Were Rosie O’Donnell’s parents Irish? Roots explored amid comedian’s move to Ireland

Rosie O’Donnell has confirmed that she has officially moved to Ireland after President Donald Trump’s election.

On March 11, 2025, the comedian uploaded a TikTok video in which she told her followers that she had moved to Ireland on January 15, 2025, with her 12-year-old daughter Dakota, nicknamed Clay, as reported by the New York Post.

“It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful,” The 62-year-old said.

She added that she is in the process of getting her Irish citizenship as her grandparents were of Irish heritage. She continued that she would consider getting back only when it would be safe for all the citizens to have equal rights there in America.

O’Donnell was born on March 12, 1962, to Roseann Teresa (Murtha) and Edward Joseph O'Donnell, according to her IMDb profile. Her parents had strong Irish connections. Her father immigrated to the United States from County Donegal, Ireland, during his childhood while her mother’s parents had Irish heritage which influenced her decision, reported Irish American Museum DC.

But do you know O’Donnell had experienced a traumatic childhood? Here is what you need to know.

---

What happened to Rosie O’Donnell when she was a child?

Rosie O’Donnell had a traumatic time while she was growing up. She lost her mother, Roseann Teresa, at the age of 10 due to breast cancer. She was raised by her father along with her four siblings.

A 2019 report in Variety indicated that she was s*xually abused by her father, Edward Joseph at a young age:

“It started very young,” she said. “And then when my mother died, it sort of ended in a weird way, because then he was with these five children to take care of. On the whole, it’s not something I like to talk about.” She added.

The comedian mentioned how she felt “powerless and stuck,” because she had nobody to share it with because, “the person you would tell is the person doing it.” Her father passed away in 2015. This incident was described in Ramin Setoodeh’s new book, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of ‘The View’.

Since then she has been a staunch advocate for s*xual abuse victims and has raised her voice against s*xual predators such as Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski.

---

How many kids Rosie O’Donnell has?

Rosie O’Donnell is a mother to five adopted children since 1995—sons Parker, 29, and Blake, 25, and daughters Chelsea, 27, Vivienne, 22, and Dakota, 12, according to a report in People magazine.

She reportedly shares her first child, Parker (born in 1995) with her former wife, Kelli Carpenter. The couple adopted Chelsea in 1997. They adopted their third child, Blake in 1999 who keeps his personal life private.

They welcomed their fourth child, Vivienne in 2002. After marrying her second wife, Michelle Rounds, the couple adopted Dakota in 2013.

In her recent TikTok video, O'Donnell shared that she never thought that she:

"Would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are."

---

Many celebs decided to move out of the US after Trump's elections, including Ellen DeGeneres, Eva Longoria, Sharon Stone, America Ferrera, and Cher among others.