Rapturous welcomes par for the course for the ‘lovely’ O’Donnells
THERE is something strangely hypnotic about Daniel O’Donnell’s voice, isn’t there? I’m not talking about his crooning style, although I am assured by people who know about such matters that it is indeed a thing of beauty.
No, I am actually referring to his manner of speaking. His delivery combines an almost lifeless monotone with a singsongy lilt, which is quite some trick.
I was particularly struck by it when he was giving directions to Majella from the passenger seat. ‘In 500 metres, take a right turn,’ he droned while poring over the map. ‘In 300 metres, turn right, then turn right, then keep left.’ He sounded a bit like one of those talking sat-nav contraptions that never work properly.
Perhaps the prospect of traversing the country once again in search of quaint and quirky guesthouses sent him in to some kind of a trance. Still, there is no disputing that he and the lady wife cause a bit of a stir wherever they land.
This is the third series of Daniel And Majella’s B&B Road Trip and, judging by the opening titles, there will be no end of excitement in the weeks ahead. We saw the happy couple on exercise bikes and a rope bridge (but not at the same time, thankfully). They also tried their hand at pottery and feeding some rather impressive-looking pigs.
Most of all, though, there were clips of them receiving rapturous welcomes at various locations. At one point, dozens of locals turned out to give them a thunderous round of applause when they pulled up in their car.
This certainly looked like a genuine outpouring of affection, although I suppose it is possible that the show’s director had promised to put her credit card behind the bar of the nearest pub if they all clapped loudly enough. Who knows?
But I digress. The first stop was at The 19th Lodge, which overlooks the world-famous golf course in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, and has been run since 1986 by James and Mary Beasley.
The first thing to strike me was that Mary’s attractive hairstyle appears to have been
inspired by both Imelda May in her pre-Chrissie Hynde days and the retired sports presenter Dickie Davies. ‘Wisdom streaks,’ joked Mary as she twirled the grey strands at the front.
No sooner had she left the happy couple in the Tom Watson Suite – named after the celebrated American golfer, in case you’re wondering, rather than the tubby, bespectacled deputy leader of the British Labour Party – than they were feeding each other chocolate-dipped strawberries. Just when it looked like things were about to get a bit steamy for pre-watershed viewing, they sensibly decided to go for a round of golf instead.
Or perhaps not all that sensibly, given that the meteorological conditions could have been reasonably described as menacing in the extreme. Talk about the Wild Atlantic Way. I’d imagine diving into a swimming pool filled with piranhas would have been a more pleasurable experience
Which, in fairness, might well explain why Daniel took the opportunity to pour a miniature bottle of Bailey’s into his bowl of porridge the following morning. Mind you, he’d have been better off doing that before he took to the fairways.
Having waved the O’Donnells off after breakfast, James remarked: ‘Jeez, they’re two lovely people, aren’t they?’ Mary agreed: ‘Lovely people.’ For the avoidance of doubt, James said it again: ‘Ah, lovely people.’ Mary repeated: ‘Lovely people.’