Daniel O'Donnell

Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983 he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had considerable success in the US and Australia. In 2012, he became the first artist to have a different album in the British charts every year for 25 consecutive years.

Known for his close relationship with his fanbase, and his charismatic and engaging stage presence, O'Donnell's music has been described as a mix of country and Irish folk, and he has sold over ten million records to date. He is widely considered a "cultural icon" in Ireland, and is often parodied in the media. Affectionately known as "Wee Daniel", O'Donnell is a prominent ambassador for his home county of Donegal.

Biography

Background

O'Donnell was born in and brought up in the village of Kincasslagh, in the Rosses region of County Donegal. He grew up as the youngest of a Roman Catholic family, with his parents, Julia (née McGonagle born 1919; died 18 May 2014) and Francis O'Donnell, and siblings John (the eldest), Margaret (Margo), Kathleen and James. He has described his upbringing as mostly happy, with the exception of the death of his father after a heart attack when O'Donnell was six years old. O'Donnell is also very close to his second cousins, Emily McCormack and Katie Cassin.

Annie's Song

"Annie's Song" (also known as "Annie's Song (You Fill Up My Senses)") is a folk rock country song recorded and written by singer-songwriter John Denver. The song was released as a single from Denver's album, Back Home Again. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart.Billboard ranked it as the No. 25 song for 1974.

It went to number one in the United Kingdom, where it was Denver's only major hit single (many of Denver's American hits were more familiar in the UK through cover versions by other artists). Four years later, an instrumental version also became flutist James Galway's only major British hit.

Background

"Annie's Song" was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time, Annie Martell Denver. Denver "wrote this song in July 1973 in about ten-and-a-half minutes one day on a ski lift" to the top of Ajax Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, as the physical exhilaration of having "just skied down a very difficult run" and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colors and sounds that filled all senses inspired him to think about his wife. Annie Denver recalls the beginnings: "It was written after John and I had gone through a pretty intense time together and things were pretty good for us. He left to go skiing and he got on the Ajax chair on Aspen mountain and the song just came to him. He skied down and came home and wrote it down... Initially it was a love song and it was given to me through him, and yet for him it became a bit like a prayer."

Annie

Annie may refer to:

People

Comics and literature

Theatre and film

O'Donnell dynasty

The O'Donnell dynasty (Irish: Ó Dónaill or Ó Domhnaill; derived from the Irish name Domhnall, which means "ruler of the world", Dónall in modern Irish) were an ancient and powerful Irish family, kings, princes and lords of Tyrconnell (Tír Chonaill in Irish, now County Donegal) in early times, and the chief allies and sometimes rivals of the O'Neills in Ulster.

Origins

Like the family of O'Neill, that of O'Donnell of Tyrconnell was of the Uí Néill, i.e. descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, High King of Ireland at the beginning of the 5th century; the O'Neill, or Cenél nEógain, tracing their pedigree to Eógan mac Néill, and the O'Donnells, or Cenél Conaill, to Conall Gulban, both sons of Niall. Conall was baptised by St. Patrick.

Arms and motto

Rosie O'Donnell

Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American comedian, actress, author, and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor, and continues to be a celebrity blogger, lesbian rights activist, television producer, and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family Vacations.

O'Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager. Her big break was on the talent show Star Search in 1984. After a TV sitcom and a series of movies introduced her to a larger national audience, from 1996 to 2002 she hosted The Rosie O'Donnell Show, which won multiple Emmy Awards. During this time, she wrote her first memoir, Find Me, and developed the nickname "Queen of Nice" as well as a reputation for philanthropic efforts. She used the book's $3 million advance to establish her For All Kids foundation and promote other charity projects, encouraging celebrities on her show to take part.

In 2002 two months before finishing her talk show run, O'Donnell came out, stating "I'm a dyke!" saying that her primary reason was to bring attention to gay adoption issues. O'Donnell is a foster and adoptive mother. She was named The Advocate magazine's 2002 Person of the Year; in May 2003, she became a regular contributor to the magazine.