“If Kathleen Was In Your Corner, You Didn’t Need An Army”: Daniel O’Donnell Pays Tribute To His Sister, whose funeral is taking place today

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Daniel related how Kathleen had been the center of her family. “When she married John in 1979, they moved into the family home and our mother lived with them until she died,” he said.

“When I called Kathleen had all the news and she kept you up to date on everything.”

It was Kathleen and her husband John who drove Daniel to Big Tom’s Recording Studios in Castleblaney on February 9, 1983 – 40 years ago this Thursday – to record his first songs, including My Donegal Shore and Stand Beside Me.

After becoming one of the country’s biggest stars, Daniel bought the Viking House Hotel in Kincasslagh.

“Kathleen and John ran the Viking, she’s been so involved in everything I’ve done over the years,” he said.

Over the years that Daniel hosted a tea party for visitors to the Mary from Dungloe festival at his home, Kathleen was always ready to make tea for her brother’s fans. At one point she figured she was pouring 1,200 cups!

For many years Kathleen also played a leading role at her local Kincasslagh festival where the main attraction was a surprise guest for Daniel on Belle of the Ball.

Over the decades, Kathleen brought luminaries such as American country music legend Loretta Lynn, Coronation Street’s Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) and later, when Daniel had married, British pop superstar Cliff Richard to his County Donegal village.

“Kathleen has always been very supportive, I don’t think she’s missed anything I’ve ever done at home or abroad,” he said yesterday.

“She had infinite energy and would go to the ends of the world for me. When I recently said I was going to Creeslough to sing at Mass, she was there willing to put me on the path. If I had to go to Dublin afterwards, she would drive me to Dublin if I needed the ride.

“Of course, if you needed to be corrected for something, there was no better woman!”

Daniel reveals that Kathleen’s greatest joy in recent years has been her role as a grandmother.

“Like my mother was with her grandchildren, Kathleen’s grandchildren were everything to her,” he says.

Kathleen’s funeral service will be at 11am at St Mary’s Church, Kincasslagh.

She is survived by her husband John, daughters Trish and Fiona, sons John Francis and Daniel, sisters Margaret (Margo), brothers John, James and Daniel, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and an extended family.