Daniel O'Donnell Will Perform Dear Old Galway Town
The singer will broadcast his rendition of the song written by Rita Flaherty to millions of homes in the US and Canada.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Country
Live Poll
Do you enjoy hearing classic songs rediscovered by modern artists?
Daniel O'Donnell is set to perform his rendition of the song Dear Old Galway Town on television across the United States and Canada. The songwriter, Rita Flaherty, granted him permission to feature the track, which she wrote approximately 50 years ago.
Why it matters
O'Donnell selected the song for the television broadcast because he has been performing it on stage for many years. The performance highlights the enduring legacy of the track, which first gained recognition after O'Donnell became the initial artist to record it.
The song Dear Old Galway Town has been featured on major releases including the 2009 album 40 Classic Irish Songs, the 2016 album Daniel's Ultimate Irish Album, and the 2019 box set Reflections - The Studio Albums 1985-1994.
The players
Daniel O'Donnell
He is an Irish singer who became the first person to record the song Dear Old Galway Town.
Rita Flaherty
She is a songwriter from Cortoon who wrote Dear Old Galway Town approximately 50 years ago.
The details
After initially recording the song for the Opry television show on TG4, O'Donnell secured permission from Rita Flaherty, a songwriter from Cortoon, to use the track for his upcoming North American television appearance. Flaherty, who began her songwriting career in the early 1970s, also penned the song Bar Lovin' Woman.
Timeline
Rita Flaherty began writing songs for Irish singers in the early 1970s.
Dear Old Galway Town was written by Rita Flaherty in 1976.
The song appeared on the 2009 album 40 Classic Irish Songs.
The track was included on Daniel's Ultimate Irish Album in 2016.
The song featured on a 2019 box set titled Reflections - The Studio Albums 1985-1994.
Industry Dynamics
This broadcast underscores the global appeal of Irish country music, continuing a trend of Irish artists leveraging specialized television networks to reach international audiences. The move follows the pattern established by the Opry le Daniel program on TG4.
Viewers in the United States and Canada with access to RFD-TV will be able to watch the performance on their home television systems. The broadcast brings the performance to an audience of over 50 million American homes and 400,000 Canadian homes.
The takeaway
This event serves as a reminder of how long-standing musical compositions continue to find new life through television distribution. Fans looking to engage with the artist's discography can find the track across various collections released over the last decade.
Further reading
For more background on the genre, explore the latest updates in Country.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Tuam Herald.
Live Poll
Do you enjoy hearing classic songs rediscovered by modern artists?
