Daniel O’Donnell has delighted fans by announcing his first ever live-stream concert.

The Donegal singing star will be going global with a virtual gig performed live from the Millennium Forum in Derry on Sunday 1st November.

The event will see Daniel reunited with his band for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak in March. It is hoped that the concert will bring in some much-needed income for Daniel’s band and crew, who have been out of work since the pandemic hit.

Audiences will be able to tune into the gig from the safety and comfort of their homes all over the globe. Ticket holders will be treated to a two-hour set of Daniel performing his best loved hits as well as a selection of tracks from his brand new album ‘Daniel’, which will be released on 16th October.

Tickets are not available yet, but fans are eagerly awaiting their release on www.danielodonnell.org soon.

RTE’s documentary series on Wild Ireland will come to an end tonight with a behind the scenes look at some of the biggest moments for the sanctuary family.

The finale of Return of the Wild: The Bearman of Buncrana airs this Thursday 1st October at 8.30pm.

The episode will follow the emotional and the frantic moments leading up to the park gates opening in October 2019.

Viewers will see Wild Ireland founder Killian McLaughlin getting the three resident bears, wolves and Naoise the lynx settled to their new habitats.

The series so far has followed the many ups and downs faced by Killian and his wife Katy in their mission to set up the sanctuary, but this episode will feature a very special family moment when the couple discover they are expecting. As if things weren’t hectic enough!

Tonight’s programme will chart the stress and exhaustion endured by the team as they put the finishing touches to Wild Ireland before opening. The park soon proves to be a hit with the public and when all Killian’s work seems to have paid off, a stormy winter hits… followed by Covid-19.

There are rays of hope though, and viewers will get to witness the park’s first ever birth when six wild boars arrived in April. More new residents are welcomed to Wild Ireland during lockdown, but an extra special arrival is still on the way.

Wild Ireland may have made it through the lockdown, but it seems many obstacles are coming its way in the future, from council issues and unhappy locals to the effects of Brexit, the McLaughlins learn it is an ongoing project that will never end.

Nonetheless, Killian and Katie, now joined by their newborn son Rigan, are confident and enthusiastic about overcoming everything life has to throw at them.

Return of the Wild: The Bearman of Buncrana, by Moondance Productions for RTE, airs at 8.30pm Thursday 1st October on RTE One.

A fascinating exploration of art and history in the Donegal Gaeltacht will be unveiled in a documentary on TG4 this month.

Ar Lorg Annie, which will air on TG4 on Wednesday 7th October at 9:30pm, will follow investigative journalist Kevin Magee in search of the lost Irish paintings of controversial American artist Rockwell Kent.

Driven by his curiosity about a reproduction picture hanging in a pub in Glencolmcille, Co Donegal, Magee set out to uncover a tale of romance and political intrigue, and reveal how iconic Donegal images became scattered across the globe. 

Ar Lorg Annie is a Macha Media Production made with the support of Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund. The documentary originally aired in 2018, but this week will be a special chance for viewers who missed out.

In 1926, Rockwell Kent spent four months in the Donegal Gaeltacht, but he painted 36 paintings there and made lifelong friends, including Annie McGinley (the subject of the pub picture), her family and their nearest neighbour, sheep farmer Dan Ward.

Rockwell Kent’s ‘Annie’

In the 1950s, Kent wanted to return to Ireland, to buy 1000 acres of mountain land and work from there part of the year. But international politics, in particular the anti-communist campaign of US Senator Joseph McCarthy (Kent was often denounced for having voted as a socialist and being affiliated with many causes espoused by communists), prevented him returning to Ireland for many years. By then it was too late.

An investigations correspondent with BBC News NI, Kevin used his journalistic skills to uncover the whereabouts of the paintings, and travelled to New York and St Petersburg to find the most famous works from Kent’s Irish collection, such as Annie McGinley and Dan Ward’s Stack. 

Dan Ward’s Stack by Rockwell Kent

He said: “The instant I saw copies of some of Rockwell Kent’s Irish paintings I was hooked. At one time Kent was a household name in the United States but very little was known about the time he spent working in the Donegal Gaeltacht and I wanted to change that, and uncover and tell his story.  

