0:00:02 > 0:00:04We all love childhood holidays, don't we?
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Fun in the sun, sandcastles, swimming in the sea -
0:00:07 > 0:00:09can't beat them.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14So, in this series, I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times
0:00:14 > 0:00:16with some much-loved famous faces.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Everyone a winner!
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Come on, hook a duck!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22And some of the most surprising guests
0:00:22 > 0:00:25have the most fascinating holidays.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- You could do a night here. - You could!- Yeah.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30However, I think that's long enough for me.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32THEY LAUGH
0:00:32 > 0:00:35We'll relive the fun... TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Oh, oh, oh!
0:00:37 > 0:00:38..the games... Oh!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41..and the food of years gone by...
0:00:41 > 0:00:45That is a little taste of childhood right there.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..to find out how those holidays around the UK
0:00:48 > 0:00:52helped shape the people we know so well today.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54I'm giving you a standing ovation.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58So, buckle up for a Holiday Of My Lifetime.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Can you come on all my holidays?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Irish eyes are smiling today,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13as my holiday guest is a worldwide megastar,
0:01:13 > 0:01:14who has been wowing audiences
0:01:14 > 0:01:18with his velvety voice for over 30 years.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22# When Irish eyes are... # You know the rest.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29He was born in Donegal in 1961.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Oh, look at him in them shorts.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36He's got stardom written over both his kneecaps. Oh, yes!
0:01:37 > 0:01:40He released his first single in the early 1980s
0:01:40 > 0:01:44when you could wear a pullover like that! Do you know what? I like it!
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I think it would suit me.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51In 1992, he just wanted to "dance with you". Well, I tell you,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54if he wants to dance with ME, I'm going to lead.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Oh, yes, I'm the oldest!
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Have you got it yet? Of course you have.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Today's guest is the Irish superstar Daniel O'Donnell.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Oh, Danny boy!
0:02:07 > 0:02:10# Oh, Danny boy, the pipes... #
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I'm on my way to pick him up
0:02:12 > 0:02:16for a Holiday Of My Lifetime of a different kind.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20Because today, we're headed to a beautiful, but remote, spot
0:02:20 > 0:02:23that no-one's actually lived in since the late '70s.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Full steam ahead, captain.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27BOAT ENGINE REVS
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Daniel O'Donnell grew up
0:02:35 > 0:02:38in the small seaside village of Kincasslagh,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42with a population of around 40 people.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Among them were his four brothers and sisters,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48his dad, Francis, who passed away when Daniel was six,
0:02:48 > 0:02:53and his mum, Julia, who had to raise her five children on her own.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Now, believe it or not, Daniel released his first single,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00My Donegal Shore, back in 1983,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03which he paid for and even sold himself.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08Since then, he's not only gone on to sell more than 10 million albums,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12he's also had an impressive 16 Top 40 singles
0:03:12 > 0:03:14and become the first singer
0:03:14 > 0:03:19to have an album in the British charts 25 years in a row.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22All that, and the ladies absolutely love him!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25But sorry, girls, today, he's all mine,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and thanks to Captain Dan and Darcy here,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32I'm collecting Mr O'Donnell from the shores of his childhood home.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- Daniel.- Hi, there. Welcome, welcome to Kincasslagh.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- How are you doing, sir?- I'm great.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- How good of you to come and visit us here.- No. Watch out.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- Look I'm being helped out of a boat by one of my heroes.- Why not?
0:03:46 > 0:03:51- Thank you.- Really good to see you. - I'm starstruck, honestly.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- Well, how do you think- I- am? - No! No, it's all one way!
0:03:55 > 0:03:57So, we've got the boat. Where are we off to?
0:03:57 > 0:04:01We're going to visit two islands - Owey Island
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and Arranmore Island, just off the coast.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09- Yes, take us back a bit in time. - Are they buzzy, plenty going on?
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Well, Owey Island has nobody living on it permanently.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15That's where my mother came from, my grandparents.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19But Arranmore Island is quite a happening island,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21a lot of people living there.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24- Well, you know I am a sort of happening sort of guy.- Well..
0:04:24 > 0:04:26I live in the fast lane.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Well, we'll have to make it as fast as we can today.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33- What's the year that we're going back to?- We're going back to 1968.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38That's when the film Yellow Submarine came out. Oh, yes!
0:04:38 > 0:04:42And while that also would have been the perfect transport for us,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46back in the day, the family would have rowed the three miles
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- to Owey island on this wee thing. Blimey!- It's called a curragh.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So, what do you do? Just sit on the floor?
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Yeah, but sit up the front and they have the paddle
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and they do it this way.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03'Well, much as I like to recreate the original holiday experience,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06'you'd have to be Steve Redgrave to get across the water in that.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'So, instead, I've done what every other tourist has to do -
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'hire a professional.' We've got this gorgeous launch.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- I'm going to call it a launch. - We're going to travel in style.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- Travel in style, indeed. - Nothing but the best.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'Oh, yes, indeedy!'
