Donna Taggart

Donna Taggart (born 24 August 1985) is a Northern Irish Celtic singer and musician. She is best known for her 2016 track "Jealous of the Angels".

Born in Clanabogan and educated at the University of Liverpool, she was very shy growing up, and spent many years working with children with additional challenges. She first performed aged 22 at the funeral of her best friend's sister; her debut album, Celtic Lady Vol. 1, attracted attention after being played by Gerry Anderson. In 2016, her cover version of Jenn Bostic's "Jealous of the Angels" went viral on Facebook, prompting her second album Celtic Lady Vol. 2 to top the Billboard World Albums chart and enter the Scottish Albums Chart at No. 97. In 2019, the song re-entered the charts, peaking on the UK Singles Downloads Chart at No. 85 after being referenced on the cooking competition Great British Menu. The following year, Taggart and other Irish celebrities filmed videos for her former employer Western Health and Social Care Trust encouraging viewers to stay at home. She is married to Colm McGaughey, who managed Augher St Macartan's GAC, and has three surviving children.

Life and career

Early life and Celtic Lady Taggart was born on 24 August 1985 in Clanabogan, and is the eldest of five girls. Both her parents were singers; her father, Mark Taggart, was also a tradesman and builder. To pay for college, she worked as a cleaner at Omagh County Hospital, where she met future Augher St Macartan's GAC manager Colm McGaughey, who at the time was working at the hospital in IT; while Taggart was on maternity leave, as a double A-side with a cover of Foy Vance's "Guiding Light". The following month, the success of the song caused Celtic Lady Vol. 2 to top the Billboard World Albums chart By February 2017, the video had 80,000,000 views on Facebook; and was subsequently invited to perform the track at that year's Peace Officers Memorial Day, He went through to that week's final, broadcast the following day, but did not make it through to the final. The following week, the song charted at No. 85 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart. (for whom Taggart had previously worked as a child services co-ordinator) In a November 2016 interview with the Irish Examiner, Taggart cited Mary Black, Eva Cassidy, and Alison Krauss as influences. Taggart and McGaughey have a daughter born in November 2013, A further son, due in December 2014, was miscarried the previous August, and Donna used a February 2017 interview with the Belfast Telegraph to credit her faith and a miscarriage storyline on Coronation Street involving Steve and Michelle McDonald for helping her get through this period.