“His Donegal paintings are spectacular, and in the film they are brought to a local audience for the first time. When I started out I didn’t realise my search would bring me to galleries and private collections across the world.”

In the programme, Kevin discovers that the people and landscape of Glencolmcille, Glenlough and Port, made a deep impression on the American artist, and like Kent himself, he returns to the Donegal Gaeltacht to find out what happened to the people Kent painted and hear accounts from their living relatives.

In particular, he goes in search of Annie McGinley, whom Kent painted on the cliffs of Donegal. Who was she? Does she have any family alive today? What can they tell us about the relationship between Annie and the artist?  

While ostensibly looking for the lost Irish paintings, Kevin finds much more than beautiful images of the rugged Irish landscape. He discovers lifelong friendships and a love affair with Donegal and its people that survived international intrigue and the Cold War.

Kevin adds: “As well as finding the paintings, I wanted to tell the stories of the local native Irish speakers who appeared in his pictures. 

“In spite of everything that happened to Kent, he never forgot Donegal or its people, and more than 30 years after his first visit he returned there searching for Annie. 

“It’s an extraordinary true life story that often reads like fiction.”

A STUNNING rendition of The Auld Triangle by three Donegal singers and made in a Donegal forest has gone viral around the world.

The video, uploaded last weekend, has gained massive traction across social media.

The singers are Tom McHugh from Inver, Deane Connaghan from Mountcharles and Diarmaid McGee from Ballintra and the guitar backing is from Declan Gaughan from Frosses.

Filming took around nine hours in Murvagh Forest and some 150 hours were put into the entire production.

The piece was ‘filmed as darkness fell in the forest’ on Thursday, September 24.

One person commenting on YouTube said this version of the Irish ballad ‘reaches the depths of the soul’.

Singer/songwriter Mickey Joe Harte has released an uplifting new track in tribute to his beloved Donegal.

Listen here:

The Lifford artist was influenced by the current crisis and restrictions to write something that shines a light on the positive sides of life in Donegal. The ‘love song’ celebrates some of the features of Donegal that money can’t buy, and the lyrics are sure to connect with people near and far who have a special place in their hearts for the county.

“This song is a reaction to the current restrictions on the county and all that it brings, so it’s just a way of keeping the spirits up. I would hope it might resonate with the locals and the diaspora currently,” Harte tells Donegal Daily.

See the lyrics in full below. For more, check out Mickey Joe Harte on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/Mickeyjharte

Donegal Love Song
Words and music By MJ Harte (oct 2020)

(Verse)
Home to me is by the sea, and standing on your shore.
Looking o’er what’s gone before, how lucky I must be.
Feel those ghosts of the trains we rode, no longer now to see.
Those wild desires, ignite these fires, still’ deep inside of me.

(CHORUS)
Donegal, may I write a love song.
Donegal, write one just to thee.
Donegal, I will keep you in my heart, forever You and Me.

(Verse)
Sunday drives, brings no surprise, same old melodies.
We don’t care, there’s magic here, to let our hearts run free,
Family, friends, and hairpin bends, then drive home late for tea.
Then toddle off with our little thoughts, and all these memories.

THERE is deep sadness across Donegal and the north west this morning following the sad death of popular radio DJ Pio McCann.

An icon of local radio broadcasting, Pio, a native of Dromore, County Tyrone, passed away at his home in Omagh in the early hours of this morning.

Before moving into radio, Pio was the band leader with Brian Coll & the Buckaroos and with Frankie McBride & the Polka Dots.

Pio was known the world over and interviews all the top American country music stars. Everyone from Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Kris Kristofferson and Charlie Pride were featured on his programme.

One of Pio’s big claims to fame was giving Daniel O’Donnell his first radio interview, on Erinside Radio. He and Daniel retained a strong friendship over the years.

The late Pio McCann (right) with Charlie Collins and Myles Gallagher

When Highland Radio went live in 1990, Pio was among the early recruits and he became a part of the furniture on 103.3fm, presenting country music shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays as well as co-hosting Sunday Sport, usually with Myles Gallagher in the other hot seat.

His famous catchphrase – ‘if anyone can, Pio McCann can’ – was a regular in households across Donegal for 30 years.

