Mark Donnelly
MEDonnelly.png
Born (1960-02-29) February 29, 1960 (age 62)
Vancouver, British Columbia
OccupationOpera singer[1][2]
Known forAnthem singer for the Vancouver Canucks (2001– Dec 2020)
SpouseCatherine
Websitemarkemersondonnelly.com

Mark Emerson Donnelly (born February 29, 1960) is a Canadian singer noted for singing the national anthem "O Canada" at the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks home games.[3]

Biography[edit]

Donnelly was born and raised in Vancouver and North Delta, playing ice hockey from the age of 12.[4] After earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia,[5] he began singing national anthems for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League while working for a Scranton, Pennsylvania parish.[4] After he and his family moved back to Vancouver, he started doing the same for the Vancouver Canucks beginning in 2001.[4]

He made a cameo appearance in the TV show Psych, playing an opera singer in the season four premiere episode "Extradition: British Columbia", and then another cameo appearance as a singer in the final episode "Apotheosis" of the science fiction series Caprica.

He, his wife Catherine, and their nine children currently reside in White Rock, British Columbia.[4] His brother, Lawrence, is the priest of Sts. Joachim and Ann Parish in Aldergrove. He is a staunch supporter of the Canadian anti-abortion movement.[6][2][7][8]

On December 4, 2020, the Vancouver Canucks cut ties with Donnelly, via Twitter, after it came out that he planned on singing at an anti-mask rally.[9][10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Surrey Now (2011-12-22). "Much thinner singer sounds off prior to concert". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2013-07-04.[dead link]
  2. ^ a b Mooney, Harrison (June 1, 2012). "Canucks' anthem singer Mark Donnelly sings "O Canada" at launch of New Abortion Caravan". Ca.sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
  3. ^ Krishnan, Manisha (10 June 2011). "North Van teacher croons for Canucks". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Stone, Felicity (July 1, 2011). "At home with ... Mark Donnelly". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Game Entertainment / Mark Donnelly". Vancouver Canucks website. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  6. ^ "Mark Donnelly Sings Anthem at Anti-Abortion Rally". 1 June 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ^ "For Immediate Release: Abortion Advocates Shout Down National Anthem Sung By Mark "Mr. O Canada" Donnelly" (Press release). Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. May 31, 2012. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  8. ^ Rumohr, Nathan (June 23, 2012). "Anthem singer sings and believes in O Canada". The B.C. Catholic Paper. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  9. ^ Mooney, Harrison (December 5, 2020). "Canucks cut ties with anthem singer Mark Donnelly over plan to sing at anti-mask rally". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "Vancouver Canucks' anthem singer gets the boot over plans to perform at anti-mask rally". CBC News. December 4, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.

External links[edit]

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