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Casting off from Kincasslagh in the northwest of Donegal,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29we're heading to Owey and Arranmore,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31two of the county's eight main islands,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33which about three centuries back,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37used to be under the control of a certain O'Donnell clan.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42So, fittingly, Daniel and I are going to relive
0:05:42 > 0:05:45some of his earliest memories of those places.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51'We'll feast on the finest seafood money can buy.' It's fantastic.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- Not gorgeous? - It's better than gorgeous.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56We'll dance like there's no tomorrow
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and, of course, we'll even find time for a singsong.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03# ..Donegal. #
0:06:03 > 0:06:05I'm giving you a standing ovation.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08In other words, this holiday's going to be...
0:06:08 > 0:06:11100% a 10 from Len!
0:06:11 > 0:06:14CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Every holiday begins with a journey and, apparently, even in 1968,
0:06:23 > 0:06:28getting to Owey Island was an absolute Daniel O'Doddle!
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Every house on the island had a special spot on the mainland,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35so we would go and stand in my uncle's spot
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and they would know that there was somebody coming to visit them,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- so they would get into their curragh and come out and pick us up.- Right.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And every house was the same and they all knew...
0:06:46 > 0:06:50You know, if somebody saw a person on my uncle's "mark",
0:06:50 > 0:06:53as they called it, they would go to the house and say,
0:06:53 > 0:06:54"There's somebody coming to visit you.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57- "You need to go and pick them up." - Right.- Isn't that amazing?
0:06:57 > 0:07:00It's amazing, yeah. That would be the only way,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03cos there's no telephone or no other way of communicating.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06No, that was the only way to get the point across.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08And we would go out there then
0:07:08 > 0:07:12- and you would just be...as free as a bird.- Yeah.- It was fantastic.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And having your grandmother there too.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20My grandmother lived to be 93 and in the end, she came to live with us.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24But on her 90th birthday, she donned her wellington boots and walked down
0:07:24 > 0:07:28and got into the curragh and went to the island on her 90th birthday.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30- Oh, fantastic!- Yeah.
0:07:30 > 0:07:31But island life, for Daniel,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35wasn't just about the freedom or visiting his dear old granny.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It was also about the music.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42I can remember sitting on the steps of the school,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47listening to people singing, which was... It's a memory I have...
0:07:47 > 0:07:50I remember one guy singing Peggy Gordon,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- if you know Peggy Gordon. - I'm not sure I do.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54# Oh, Peggy Gordon
0:07:54 > 0:07:58# You are my darling
0:07:58 > 0:08:02# Come sit ye down upon my knee... #
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- It's a lovely old ballad.- I love...
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- I love Percy French. - Oh, yes, great songs.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- All those Percy French songs were... - # Oh, Mary...
0:08:13 > 0:08:17# This London's a wonderful sight
0:08:17 > 0:08:20# With the people here working
0:08:20 > 0:08:23# By day and by night
0:08:23 > 0:08:26# They don't sow potatoes
0:08:26 > 0:08:29# Nor barley nor wheat
0:08:29 > 0:08:32# But there's gangs of them digging
0:08:32 > 0:08:35# For gold in the street. #
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Thank you! Yes, I'm here all week.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Now, while Daniel was being inspired by the locals on Owey,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45here's what else was going on in the world, back in 1968.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52It was the year we saw the arrival of the MK1 Ford Escort,
0:08:52 > 0:08:57an absolute classic, which sold in record numbers - two million plus!
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Also making their first appearance in Britain, decimal coins,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05confusing many a shopper
0:09:05 > 0:09:10and even requiring some retail giants to retrain their staff.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Meanwhile, the notorious Kray twins were finally arrested for murder,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17after what had been a successful run
0:09:17 > 0:09:20of assaults, arson and armed robbery.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Debuting on the box, the fabulous Dad's Army,
0:09:24 > 0:09:29which gave its 18 million fans the unforgettable catchphrases,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32"You stupid boy" and "They don't like it up 'em!"
0:09:34 > 0:09:38As for music, well, does this ring a bell?
0:09:38 > 0:09:42# Jesus loves you more than you will know
0:09:43 > 0:09:45# Whoa, whoa, whoa
0:09:45 > 0:09:49# God bless you Please, Mrs Robinson... #
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Oh, yes, Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs Robinson,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56which topped the American chart, reached number four on ours
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and went on to win two Grammys.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Of course, 1968 was also the first time
0:10:01 > 0:10:05a young Daniel O'Donnell got to spend a summer
0:10:05 > 0:10:08on the rugged beautiful Owey Island.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- This is exciting, Daniel. - Absolutely.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- Can you manage?- No bother.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15'Although, before we go anywhere,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19'we need to consult the legendary Owey Weather Stone.'
0:10:19 > 0:10:22So, the Owey Weather Stone condition and forecast. "Stone wet - rain.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25"Stone dry - not raining.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26"Stone warm - sunny.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29"Can't see stone - foggy.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32"Swinging stone - windy. Ice on stone - frost.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36- "Stone gone - tornado." - Tornado. Perfect.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39# As the raindrops are falling
0:10:39 > 0:10:42# I can hear your voice calling... #
0:10:42 > 0:10:47Luckily for us, the weather and the outlook really couldn't be better.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49I tell you, what a place!