“He was one of the men that made local radio what it is,” former Highland Radio station manager Charlie Collins said.

“All the big stars were on with Pio. He had great contacts in the music business and he always helped to get artists lined up for our concerts.

“He was a legend of broadcasting.”

Pio McCann is survived by his wife Ray, sons Nicholas, Conor and Aaron, and daughters Coleen, Allison and Diane.

AN IRISH zombie film, starring two Donegal actors, will be available to watch online next weekend as part of the Kerry International Film Festival.

‘Follow The Dead’ is about an apocalypse that takes place in Dublin city. Due to a media blackout, people outside of Dublin are confused over what happened in the capital.

Written, directed and produced by Adam William Cahill, the film is Ireland’s first zombie feature.

Two of the main cast are from Donegal; Aidan O’Sullivan from Letterkenny and Marybeth Herron from Ardara.

Aiden will play Garda Horan, with Marybeth playing Olivia Whelan.

The film follows a family of four, Robbie Whelan (Corcoran), his sister Liv (Marybeth Herron), and two cousins, Jay (Luke Collins) and The Chi (Tadhg Devery) as they deal with the Zombie Apocalypse in Offaly.

The film was mostly shot in Offaly in Devery’s own home, and the remaining scenes were shot in Dublin.

A synopsis of the film says:  ‘Disturbing news spreads to the remote town of Ferbane via online viral videos that Dublin has been hit by an undead threat, and danger is on its way. Unable to discern fake news from real, the midlands heads toward civil war, and the local police are at odds as to what to do about it.

‘Having been a product of a generation that is used to having all manner of creature comforts and black mirror one-touch solutions, Robbie Whelan is an idealist to a fault, and lives in a world where he has it all, but nothing is ever good enough. His sister, Liv, is an unsuccessful internet celebrity wannabe, and their cousins, Jay and Chi, are stoner layabouts living off the government’s teat.

‘When the police are targeted by fringe groups taking the chaos as a sign of revolution, they turn to the public for assistance. However, the Millennial curse of apathy and entitlement leaves the law-enforcement powerless, and the townsfolk wide open to invasion… and not from whom they were expecting. Will self-seeking Robbie step out of his comfort zone when one of the distressed officers turns out to be his estranged wife?’

You will be able to buy a ticket from KIFF’s website for €7 until they sell out, and will be able to watch from the 17th to 21st October via the Kerry International Film Festival: https://online.kerryfilmfestival.com/film/follow-the-dead/

The plight of the live entertainment scene was brought to the fore today as County Councillor Gary Doherty called for extra support for the sector. 

People in the music, theatre, entertainment and events industries are struggling to make ends meet without improved supports, the Sinn Féin councillor said at this month’s county council meeting.

Cllr Doherty said the live entertainment sector was one of the hardest hit since the Covid-19 crisis and many workers cannot benefit from current supports as they are distributed through the Arts Council. A recent music stimulus package was restricted to established professional musicians and their teams only, and Cllr Doherty says many local musicians have fallen through the cracks.

“We have a thriving music scene in Donegal, we are famous for it, but these people are really struggling and worried about the future of the industry,” Cllr Doherty said. 

“Without a larger more sustainable support package, people in theatre, events, sound and lighting find themselves in a position where they are struggling to survive.”

He added that the industry workers who are struggling now are the very people who entertained the public nightly on social media during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

Cllr Doherty has called on the government to restore Pandemic Unemployment Payments to €350 a week to support people over the winter months. He has also called for clarity on public health guidelines which restrict live music. 

A BUNCRANA-born singer has released a touching single which tells the story of boys from his home town who were cruelly killed in the Omagh bombing in 1998.

Paul Caldwell’s new single, on his latest EP, ‘Headlines’ was released on Friday and is available on all streaming platforms.

‘Headlines’ tells the story of that harrowing August Saturday 22 years ago; an afternoon that ripped the heart from Omagh and sent shockwaves reverberating in Buncrana.

Two boys from Buncrana – Sean McLaughlin and Oran Doherty – were among those killed in the deadly blast.

Another young boy, James Barker, who was from England and who lived in Buncrana, also lost his life in the atrocity.

