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Val Doonican Dead: Irish Singer And TV Presenter Dies, Aged 88

Val Doonican Dies, Aged 88
Matt Bagwell
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The singer and TV presenter, Val Doonican, has died at the age of 88.

The Irish star became a household name in the 1960s thanks to his TV series, ‘The Val Doonican Show’, and often performed in a rocking chair wearing an Aran jumper, which became his trademark.

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Val Doonican (1927 - 2015)

Born in 1927 in Waterford, Ireland, Val was the youngest of eight children.

After cutting his showbiz teeth performing in his hometown, he moved to England to join the Irish Quartet The Four Ramblers before going solo.

Following an appearance on ‘Sunday Night at the Palladium’ in 1963, he was offered his own TV show, which ran for over 20 years.

He had a string of chart hits with five of his albums making it into the Top 10 of the UK albums chart during the Sixties.

One of those releases, ‘Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently’ even managed to knock ‘Sgt Pepper’ by The Beatles off the top of the UK album chart in 1968.

Between 1964 and 1973 he was also rarely out of the UK Singles Chart with hits including ‘Walk Tall’, ‘The Special Years’, ‘Elusive Butterfly’, ‘What Would I Be’, ‘If The Whole World Stopped Loving’, and ‘Morning’.

He retired from showbusiness in 2009 after more than 60 years as a performer.

He is survived by his wife Lynn, daughters Sarah and Fiona and grandchildren Bethany and Scott.

RIP Val Doonican (1927-2015)
Photo of Val DOONICAN(01 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
Photo of Val DOONICAN(02 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
Val's Room(04 of36)
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28th January 1965: Irish singer, Val Doonican with guitar and Decca record player at his south London home shortly after the release of his record 'The Special Years'. (Photo by John Pratt/Keystone Features/Getty Images) (credit:John Pratt via Getty Images)
Val Doonican(05 of36)
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Portrait of singer Val Doonican, at the 'Cards for Causes' shop in Wigmore Street, London, November 28th 1968. (Photo by Mike Lawn/Fox Photos/Getty Images) (credit:Mike Lawn via Getty Images)
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UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Val DOONICAN; (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
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UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Val DOONICAN; Event: (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns) (credit:GAB Archive via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: TOP OF THE POPS Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by Ron Howard/Redferns) (credit:Ron Howard via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: TOP OF THE POPS Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by Ron Howard/Redferns) (credit:Ron Howard via Getty Images)
Val Doonican Performs On Tv Show(14 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Irish singer Val Doonican performs on a television show circa 1970. (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
Val Doonican Performs On Tv Show(15 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Irish singer Val Doonican performs on a television show circa 1970. (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
Val Doonican Performs On Tv Show(16 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Irish singer Val Doonican performs on a television show circa 1970. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Irish singer Val Doonican performs on a television show circa 1970. (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
Val Doonican Performs On Tv Show(18 of36)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Irish singer Val Doonican performs on a television show circa 1970. (Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns) (credit:Tony Russell via Getty Images)
Photo of Val DOONICAN(19 of36)
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UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Photo of Val DOONICAN; Val Doonican, posed, studio, with guitar (Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns) (credit:GAB Archive via Getty Images)
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Portrait of singer Val Doonican with his guitar, circa 1965. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone Features via Getty Images)
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Irish singer and entertainer Val Doonican with his guitar. Original Publication: People Disc - HC0034 (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
Val And Lynn Doonican(22 of36)
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Popular Irish singer and television personality Val Doonican, at home with his wife Lynn. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images) (credit:Evening Standard via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: Photo of Val DOONICAN; (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Val DOONICAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) (credit:David Redfern via Getty Images)
Sir John Dankworth memorial service(25 of36)
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Val Doonican arrives at The Stables in Milton Keynes for the Sir John Dankworth Memorial service following his funeral today. (credit:Chris Radburn/PA Archive)
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Val Doonican arrives at The Stables in Milton Keynes for the Sir John Dankworth Memorial service following his funeral today. (credit:Chris Radburn/PA Archive)
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File photo dated 10/09/00 of Singer and former television presenter Val Doonican. See PA story QUOTE_Pars. PRESS ASSOCIATION photo. Photo Credit should read: PA (credit:PA/PA Archive)
The Val Doonican Show - London Palladium - 1970(28 of36)
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Val Doonican (right) and Norman Vaughan at the London Palladium rehearsing for the Val Doonican Show. (credit:Barratts/S&G and Barratts)
BBC 40th anniv Val Doonican(29 of36)
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Singer and former television presenter Val Doonican and his wife Lynn arriving at BBC Television Centre in west London, for the recording of Night of 1000 Shows, a celebration of the TV centre's 40th anniversary. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Archive)
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Singer and performer Val Doonican with his wife Lynn at the Dorchester hotel. (credit:Sport and General/S&G and Barratts)
Entertainment - Star Sells Christmas Cards - London - 1968(31 of36)
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Val Doonican sells cards for good causes in a Wigmore street shop, helped by Helene Brinke. (credit:Barratts/S&G and Barratts)
Entertainment - Star Sells Christmas Cards - London - 1968(32 of36)
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Val Doonican sells cards for good causes in a Wigmore street shop. (credit:Barratts/S&G and Barratts)
Irish Singer Val Doonican Leaves Hospital After Treatment - London - 1970(33 of36)
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Val Doonican gets a farewell kiss from Sister Brenda Midgloy and Nurse Susan Toothill on the steps pf the Fitzroy-Nuffield Hospital, London. (credit:Sport & General/S&G and Barratts)
The Shops Where You're Served By The Stars - London - 1968(34 of36)
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Val Doonican, on of the first "Friends of the Fortyniners" (All Stars) to take his turn behind the counter, pictured here at the "Cards for Good Causes" shop at 54 Wigmore Stree, London W.1, loaded with cards to sell. (credit:Sport & General/S&G and Barratts)
Entertainment - Val Doonican - 1965(35 of36)
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British singer Val Doonican. (credit:Barratts/S&G and Barratts)
Entertainment - Television - Val Doonican Show - London - 1965(36 of36)
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Irish singer and entertainer Val Doonican in his dressing room. (credit:Barratts/S&G and Barratts)

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