0:10:49 > 0:10:52# But now I'm coming home... #
0:10:52 > 0:10:55So, there you are. You're a wee nipper,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58six or seven or whatever, over you come.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00It must have been so exciting
0:11:00 > 0:11:04- cos you had the free run of the whole island.- Absolutely.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08And then your grandparents are just... You can do no wrong.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11So, I was just a wee lad coming
0:11:11 > 0:11:15and she would have the arms open wide to greet you
0:11:15 > 0:11:20and you were just free, as you say, to do whatever.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23And there was another few more young children my age,
0:11:23 > 0:11:29so we just ran wild and we went a way out that road out there
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and you'd maybe be looking after cows
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- or playing, you know, cowboys and Indians...- Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41It was ideal, really, I suppose, when you look back.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Yeah, it was quite a place.
0:11:43 > 0:11:49- I suppose, as a child, everyone knew everyone.- Oh, everybody.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And as a kid, you could run into anyone's house..
0:11:52 > 0:11:54In fact, you were related to most of them.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56I think there was only two families on the island
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- that we weren't related to. - So, this was your island!
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Everybody was related here.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Back then, Owey had a small tightknit community,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06though, by the mid-'70s,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10the last of the islanders had moved to the mainland.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12You know, coming here,
0:12:12 > 0:12:17I can't imagine anyone who was brought up here wanting to move.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22I know. You know, it broke their heart and when the last people left,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25they left their houses with everything intact -
0:12:25 > 0:12:31the dressers with...the tea sets, their cookers, their beds,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34everything was left. In their head, they were always coming back.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37And it was really a necessity for them to move
0:12:37 > 0:12:42cos the younger people emigrated, saw an easier life on the mainland,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45or wherever they might have gone to, and seen the difficulty
0:12:45 > 0:12:49of living on an island with no electricity, no running water.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- Yeah.- It was just...
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It was no harder than it was 50 years before,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58- but the mainland had got easier. - Yeah.- And that's what happened.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00The older people then couldn't survive
0:13:00 > 0:13:04and this, my grandmother's house and my uncle's,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07they left about, probably, '73.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11And the last people left for good about 1977.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15While the island remained uninhabited, these days,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19many of the cottages have been restored and used as holiday homes -
0:13:19 > 0:13:23among them, the one that used to belong to Daniel's gran,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25which is still in the family.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Look at what they were looking out at here. Isn't it just lovely?
0:13:28 > 0:13:33- It's just... Well, everywhere you go, you see fantastic views.- Yeah.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- So, here we are, Len. - Oh, this is lovely.- Isn't it lovely?
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's better than that. It's beautiful. And the open fire.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The big fire, yeah. That fire... When we were children,
0:13:45 > 0:13:50there was a big crook on it and the pot and the kettle would hang
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and then, when the kettle would boil, they'd pull it out a bit
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- and it would be always warm, ready for the tea.- Yeah.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00These days, you'd probably call this a one-bedroom plus study,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04but back in the summer of '68, Daniel's gran was making space
0:14:04 > 0:14:09for up to three adults and five kiddywinkles! Blimey!
0:14:09 > 0:14:11This was the bedroom here, these two beds,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15and that's recreated as it was.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Of course, it's not the original beds,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19but that's what they were like.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I remember I used to sleep in this bed
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and all the boys must have slept there.
0:14:23 > 0:14:29- Usually, the two boys and two girls and I would be in here, too.- Yeah.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- And your grandmother would...- Granny was in the bed beside the kitchen
0:14:33 > 0:14:37and Uncle James and Peggy were in the bottom room.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39But this was a big house.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Some of the houses were a lot smaller than this.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Daniel, I've got to ask something. It's a bit of a concern to me.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- Where's the toilet?- There was no...
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Well, there's a toilet outside but at night-time,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57there was a chamber pot or a "shoveunder", they called it here.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Shoveunder, yeah. - Did you call it that?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02No, we called it a "gazunder". "Gaz under" the bed.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06And you'd pull that out and it's funny, I can remember one night,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10as a wee boy, in the middle of the floor, but my aim wasn't the best...
0:15:10 > 0:15:12You peed on the floor.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15That wasn't the only hardship back in them days.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19No bathroom, no electricity, no telly - hey, no thanks!
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- What was the entertainment? - The entertainment was...
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Well, you'd go from house to house.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Some houses there was cards played,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- other houses they'd tell ghost stories.- Oh, no.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35And there'd be singsongs too. But card playing was a big part of it.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- Yeah.- And then listening to the older people
0:15:39 > 0:15:41- talk about years ago.- Yeah.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44But, as for Daniel's favourite pastime,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47hands down, that was Ludo
0:15:47 > 0:15:51and, from what I hear, he was fiercely competitive.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54There was enormous rows. The whole thing would go up in the air.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- I've done that many a time. - Oh, for God's sake,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59when it wasn't going the right way,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02but, I mean, it was a great, great pastime.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Now, which is your colour?
0:16:04 > 0:16:08I was always yellow because yellow was always my...
0:16:08 > 0:16:11OK, well, I don't want you to get disappointed.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Should we let the visitor go first?
