DANIEL O’DONNELL BRINGS HIS CHRISTMAS SHOW TO DUBLIN FOR TWO VERY SPECIAL NIGHTS
For fans of Irish country music, this festive season promises to hold something truly memorable as Daniel O’Donnell prepares to bring his much-loved Christmas celebration to the capital. The legendary singer has officially announced two special Christmas concerts in Dublin, marking a major highlight in the holiday calendar for audiences who have followed his career for decades.
Titled Christmas With Daniel, the show will take place at Dublin’s Convention Centre this December and is set to offer an evening of warmth, tradition, and familiar seasonal melodies. For many listeners, Daniel’s Christmas performances are not just concerts, but cherished rituals that signal the gentle arrival of the festive season.
What makes this year’s event particularly distinctive is that Daniel O’Donnell will be joined on stage by The Presentation Choir, widely known to audiences from Britain’s Got Talent. Their participation adds a rich choral dimension to the evening, promising moments of reflection alongside joyful celebration. The collaboration brings together two musical traditions — Daniel’s intimate, reassuring vocal style and the choir’s uplifting harmonies — in a setting designed for collective listening and shared experience.
Daniel has already confirmed that audiences can expect to hear some of his most beloved seasonal songs, including “Silver Bells” and “Christmas in Innisfree”, both of which have become closely associated with his Christmas repertoire. These songs, long appreciated for their gentle melodies and sense of place, are likely to resonate strongly in a live setting, particularly among listeners who value tradition and familiarity over spectacle.
Speaking about the upcoming shows, Daniel O’Donnell expressed clear enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity to return to Dublin with a festive programme. “The run up to Christmas is always special and I cannot wait to share this with my fans,” he said, capturing the sense of anticipation shared by many who attend his concerts year after year.
The announcement came as Daniel was speaking ahead of another significant event in the Irish country music calendar — the Irish Country Music Awards, which take place tomorrow evening. Not only will Daniel be performing on the night, but he is also serving as host for the inaugural awards ceremony, a role that reflects his standing and influence within the genre.
During his remarks, Daniel O’Donnell spoke candidly about the evolution of Irish country music and its current resurgence. He acknowledged that the genre had experienced a period of uncertainty in the past, recalling moments early in his career when some doubted its future. “It took a wee dip and I remember when I started, people said I might as well be cutting grass and I just couldn’t take that,” he said, reflecting with characteristic honesty.
However, Daniel firmly rejected the idea that the audience for country music ever truly disappeared. “Everybody who liked country music didn’t die and it did boom again,” he added, pointing to the genre’s renewed strength and broad appeal. Today, he believes Irish country music is experiencing a genuine revival, supported by a new generation of performers who continue to attract large audiences at home and abroad.
Daniel highlighted artists such as Mike Denver, Michael English, Derek Ryan, and Lisa McHugh as key figures helping to carry the tradition forward. In his view, the success of these artists demonstrates that Irish country music remains vibrant, relevant, and capable of drawing new listeners without losing its core identity.
So confident is Daniel in the genre’s popularity that he suggested the Irish Country Music Awards could have filled an even larger venue. He noted that RTÉ could easily have staged the event at the 3Arena, believing it would have sold out, a statement that underscores the strength of the country music audience in Ireland today.
The awards ceremony will also pay tribute to two towering figures in Irish country music, Philomena Begley and Big Tom McBride, often described as the king and queen of the genre. Daniel emphasized the importance of honoring artists who have spent decades bringing Irish music to audiences far beyond the island.
“All of the singers that we’ve mentioned,” Daniel said, “they’ve been travelling out of Ireland for years and years and years, bringing Irish music to people with no Irish connection, and they’re bringing people to Ireland.” His words highlighted the cultural and economic significance of the music, as well as its role in connecting communities worldwide.
The Irish Country Music Awards will be broadcast live on RTÉ at 9.35pm tomorrow night, featuring performances from Daniel O’Donnell, Nathan Carter, Lisa McHugh, Derek Ryan, and others.
As for Christmas With Daniel, the concerts will take place on Saturday 10 December and Sunday 11 December at Dublin’s Convention Centre, with tickets going on sale this Saturday, June 25. For many fans, these two nights promise not only music, but a sense of continuity — a reminder that some voices, and some traditions, continue to bring comfort year after year, especially at Christmas.