The bombing is a visceral memory for Caldwell but not something he has been able to put into words until now.

“When I first sat down to write ‘Headlines’ I had a misunderstood feeling within”, Caldwell says.

“I had recently talked to a counsellor and started to reflect and think about my past. While talking to a friend’s mother we spoke about Van Morrison and how he writes about the past, his childhood; the people in it and the shared memories. With that thought in mind I wrote about my memories.”

Citing a slight idea of where it was going, Caldwell possessed the melody internally and had some chords he was playing with. Apparently the combination worked. “

“I wanted to think about my childhood”, he says. “I started remembering and writing down my earliest memories, growing up in Lisowen Avenue.

“I was playing in my front garden at the age of 9 when my sister heard on the radio there was a car bomb in Omagh, Northern Ireland.

“Nothing was certain as fear, panic and anxiety took over. No one knew what to do. There were no phones; there was no instant communication; they were miles away. That day went by for me, extremely fearful, and unsure.

“We heard the bus from Omagh was coming home.” verybody’s family was there waiting on their children to come home and as the bus unloaded, children were in shock and fear running to their mothers and fathers arms.

“The next day we went to mass and the missing and confirmed dead were announced. Word spread throughout a small town; an unforgivable atrocity in the name of what? We all felt the loss of our friends.”

Recorded by Jeff Zipp at Light Machine Records with artists from Mother Mother and City & Colour, ‘Headlines’ is Caldwell’s personal and touching homage of that fateful event.

When writing this song he was wondering what got him through – a combination of spirituality, faith and the question of it.

‘Headlines will always be a reminder of Caldwell’s friends who were taken; the life they had; their faces; their smile.

Daniel O’Donnell has revealed that he will be giving up his fees for his next concert to ensure there is extra profit for his crew.

The Donegal star will be performing his first online live stream show from the Millennium Forum Theatre in Derry on Sunday, November 1 at 7pm.

The aim of the concert is to bring in some much-needed income for Daniel’s band and crew, who have been out of work since the pandemic hit.

This will be Daniel’s first time reunited with his band since the Covid-19 outbreak and he is calling on his fans to get their tickets soon.

“It’s only to make money for the band and crew and I said that if they want to come together then I’m happy to do the show with them. I don’t need anything from it,” Daniel told the Irish Independent.

Ticket holders will be treated to a two-hour set of Daniel performing his best loved hits as well as a selection of tracks from his brand new album ‘Daniel’, which was released on 16th October.

Audiences will be able to tune into the gig from the safety and comfort of their homes all over the globe. Ticket holders will be treated to a two-hour set of Daniel performing his best loved hits as well as a selection of tracks from his brand new album ‘Daniel’, which will be released on 16th October.

Concert tickets are €20 each and available from https://danielodonnell.org/livestream-concert/

Donegal filmmaker Gerard Lough has released a new trailer for his upcoming film – Spears.

The Irish thriller is Lough’s second feature film and is set for a 2021 release date.

Shot in four different countries, the ambitious independent production is set to have a much larger scope than Lough’s first feature, 2015’s critically acclaimed horror Night People.

With its moody atmosphere and pervading sense of paranoia, the film will be very much be rooted in the Neo-Noir style and explore topical themes both political and technological. 

Donegal actor Aidan O’Sullivan leads an international cast that includes Bobby Calloway, Nigel Brennan, Michael Parle, Yalda Shahidi, Rebecca Rose Flynn and Thomas Sharkey. Other local talent includes Michael Leddy and Kieran Kelly.

The complex plot begins when Private Investigator Kian (Brennan) is sent to Florence, Italy to find a woman (Shahidi) who mysteriously disappeared there.

Fittingly, the film’s title is taken from the Emily Bronte quote; “Treachery and violence are spears pointed by both ends; they would those who resort to them worse than their enemies.” 

Most of the film was filmed in Donegal locations such as Slieve League, Maghera waterfall and Meentycat wind farm.  

As well as the exotic locations, the film will highlight some of the best new Irish and British electronica with music from artists such as Shaefri, Sleep Thieves, Le Groupe Fantastique and Exit: Pursued by a Bear. The song Is This Ready? by Sleep Thieves can be heard on the trailer. 

