Biography
Michael Valentine Doonican, 3 February 1927, Waterford, Eire. Doonican learned to play the mandolin and guitar as a boy, and later toured northern and southern Ireland in various bands before travelling to England in 1951 to join an Irish vocal quartet, the Four Ramblers. He wrote the group’s vocal arrangements as well as singing and playing guitar in their BBC radio series Riders Of The Range. In the late 50s, on the advice of Anthony Newley, he went solo, and appeared on television in Beauty Box, and on radio in Dreamy Afternoon, later retitled, A Date With Val. In 1963 he was recommended to impresario Val Parnell by comedian Dickie Henderson, and gained a spot on ITV’s top-rated television show Sunday Night At The London Palladium. He made an immediate impact with his friendly, easy-going style and in 1964 commenced an annual series for BBC television, which ran until the 80s. He soon became one of the most popular entertainers in the UK, and was voted...
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