Daniel O’Donnell has revealed his plans for Christmas Day as he heads to Dungloe Community Hospital to perform for patients.
The star will be balancing his day between family and religion.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent’s Life magazine, Daniel explained that he and his wife Majella will be spending Christmas Day at their Donegal home with Majella’s daughter, Siobhan, her husband Gavin, and their children Olivia and Archie.
Majella’s son Michael is also travelling home for the festive holidays from Australia.
Daniel said: “It will be nice to gather together and have a quiet time. It’s terrific having the grandchildren around at any time of year, but especially at Christmas, and now that the wee one (Olivia) is four, she is quite excited about Santa.
“The wee children being born has brought us so much joy.
“I have plenty of nieces and nephews too. New life in the family is great.”
Daniel will be attending Mass on Christmas Day and will take the opportunity to perform in the church choir.
“I sing in the choir on both Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and I sing at another Mass at the hospital in Dungloe for patients there, as some of them don’t get home for Christmas,” he added.
“Usually PJ, an old school friend of mine, and I will go together to sing at Mass.”
Admitting that Majella is in charge of the kitchen on Christmas Day, Daniel did add that he would be available to wash the dishes after dinner.
“I love the feeling of Christmas – the down time, the warmth, the long nights, the fire on and people calling over,” he added.
Looking ahead to 2020, he said: “This coming year, I’m going to be taking a bit of time off.
“I’m doing the Gertrude Byrne Cruise in February, which is leaving from San Diego and heading for Mexico. I normally do it every couple of years but I did it last year too – we went to Alaska.
“Then after that I have decided to cut down a wee bit on the touring. So I won’t be doing anything until August.”
Daniel will be doing four shows in the INEC in Killarney from September 22, and then two shows in the Dublin Convention Centre on December 12 and 13.