Donegal-based sisters Barbara and Janet have been cut from Virgin Media One’s ‘Gogglebox Ireland’ due to Covid-19 rules.

The popular duo have starred in the reality programme for more than a year, but because they do not live together they can no longer take part.

Gogglebox Ireland creators confirmed a number of cast changes as the government’s ban on household visits impacts production.

Ardara B&B owner Barbara Frost and retired social worker Janet Given usually met up to comment on the latest TV shows and events, but the final episode of the series will continue without the Belfast sisters and with a reduced line-up.

Commenting on the new changes, Series Producer of Gogglebox Ireland, David Noble said; “It’s such a shame that we have to tweak the cast so close to the end of the series. They will be greatly missed but we are delighted that this show can be kept on the road for two more weeks and more than confident that our remaining cast will deliver the usual hour of midweek joy that is Gogglebox Ireland”.

Gogglebox Ireland airs tonight, Wednesday 21st October at 9pm on Virgin Media One. The final episode of the series will air on Wednesday 28th October at a later time of 10pm.

DANIEL O’Donnell’s popularity continues to soar as the Donegal singing legend has broken yet more records.

The Kincasslagh crooner has hit number 3 in the UK Charts with his new album, Daniel. It is his highest ever Top 40 listing.

This is Daniel’s 40th Top 40 placing in the last 35 years.

It also means that he has become the first artist to have at least one new album each year in the UK album charts for a remarkable 33 consecutive years.

“I really enjoyed making this album,” Daniel said.

“It is a collection of songs that are easy to listen to and a record that has something for everyone. I am grateful to all my fans who have been so loyal and supported me over the years, thank you for helping this album reach such heights.

“It’s been a tough year for everyone but next year we will hopefully be out on the road again and performing once more.”

Next Sunday, November 1, Daniel will perform a live-streamed concert from the Millennium Forum in Derry.

The concert, which will get underway at 7, will see Daniel joined on stage by his band. It will be his first time to be reunited with his band since the Covid-19 outbreak.

The aim of the concert is to bring in some much-needed income for his band and crew, who have been inactive since coronavirus took its grip on the world.

The Late Late Show is calling on small Irish businesses to join a special ‘Shop Local’ episode in November.

On November 6th, the chat show is going big on local business to encourage people to shop local during the lockdown.

With over half a million viewers each week, a feature on the Late Late could be a major boost for a small business.

Presenter Ryan Tubridy is calling on entrepreneurs to get in touch and share their stories:

As just announced by Ryan on his radio show, we are looking for businesses to get in touch for our #ShopLocal episode on November 6th.

Email: latelateextra@Rte.ie #LateLate pic.twitter.com/xUXnYnXfqR

— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) October 22, 2020

Interested businesses should email: latelateextra@rte.ie.

Donegal music legend Daniel O’Donnell will be among the celebrity lineup on RTE’s Late Late Show tonight.

The Kincasslagh singer is celebrating after his new studio album Daniel hit No. 3 in the UK Charts this month. He broke his own world record with the release, which has become his 40th Top 40 album in his 35-year career.

Daniel will join The Late Late Show presenter Ryan Tubridy tonight to speak about the ongoing struggles facing the music industry in Ireland. He’ll also perform ‘Come What May’ from his new album.

Daniel is preparing for another first this weekend, as he hosts a worldwide concert online on Sunday 1st November. Fans will be able to tune in from the comfort of their homes for a full concert streamed live from Derry’s Millennium Forum.

Other guests on the Late Late will include ITV presenter Philip Schofield, presenter Cat Deeley, Comedian and actor Bernard O’Shea, chef Donal Skehan, Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick and campaigner Catherine Corless.

Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell discussed the challenges facing the Irish music industry during the pandemic on last night’s Late Late Show.

Daniel also spoke about what can be done to help musicians during this time.

He shared with host Ryan Tubridy that tomorrow evening, he will perform his first live-streamed concert to support the talented musicians and crew that work behind the scenes at his shows.

Daniel O’Donnell on The Late Late Show

“A lot of the time people go to see shows and they really only see the singer, occasionally they’ll see the band… and they certainly don’t see the crew, and the sound people, and the lighting people who make it possible for the likes of me to do what I’m doing,” Daniel told Ryan Tubridy.

