Dolly Parton dies at 80, remembered for Ireland bond and Kerry jersey

Dolly Parton, the legendary American country music star, has died at the age of 80. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her passing on social media on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. While celebrated globally for hits like "9 to 5" and "Jolene," Parton maintained a deep and enduring connection with Ireland, a bond highlighted by her family and friends in the wake of her death.

Parton's relationship with Ireland was marked by both professional engagements and personal affection. She performed sellout concerts in the country, including a 2002 tour with shows in Belfast and Dublin, and a final three-day run in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork in 2014. Beyond the stage, she championed children's literacy through her Imagination Library, which launched in Ireland in 2019. The program, which sends free books to young children, has delivered hundreds of thousands of books across the country since its pilot in Tallaght.

However, one of the most cherished stories shared after her death involves an impromptu performance in a County Kerry pub in 1990. While on holiday in Ireland with her friend Walter Hagan, Parton visited Páidí Ó Sé's pub in Ventry. According to accounts, she was persuaded to sing for...