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I think it would be polite, Daniel, if I'm honest.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20You know, I am a guest. It wouldn't be right.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22- But the competitive streak in me... - And me.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26- It's very tough for me to let you go first, but I will this time.- OK.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30Four.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33We'll let you start but normally you'd have to get sixes to start.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38- Ah.- But we'll not do that cos we could be here till Christmas.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44- Seven. Seven!- Getting up there now.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50- 11.- 11, that's good.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- Did you use to cheat? - Never cheated, no.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- Only if it was necessary. - I cheated all the time.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59THEY LAUGH
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Only if it was necessary!
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Oh, God! Three.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Now, while I try to beat the Owey Island Ludo champion 1968,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15here's the first of my seven wonders of the County Donegal world.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Starting with Glenveagh National Park,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22the legacy of wealthy landowner John Adair,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27who set about building himself a castle with his own hunting estate.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Nice idea. These days, though,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33the animals on this huge estate are very much protected.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Another must in this part of the world is getting yourself
0:17:37 > 0:17:39a little Donegal tweed,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43something they've been hand-weaving here for centuries -
0:17:43 > 0:17:45just ask this whippersnapper.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47I've been hand-weaving since 1956
0:17:47 > 0:17:50and I'm still at it
0:17:50 > 0:17:53after almost 59 years.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55We hand-weave the tweed
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and we have a seamstress that will make garments for us -
0:17:58 > 0:18:01waistcoats, shawls, capes, you name it.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04And while Eddie's not really one to blow his own trumpet,
0:18:04 > 0:18:09let me tell you, they say Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex And The City
0:18:09 > 0:18:12buys her tweed right here. Oh, yes!
0:18:16 > 0:18:19'As for me and Daniel, well, we're still on the Ludo.'
0:18:20 > 0:18:23So, what was six-year-old Daniel like?
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Were you naughty? Were you impish? Were you well-behaved?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29I think I was fairly well-behaved. I think I was anyway.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32I think I was very inquisitive, very nosy.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36I loved older people, so the island suited me great.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38No matter what house you went into in the daytime,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- there was somebody in there that would talk to you.- Yeah.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46- It's great.- Isn't it great to be able to look back to that?
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Now, I know...
0:18:49 > 0:18:53- Your father died when you were very, very young.- That's right.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- You were six, I think.- That's right.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- Do you remember that or were you too young?- I think I was too young.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02I remember, obviously, I suppose, more about his death than his life,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05but I do think, from my point of view,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08I was too young to be greatly affected by it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13My older brothers... My next brother was ten, and from that up to 19,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17- and they, obviously, had a great sense of loss.- Yeah.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19But my mother was strong.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23She was a strong woman and, you know...
0:19:25 > 0:19:28..I think for the first while was grief-stricken,
0:19:28 > 0:19:32but then she just seemed to pull it together.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- She had the family to bring up. - Yes, and that's what she did.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39'And speaking of getting on with things, to win this game,
0:19:39 > 0:19:44'I'm resorting to a move that worked a treat when I was about seven.'
0:19:45 > 0:19:48- What about these photos up here? - Mmm-hmm.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50I'm afraid to turn my back!
0:19:50 > 0:19:52THEY LAUGH
0:19:52 > 0:19:54'Oh, well, worth trying!'
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- Three. Oh, no, no.- One, two, three. - Why would that happen?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01- The luck of the Irish!- Yes!
0:20:02 > 0:20:04And I didn't even check to see
0:20:04 > 0:20:07which one was down and which one was up.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12- We'll have to shake. Good for you. Pleasure was all mine.- One away.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- And the honour was yours.- Yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20'Right, I've had enough of these holiday games. Time for some grub.'
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Food is a big part of any holiday.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28In Daniel's case, all the hard work was done by his gran
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and the favourite dish was crab toes and dulse -
0:20:31 > 0:20:34something I know as seaweed.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36This is just to die for.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40What we used to do is just put it in on the fire...
0:20:41 > 0:20:44..and get them to roast up.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51We used to do this with crumpets as a child, but never with a crab toe!
0:20:51 > 0:20:55'Still, nothing quite beats a local delicacy.'
0:20:55 > 0:20:58May I have mine medium rare?
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Yes, you could have it medium rare and you could have it well done.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It just will be sort of the luck of the draw.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- Yeah.- Since I've been lucky at the Ludo,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- you'll probably be lucky with the cooking of the food.- I hope so.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- Can you smell it, Len? - Can I smell it?!
0:21:14 > 0:21:16- Look at that coming out of there now.- Yep.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- Oh, look. Shall we go in the garden? - I think we will.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- We'll let them cool down a wee bit before we have them.- Yeah.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27'And just like that, we've got crab toe and dulse for two
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'and we're going alfresco.' Oh, this is heaven!
0:21:31 > 0:21:36Wonderful island, marvellous views, out in the sunshine,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38eating crab toes.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I hope there's no seaweed lurking about... Ssh...
0:21:43 > 0:21:47'Mind you, when in Rome...or even Owey!' Is this dulse?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50That's the dulse, but you said you didn't really like dulse.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Well, I wasn't a fan, but I'm prepared...
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- I think it's an acquired taste. - Well...