“There are lots of industries that have been hit so badly by the Covid and all of the restrictions and lockdowns, but the music industry has been really really hard hit. Nobody is able to do anything, and I did quite a few things on Facebook that people can just tune into… but I was aware that the band didn’t have any work. I was aware you could live stream [a show] and charge for the ticket.

“I said when the expenses are covered, I’m happy and I don’t need anything from it, and the profit can be divided among the crew and the band.

“It’s like a show that we’d do anyway, just without the audience.

“Sometimes I think that people see music as a hobby… but lots of people are making their living week to week doing what they do; be it playing in a band, or setting up the gear, or driving the van, or driving the lorry. And that has all stopped. It’s all very well saying ‘well they can retrain and do something else’ but there’s thousands of people that have no work so how, at this time, can they get that done?

“I’m well aware of the difficulties for many people, not just for music and theatre people, but I would just hate that they’d be forgotten.”

Last month, the government announced the Live Performance Support Scheme and the Music Stimulus Package, but Daniel worries about those just starting out in the industry.

“There’s a lot of young singers who would’ve invested so much leading up to this… they were maybe getting their foot on the bottom of the ladder and then it all fell apart and I’m afraid how will they start again.

“I just would like that the governments on both sides of the border would maybe have some kind of financial assistance for young singers to apply for some money to give them a wee leg-up to get to start again. These singers are a small industry. I have employed people for 35 years as a small business and these young singers will do that too, so it’s not like you’re just giving money to people, they’ll employ others and families will be reared for the foreseeable future so I hope that can be done.”

Host Ryan Tubridy also praised Daniel for helping to raise €1.1 million for Saint Vincent de Paul during this last appearance on the show. The organisation assured RTÉ that “every cent found a home.”

Daniel says: “I believe there was €50,000 raised in Donegal, and it’s great to know that this money stays where it’s raised. People will need help now more than ever and in the foreseeable future.”

Daniel says that during the appeal, he didn’t just want to encourage people to donate to Saint Vincent de Paul – he also wanted to encourage people to not be shy and apply if they need help. To find out more about how to apply for help, visit svp.ie.

During this segment of The Late Late Show, Daniel also performed ‘Come What May’ from his new album.

The full song and interview can be viewed on the RTÉ Player.

More information on Daniel’s live concert can be found on his website, danielodonnell.org.

Young DJ sensation Ois Bosh is celebrating his latest track entering the Top 100 of the Official Irish iTunes Charts at Number 5. 

The Muff DJ’s house-dance track ‘Cover It Up‘ also charted at Number 2 in the iTunes Irish Dance Charts on Friday – challenging at the top with the likes of Dermot Kennedy, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande. 

Ois Bosh is the alias of 19-year-old Oisin McLaughlin, whose hard work is paying off with a slew of recent achievements.

When asked about this success, Ois Bosh said – “It’s a massive honour to see my own track up there in the charts battling it out with global artists like Ariana Grande and so on”.

Bosh added “I feel it’s given me a huge ambition and determination to get better and better”.

The track signed to UK based record label, Deevu Records has reach nearly 30,000 streams so far which is no doubt, a proud moment for Ois. The house-dance mix has received some incredible radio support across Ireland and the UK with the likes of plays on 2FM, iRadio and Cool FM respectively. 

“Cover It Up” is out on Deevu Records and available to download (visit the Apple music link here) and to stream on all major streaming platforms. Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1gXbyV9C1Qkb8nM91GAWoy?si=pp9LUBHhRnaUbgZXkHQsPw

Letterkenny singer Sinead Black is excited to bring live music back to people’s homes when she returns to TG4’s Glór Tíre.

The country talent competition resumes next Tuesday 10th November – picking up where it left off before the first Covid-19 lockdown.

The show will be a different departure to the usual format of country singing, a band and dancers, but the notes of excitement will still be there as the remaining contestants enter into the semi-final round.

Sinead, a well known country and wedding singer, had put in strong performances to get this far. And she is hoping her newfound fans from lockdown will be there to support her on the show.

