1. Michael Valentine 'Val' Doonican was an Irish singer of traditional pop, easy listening and novelty songs, noted for his warm and relaxed vocal style.
22 Facts About Val Doonican
1. 2.
The Val Doonican Show, his eponymous variety programme, featured his singing and a selection of guests, and it had a long and successful run on BBC Television from 1965 to 1986.
3.
Val Doonican was born on 3 February 1927 in Waterford, Ireland, the youngest of the eight children of Agnes and John Val Doonican.
4.
Val Doonican was from a musical family and played in his school band from the age of six.
5.
Val Doonican began to perform in his hometown, often with his friend Bruce Clarke, and they had their first professional engagement as a duo in 1947.
6.
Val Doonican appeared in a summer season at Courtown Harbour, County Wexford.
7.
Val Doonican was featured on Irish radio, sometimes with Clarke, and appeared in Waterford's first-ever television broadcast.
8.
Val Doonican moved to England in 1951 and joined the Four Ramblers who, in addition to touring the variety stages, were featured on the BBC radio serial the Riders of the Range.
9.
Val Doonican was auditioned for radio as a solo act and appeared on the radio show Variety Bandbox.
10.
The series was a success and he was given another series on BBC1 called "Date with Val Doonican" starting on 22 February 1965.
11.
Doonican's songs about O'Rafferty were popular enough for the BBC to publish a book, Val Doonican Tells The Adventures of O'Rafferty, which retold five of the tales, in 1969.
12.
Val Doonican sang the theme song to the film Ring of Bright Water.
13.
Val Doonican won the BBC Television Personality of the Year award in 1966.
14.
Val Doonican was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1970.
15.
Eamonn Andrews, a fellow Irishman met him at the 18th green of the South Herts Golf Club as Val Doonican played a round of golf.
16.
Val Doonican wrote two volumes of autobiography, The Special Years and Walking Tall.
17.
Val Doonican met his wife, Lynette Rae, when she and the Ramblers supported Anthony Newley on tour.
18.
Val Doonican officially retired in 1990 but was still performing in 2009.
19.
Val Doonican had a second home in Spain, and was a keen golfer and a talented watercolour painter.
20.
Val Doonican died at a nursing home in Buckinghamshire on 1 July 2015, aged 88.
21.
Val Doonican was a very warm person and number one in his field.
22.
Val Doonican brought a lovely warmth with his personality and was a very popular man.