February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Well, since the senior Mr. O’Donnell is presently smiling down at his wee boy from heaven, and Daniel’s beloved Mammy might be a touch squeamish about stepping in, we’re nominating the Prince Charles of England.
Now, hold the phone: This is not as outlandish as it may sound. In the first place, given all the spicy gossip that has surrounded the Windsors over the years, the guy is practically the European Dr. Ruth. Second, the prince is acquainted with the O’Donnell family, and happily posed for picture with Daniel’s mum, fiancee and sister at a reception last week. Third, now that Daniel’s sporting an honorary MBE (or KBE or MSG or whatever), we think he should be told the facts of life from someone who, at the very least, has little crowns embroidered on his scanties.
Well, no matter who’s planning the little sit-down, they’ll want to get to it snappy-like, because Daniel and Majella MacLennan have set the date. The pair will tie the knot on Nov. 4, in Daniel’s hometown, Kincasslagh, Co. Donegal. What will make their happiness complete is that they will be able to get married officially in the eyes of the church. Just in the nick of time, church officials granted Majella an annulment, dissolving her previous marriage. (Though she gets to keep the kids.)
“It’s what we had hoped for and prayed for and now that it’s come through we’re planning our wedding,” Daniel told the Sunday World.
Now that all obstacles have been cleared, the happy pair are buckling down to the serious business of drawing up the guest list. But anyone hoping for an all-star roster of famous faces will be disappointed.
“It’s not going to be a celebrity wedding,” he confided. “People who think there are going to be hundreds of well-known personalities will be disappointed.”
As far as Daniel’s concerned, the biggest VIP on hand will be his sweetie.
“There will be only one star on the day,” he gushed. “And that’s Majella.”
For her part, the bride is — understandably — over the moon about everything.
“It’s a dream come through for both of us,” she said. “I never thought I’d get a second chance, never mind a second chance with someone like Daniel.”
Though it’s traditional for the bride to be married in her local church, the Thurles, Co. Tipperary-born Majella says that for her, Donegal “felt like . . . home.”
“Because I’ve been away from Ireland for so long, living in London, Scotland and Tenerife, and because my parents don’t live in Thurles, where I’m from, it’s hard to know where home is,” she said.
“[Now] I have the right man, the right place, everything,” she continued. And, because she’s Daniel’s sweetie, she finished up with “Thanks be to God.”
Directly after the ceremony, the happy couple will fly to Missouri (currently ranked 4,594th on the list of the 4,595 most romantic honeymoon spots). The pair will stay in the music-saturated town of Branson, where Daniel will perform a series of concerts. And, hey, Dan and Maj, if you kids are looking for advice, here’s some for free: Don’t get suckered into a pint-scullin’ contest with those Osmonds. We hear that Donny’s got a hollow leg. (And before we get letters from fans of the teetotaling Mormon clan, it’s just a joke. And Donny, we’re still waiting for that autographed picture we sent away for in 1972. You big meanie.)