With live shows and events all cancelled, Sinead and her father Alex Black gave their fans quality home entertainment during lockdown with their weekly ‘Dad and Me Sitting Room Sessions’. With 41 weeks complete, and with €1,400 raised for counselling services at the Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Centre, they now are planning to release a new CD for their many loyal listeners.

“Hopefully I’ll have a whole gang of new supporters from the sessions,” Sinead says, since Glór Tíre will be a much quieter show.

“There will be no dancers or people in the audience and we’ll be socially distanced. It’s a bit strange, normally you’d be bringing a bus load of supporters for the finals, but it’s literally just myself and my mum and dad and family will all be home.”

As a true entertainer, Sinead isn’t focusing on the changes or on winning the contest, but she’s focusing on the show and making the audience happy at home.

“It’s great to have a positive experience, to bring live music into people’s homes and it’s giving them something to look forward to. I’m looking forward to getting dolled up again too!”

The Glór Tíre semi-final airs Tuesday 10th November 9:30pm on TG4. Voting for the final will reopen through the Glór Tíre app on the night.

A lot has changed since Chef Ciaran Sweeney made the move back to Donegal in summer 2019. 

Like every chef in the country, best-laid plans have changed drastically. The entire restaurant industry has been forced to change, as have the people in it. Those stories of adapting and resilience will be shared on a new series of Beyond The Menu – RESET this week on RTE.

In the first series last year, award-winning Chef Ciaran Sweeney was longing to leave Dublin and make the move back home to Donegal with his family. Having worked in some of the best restaurants in Ireland and the UK, the Downings man was looking to the future and the next step.

The first episode of Beyond the Menu – RESET on Wednesday 18th November will catch up with Sweeney to see how he landed new opportunities in Donegal.

After the first show aired in September 2019, he made a big decision, he left Forest & Marcy and settled in to the initial Covid-19 lockdown in Dublin. He later left the city and joined the team at The Lemon Tree in Letterkenny as the restaurant was rebuilding and re-opening in the summer. But despite the upheaval of the pandemic, more exciting times lie ahead for Sweeney.

Beyond the Menu – RESET will follow presenter Mark Moriarty on a trip back to Donegal to meet his former mentor and colleague and see what course he plans to take now.

Beyond the Menu ‘Reset’ is sponsored by Kerrygold and will be broadcast at 7.30pm RTÉ One 18th and 25th November 2020.

A leading Hollywood actress has thanked a Donegal toddler for one of the best reviews of her career.

Anika Noni Rose is currently starring in the new Netflix seasonal film ‘Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.’

The musical spectacular was inspired by classic films Willy Wonka and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and is being watched by thousands of families across Ireland.

It tells the story of a toymaker who has his famous inventions stolen and stars a number of A-listers including Forest Whitaker, Hugh Bonneville and Ricky Martin.

One such family who enjoyed the film is the Harkin family from Letterkenny in Co Donegal.

You all got the approval of our boys today too! Dancing the whole way through! pic.twitter.com/RttBskrwF7

— Ian Harkin (@ian_harkin) November 14, 2020

Dad Ian Harkin enjoyed the reaction of his sons Liam, 1 and Henry, aged 3, so much that he tweeted how much they liked it including a video of Liam saying “Woooooooow.”

To his amazement, Anika, who has starred in numerous films including Dreamgirls and The Princess and the Frog retweeted the message.

Toni-award winner Anika said that little Liam simply filled her heart up after she watched the video of him enjoying the film so much.

She said “This just filled my heart all the way up. They are adorable. And that teensy one? His expression! Thank you for sharing this.”

After switching the volume up on Ian’s video Anika added “OMG! I just turned the sound on. That “woowwww” is one of the best reviews of my career.”

Ian, who runs the Lottie Dolls company, said he was gobsmacked when Anika retweeted his video.

He said “Myself and the family enjoyed the film so much. It’s going to be one of those Christmas classics.

“The boys were just awe-struck by it and the costumes are just amazing.

“I couldn’t believe it when Anika wrote back. I was never expecting that,” he said.

In response to her message he tweeted back “It’s a show the world needed right now on so many levels. Looks like it would have been a lot of fun making it too.”