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Mmm.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04- It just tastes of salt.- Mmm. - Very salty.- Lots of salt.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09'And while that's an acquired taste I'm not really acquiring,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- 'I can't wait for the main event.' - Have a go with that, Len.- I will.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18- How are they tasting? - They taste fantastic!
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Isn't that gorgeous? - It's better than gorgeous.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24If this was in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen or Jamie Oliver,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28- there'd be a price tag on it that you could nearly not afford.- Yeah.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32And here we are, sitting out in the wide, open space,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- overlooking the bay. - Oh, this is heaven.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Doesn't it taste lovely?- Oh!
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And would this be, like, on a special occasion,
0:22:42 > 0:22:47- this sort of thing?- No, these would be just at the drop of a hat.- Yeah.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51You'd nearly take this for granted years ago.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54What was it like growing up in Ireland...
0:22:55 > 0:22:58..in, really, a small village?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03I suppose the nicest thing about it was the interaction with everybody.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08- Mmm.- Everybody knew everybody, everybody's door was open...
0:23:09 > 0:23:11..so you were never on your own.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16And especially when there was some kind of tragedy -
0:23:16 > 0:23:20or in our case, it was when my father died -
0:23:20 > 0:23:22to see people rally around
0:23:22 > 0:23:28and almost lift those in need up, it was quite incredible.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33# There's a moon over Ireland
0:23:33 > 0:23:37# Comes in from the sea... #
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Let me say, your voice is a bit like here.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45- It's got a gentleness about it and a warmth.- Ah, thank you.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And I think that's like the community that you came from.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Well, I always loved singing. It was always there.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54When did you first find out that you...?
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- I can't remember not singing... - Really?- ..as the smallest child.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Yeah, but nor can I, but I didn't turn out like you.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04I sang from when I was little.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08I used to stand in - not when the fire was on -
0:24:08 > 0:24:10but I'd stand in the fireplace
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and I'd do one of the Beverley Sisters' numbers
0:24:14 > 0:24:19or Frankie Laine, I Believe, one of those, and I'd...
0:24:19 > 0:24:24- Give it all.- ..give it my all, but I never turned out...- Yeah.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27You've got the most lyrical voice.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31I really have been blessed, I suppose, to have whatever talent
0:24:31 > 0:24:34that I was given and been able to...
0:24:34 > 0:24:39to be able to use it in the way that I did.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I never thought, when I was growing up,
0:24:42 > 0:24:47that I would travel to so many places and get to do so many things.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51'Mind you, I'm betting none of that quite compares
0:24:51 > 0:24:53'to the pleasure of sitting here,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56'crab toe in hand and eyeballing the view.'
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Shouldn't we have a glass of chilled white wine?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Yeah, didn't we leave that? But we were going back to '68
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- and there was no chilled white wine then.- No, you're right.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- And if there was wine, it certainly wouldn't be chilled.- No.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'While we clear our plates,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13'time for a few more of my seven County Donegal dazzlers.'
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Starting with something for all you adventurous types.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Oh, yes, Owey and the surrounding islands are perfect
0:25:23 > 0:25:25for a spot of rock climbing,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28especially if you're a fan of a sea-facing cliff.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Though if you fancy a gentler day out,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34then catch a ferry from Kincasslagh to Arranmore Island.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Here, the bird-watching is second to none,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41as it's so close to the Atlantic Ocean.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42You get the birds that shouldn't,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and normally wouldn't, come in shore
0:25:44 > 0:25:45and just pass by.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48They're travelling from south to north and you can spot them
0:25:48 > 0:25:50going through here, if the weather is suitable.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Oh, yes, everything from the snowy owl to the puffin
0:25:53 > 0:25:55have passed through this island,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59which is why the bird-watchers flock here too.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03I believe that the birds like this place just as much as I do.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Arranmore, I think, is the place they talk about
0:26:06 > 0:26:09when they're in Greenland.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14All the more reason for us to leave the quiet shores of Owey Island
0:26:14 > 0:26:16and travel to Arranmore as well...
0:26:18 > 0:26:21..which is bustling, in comparison,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23with its population of just over 500.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Though it does have an international claim to fame.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30It was here, in Early's Bar, to be precise,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33that Daniel had his big break when his sister, Margo,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36a hugely successful country singer in her own right,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39brought her little brother to the pub.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- Hey, hey.- Well, this is memories.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46And the man we all have to thank is the owner, Andrew Early.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51Margo was a very popular girl all over Ireland and Britain as well.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53- Yeah.- And she happened to come into the bar that night
0:26:53 > 0:26:55and there was music on.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58So I said, when she came in the door,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I said, "Margot, I'd love you to sing a few songs."
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- "No problem."- Right.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05And when the two songs were finished,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07"I have a wee brother here," she said,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10"I think he's a good singer as well. He would like to sing you a song."
0:27:10 > 0:27:12He sang two songs.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15I can't remember if he went to the third,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18but I tell you one thing, I know he got a standing ovation.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- Yeah, I was a forward wee ten-year-old, there you are.- Yeah.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24And he's no stranger to the island.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27He's come into this bar for 28 years after.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Looking back, from when he was ten tears old,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33did you think then he was destined to be a star?
