Bingo and a parkrun on menu for Daniel and Majella on visit to Bere Island B&B

By Helen Riddell

IT seems Daniel and Majella O’Donnell just can’t get enough of West Cork. Having previously visited Skibereen and Bantry as part of their TV series Daniel and Majella’s B&B Road trip, the couple have now added Bere Island to their list of must-see places in the south-west.  

The new series, which started on RTE1 on Tuesday May 15th, will see Daniel and Majella visit Bere Island Lodge B&B run by Edel and Brendan Murphy.

Edel had seen an advert looking for people to take part in the new series. ‘I was in two minds whether to go for it, but a cousin of my husband’s, Audrey Murphy, encouraged me, so I applied, and we were delighted when we heard we were chosen. It’s great for the island and I felt privileged to be able host Daniel and Majella and show them our island.’

Edel has been running Bere Island Lodge since 2002. She also runs the local Bakehouse Café, and is mum to six children, five sons and one daughter ranging in ages from 10 to 19. Her husband Brendan runs one of the two island ferry services

Once Edel was contacted by the RTE team to say she had been picked to take part, she was sworn to secrecy by the production team. ‘We really couldn’t say a word to anyone, not even to the children. On the day the TV crew were due to arrive I finally told them, although I think our son Olan had guessed, he said that explained why I had been Googling Daniel O’Donnell all the time!’

Edel was thrilled to finally meet Daniel: ‘I’m one of a family of eight, and Daniel would have been a big part of our life growing up, my parents loved to hear his songs.’

It’s the first time the series has included a visit to one of the offshore islands, and Edel was delighted to show the couple all Bere Island has to offer. ‘It was great for Daniel and Majella to see the island way of life, and all the attractions we have here for visitors.’  

As part of their visit, the couple took part in a game of bingo with the islanders, and the following morning donned tracksuits and runners to take part in the weekly island parkrun.

Edel is now looking forward to a busy summer at Bere Island Lodge, ‘every room is now the O’Donnell Suite!’The programme on Bere Island will air on Tuesday 22nd May at 8.30pm on RTE1.