hughes on Ireland AM on Thursday morning he said: “Sean and I had an idea watching some videos from a lot of singers and musicians.
“The concerns they have too about not being able to get out and work and wondering when they’ll get back on the road.
“We’ve had a great reaction on Facebook even though we recorded them on iPads from home, they’re sending it out to radio stations too.”
Recording the new song was a struggle he admits: “I’m not as technologically savvy as some as the young crowd, some of them are on Facebook Live.”
The country singer also said he’s brushing up his gardening skills during lockdown.
He said: “I’ve never done much gardening, but if showed you my arms, I’ve scrapes all the way up with the briars, but we’re fine thank God.”