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Oh, without a doubt. Without a doubt.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40- Ha-ha.- He says all the right things, doesn't he?
0:27:40 > 0:27:41Let me ask you one more thing.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47- Be honest with me.- I will.- Is he as nice as he seems?- Nicer again.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Oh!
0:27:49 > 0:27:53You couldn't... You couldn't touch this man.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56He's an ambassador to Ireland,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00he made Donegal and he also put the spot here on the map.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03- So what more can I tell you? - Well, it wasn't hard.
0:28:03 > 0:28:09It seems to me that it would be a miss that you're back here,
0:28:09 > 0:28:14the place is set, there's a stage... Could you do a song?
0:28:14 > 0:28:17- We'll pretend we're ten years old again.- Come on then.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20We'll get no standing ovation today - there's nobody here!
0:28:20 > 0:28:25'And what better song to sing than one about Donegal?
0:28:25 > 0:28:28'Though first, we need to get one thing straight.'
0:28:28 > 0:28:31You can do the voice and I'll be the good-looking backing singer.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Absolutely. Everybody needs a good-looking backing singer.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36That's me.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40# The lights of London
0:28:40 > 0:28:44# Are far behind
0:28:44 > 0:28:49# The thoughts of homeland
0:28:49 > 0:28:53# Are crowding my mind
0:28:53 > 0:28:58# Familiar places
0:28:58 > 0:29:02# Come into view
0:29:02 > 0:29:07# I see my home now
0:29:07 > 0:29:12# Soon I'll see you
0:29:12 > 0:29:17# This is my homeland
0:29:17 > 0:29:22# The place I was born in
0:29:22 > 0:29:27# No matter where I go
0:29:27 > 0:29:32# It's in my soul
0:29:32 > 0:29:37# My feet may wander
0:29:37 > 0:29:42# A thousand places
0:29:42 > 0:29:49# But my heart will lead me back home
0:29:49 > 0:29:55# To my Donegal. #
0:29:55 > 0:29:57I'm giving you a standing ovation.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02I'm so glad we've come here and I'm so glad that you would sing.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Thank you. It's a pleasure to have you here.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- I'm going to say you sang for ME. - Absolutely.- OK, beautiful.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08- Thank you.- Ha-ha!
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Back in the day, the residents of Arranmore paid rent
0:30:16 > 0:30:19in the form of potatoes, but in the mid-1800s,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23two events greatly affected the island's fortunes.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26The first was the potato famine
0:30:26 > 0:30:29and the second was the arrival of landowner Charles Beag
0:30:29 > 0:30:31in the mid-1800s.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35He wanted the land, so he could put more sheep grazing on it.
0:30:35 > 0:30:41He decided to evict 168 people from the island in one day.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44They named it emigration subsistence
0:30:44 > 0:30:48but it was actually just a fancy word for eviction.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Many of his former tenants ended up emigrating
0:30:51 > 0:30:54to a place called Beaver Island in Lake Michigan.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56There is still a connection today,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59as Beaver Island is twinned with Arranmore.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03The only condition was that you cleared the land of all the trees,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05so the fishing was good and they were logging
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and they sent word back to their families
0:31:08 > 0:31:10and they sent money back home to Arranmore
0:31:10 > 0:31:14and, eventually, up to 200 families settled on Beaver Island.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18# As I sit here sadly thinking how... #
0:31:18 > 0:31:23But nearly a century and a half later, this story came full circle.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28In the year 2000, Arranmore Island twinned with Beaver Island,
0:31:28 > 0:31:33so a lot of their ancestors came back that were evicted here in 1853,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35came back to the island for the first time.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39Not only were they greeted by hundreds of people,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41all singing and cheering,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44the locals also built this memorial to mark the occasion.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47As for me and Daniel, we're off to see
0:31:47 > 0:31:51another of the island's landmarks - Arranmore Lighthouse.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56Built in 1859, it's not only guided many sailors,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00it also used to spot U-boats in World War II.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03And, of course, travel in a straight line from here
0:32:03 > 0:32:06and sooner or later, you'll arrive in America.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09- You hit Boston, I believe. - Oh, really?
0:32:09 > 0:32:12I didn't try it yet, but maybe that's for another day.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15That may be another holiday we can have.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Looking at that lighthouse, I think, in a way,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21it's probably flashing across to Boston
0:32:21 > 0:32:23and telling millions of Irish people,
0:32:23 > 0:32:28- "We're still here and why don't you come home?"- Absolutely.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Though, of course, that's something Daniel,
0:32:30 > 0:32:34one of Ireland's most famous sons, has always done.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Was there a moment when you thought,
0:32:37 > 0:32:41"I've made it. I've made it now. My future is..."
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I know it's never secure, but as secure as you could hope for?
0:32:45 > 0:32:50I can remember one night, at about 1986,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52I'd started with a new band
0:32:52 > 0:32:55and we came back here to do shows in Milford,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59which is about an hour from here and, um...
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Before the show started, we were down under the stage,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07the dressing rooms were, and I could hear the people shouting my name
0:33:07 > 0:33:10and I'm not sure that I thought I'd made it -
0:33:10 > 0:33:12I was a bit afraid to come out -
0:33:12 > 0:33:16but when I came out there was hundreds and hundreds,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18it was just packed to capacity,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21and I thought, "There's something happened here."
0:33:21 > 0:33:24- Yeah, that's fantastic. - Yeah, thank God.- Yeah.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27And, you know, you've toured so much.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Has it ever taken its toll on you?
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Well, back now, in about 1991, '92, I got a bit exhausted,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35I was doing too much,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and I think I had to re-evaluate and realise
0:33:38 > 0:33:41that I couldn't continually do everything
0:33:41 > 0:33:44that people wanted me to do and I did that
0:33:44 > 0:33:49and, thank God, I've been very fortunate to have good health.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53And I think the enjoyment I get, more than...
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Yourself, I suppose you can appreciate it too.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58..when you're doing something that you enjoy,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01- it's so much easier to do it.- Yeah.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04And I love people, I love interacting with people
0:34:04 > 0:34:06and what better way to do it?
0:34:06 > 0:34:11- And to have places like this to come back to, you'll never burn out.- No.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13The journey, sometimes, is better than the arrival,
0:34:13 > 0:34:17but in this case, it doesn't matter how long the journey is,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- the arrival is fantastic. - Well, you know what they say?
0:34:20 > 0:34:22The road to heaven is not easy travelled,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25but then you get there, it's fantastic, they say,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28so this is as close to heaven as we'll get on Earth.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31I think you're right. Come on, we'll move on.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33'More to do. Much more, in fact,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36'as my final seven County Donegal wonders prove.'
0:34:39 > 0:34:43At number three, it's the Wild Atlantic Equestrian Centre,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45which gives you the chance to enjoy
0:34:45 > 0:34:48the county's gorgeous scenery on horseback.
0:34:48 > 0:34:53Be it lake, mountain or beachside, go on, giddy-up!
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Or you could also take in these views with a golf club in hand,
0:34:56 > 0:35:00here at the Sandfield Pitch And Putt, an 18-hole course,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03surrounded by the breathtaking Loughros Bay
0:35:03 > 0:35:06and those very majestic hills of Donegal.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11But top of my list - well, it has to be a visit to The Lobster Pot
0:35:11 > 0:35:14for a big old plate of fresh seafood.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18After all, Donegal's famous for the stuff.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22You have lobsters, crab, oysters, mussels,
0:35:22 > 0:35:26and they're very prolific in this area
0:35:26 > 0:35:28and the waters are so pristine clear.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32You can't get that anywhere else. This just bursts with flavour.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36I'll say! And the speciality of the house -
0:35:36 > 0:35:39a seafood platter so big they've called it the Titanic.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44And you can even pick out your own lobster right from the tank.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50As for our next stop -
0:35:50 > 0:35:54well, let's just say I've lined up a wee treat for our Daniel.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58- Arranmore Community Centre.- That's right, yeah. A fine place, that.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00- Have you been in there? - Yeah, we've been there
0:36:00 > 0:36:02- at a few ceilidhs in our day. - Oh, I love a ceilidh.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- Great pastime, the ceilidhs.- Yeah.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07You wouldn't need to diet if you were doing that every week.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Shall we go in and see what's going on?- We will, we will.- Come on.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16Look at this! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:36:18 > 0:36:20'Hey-hey, I love a surprise,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22'so I've rustled up some of Daniel's fans
0:36:22 > 0:36:26'so he can relive one of his favourite pastimes, a ceilidh.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29'But I'm not one to take ALL the credit, oh, no!'
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Did you arrange all this?
0:36:31 > 0:36:33I was just going to say, "Did YOU arrange all this?"
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- Somebody arranged it. - Somebody arranged it.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39'Now, before I give the band a nod, Daniel wants to say hello
0:36:39 > 0:36:43'to each and every one of these lovely people in person.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45'I told you - he's a popular boy!'
0:36:45 > 0:36:48I've never known anyone have so many relatives in all my life!
0:36:48 > 0:36:49He knows everyone.
0:36:49 > 0:36:55I've never known anyone to get a welcome and a reaction
0:36:55 > 0:36:59like Daniel O'Donnell, honestly. And we're going to get a bit of dancing.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01I'm going to organise it. Wait there.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Here we go. It's time to get the party started.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10Ladies and gentlemen, please make your way to the dance floor.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12THEY PLAY CEILIDH MUSIC
0:37:12 > 0:37:16Forget the tango or the cha-cha-cha, this really is the business.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Though, of course, it's not me they want to dance with.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Oh, no, it's Daniel.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26But can I just say, ladies,
0:37:26 > 0:37:30the older the fiddle, oh, yes, the sweeter the tune.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Ladies! Ladies!
0:37:39 > 0:37:44I've been asked, I've been asked to give you a score.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49- I have to be very, very fair. - Craig is not here today.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Ha-ha, it won't be a three! Listen, I can't give you a "Seven!".
0:37:53 > 0:37:58LAUGHTER You are 100% a ten from Len.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:38:02 > 0:38:04And you are, too.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09- Lovely.- Ah... Ah.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13'As for the man of the hour, well, what else could it be?'
0:38:14 > 0:38:17Daniel, you had fantastic posture.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22I saw your buttocks just moving a little bit, tight and firm.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Oh, yes, rhythmical interpretation.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28I've had such a great time.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Thank you so much. It's been lovely.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33APPLAUSE
0:38:33 > 0:38:37'But, do you know what? I think I've done myself a mischief.'
0:38:37 > 0:38:40- Oh!- What a day, Len!
0:38:40 > 0:38:44Daniel, I tell you, it's been a fantastic day, but that...
0:38:44 > 0:38:46- Wasn't that something? - That was the cherry on the top.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48And my 10 - I'll cherish it forever.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51You got the old ten from Len. Do you know what?
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- We've got the ferry to catch. - I think so.- Come on then.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56- We need to get going.- Yep.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57Without a doubt,
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Arranmore and Owey are two of the loveliest places I've ever seen,
0:39:02 > 0:39:04making it pretty clear why Daniel,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07after travelling and performing all over the world,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09always comes back to Donegal.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12There's always a part of me that never leaves
0:39:12 > 0:39:15and there's a completeness when I return.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17I think the area, as we can see, the scenery,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- but I think, most of all, it's the people.- Yeah.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22I think it's the people that bring me back.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- Of course, you got honoured by the Queen.- That's right.- How was that?
0:39:26 > 0:39:30When I got the call, I realised that it was something
0:39:30 > 0:39:35that was requested by fans who have enjoyed the music through the years,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38writing to the Palace or to the government
0:39:38 > 0:39:40to see if I could be honoured.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44And I was so thrilled and it's such a great honour.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49We don't start out in life doing what you're doing
0:39:49 > 0:39:53or, in my case, singing, to get the honours.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56The singing is the joy.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01To get the opportunity to go out and perform and sing
0:40:01 > 0:40:04and have an audience that enjoys it - that's the real reward.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08# Oh, I know it's not right
0:40:08 > 0:40:12# Reminiscing tonight... #
0:40:12 > 0:40:13For more than 30 years now,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Daniel's been entertaining fans across the globe.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19But the nicest thing about his success
0:40:19 > 0:40:21is that he's never forgotten where he's from.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24# For the girl I dream of... #
0:40:24 > 0:40:29Being able to show you this area that I know,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32- that's like a hidden gem...- Yes!
0:40:32 > 0:40:36How unspoilt it is, how close to what it was years ago.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39We have all the modern things that you could ever want,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43but yet, we've still held on to the past as well
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- and that's fantastic.- Yeah.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50'Daniel, sir, the pleasure's been all mine.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52'On this holiday, I think we've discovered
0:40:52 > 0:40:55'the real reason why Irish eyes are smiling.'
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- You would just be... You'd be as free as a bird.- Yeah.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01'We've enjoyed a simpler way of life.'
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- Oh, this is heaven. - Doesn't it taste lovely?- Oh!
0:41:05 > 0:41:09'We've seen where a certain music legend got his start.'
0:41:09 > 0:41:12I was a forward wee ten-year-old, there you are.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15'And we've danced like no-one's watching.'
0:41:15 > 0:41:18A ten from Len! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:41:18 > 0:41:22'What a holiday it's been, to be sure.'
0:41:22 > 0:41:25I've had such a wonderful, wonderful time.
0:41:25 > 0:41:30I hope that you will remember my one day spent with you here.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32I'm certainly delighted you came.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36I feel so privileged that you would take the time to come and see
0:41:36 > 0:41:40where we're from and see what I did when I was growing up here.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42It's fantastic.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46Well, as we all get older, our memories fade
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and I don't want this day to fade, so...
0:41:51 > 0:41:55- ..here is a scrapbook... - Oh, for goodness' sake!
0:41:55 > 0:41:59- ..of our holiday together here. - Oh, thank you very much.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Like I always say,
0:42:01 > 0:42:05there's nothing like a few holiday snaps to put a smile on your face.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Though, naturally, that's not all I've picked up at the gift shop.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12I know we didn't come over on one of those little boats.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- What are they called? - The curraghs.- The curraghs.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19And in a way, I would have wished we could have both squatted down and...
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- I don't know who would have done that.- No, not me! Ha-ha!
0:42:24 > 0:42:29But we didn't come across on one, so I've done the next best thing.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34- And my name on it.- The Daniel O'Donnell.- Oh, that's fantastic!
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Look at that!
0:42:36 > 0:42:41- Perfectly formed.- Perfectly formed. - Oh, that's gorgeous!
0:42:41 > 0:42:45And let me just say, the hospitality you have shown
0:42:45 > 0:42:47and the people on both of the islands -
0:42:47 > 0:42:52the warmth and the welcome - has just been fantastic.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55- I've had such a great time. - We're just so glad you came
0:42:55 > 0:42:58and just delighted you were able to experience
0:42:58 > 0:43:01a little bit of what I remember as a child
0:43:01 > 0:43:04and what we have here today. Thank you so much.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06- No, it's been my pleasure. - Oh, the pleasure's been mine.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09- It's been lovely having you here. Thank you.- Thank you.
0:43:09 > 0:43:14'And so, as we sail off into the sunset, it's tatty-bye to Donegal.'