![\"brentwood-tn-27-august-2026-fans-gather-at-dolly-partons-nashville-area-home-in-brentwood-tennessee-to-pay-their-respects-people-have-come-from-all-over-the-world-to-leave-flowers-messages-and\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788071728_134_.jpeg\")
\n Flowers, messages and other gifts outside Dolly Parton’s Nashville home. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n
IF ONE THING became clear this week, it was that Dolly Parton had a profound impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since the news broke of her death on Tuesday, there has been a collective outpouring of affection for the legendary singer-songwriter and actress whose music has transcended generations, but who was also admired for her philanthropy and perceptible kindness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Famous faces from music, movies and beyond have been paying tribute to her life and legacy, with many commentators noting how her status as an American icon was the one thing that both sides of the political divide in the polarised US could agree on.<\/p>\n
\n Flowers, messages and other gifts outside Dolly Parton’s Nashville home. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n
Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n
Fans have also been remembering Parton. Flowers, handwritten letters and other memorabilia have been left outside the gates of her Nashville home, at her statue in her hometown of Sevierville, at her Dollywood resort and on her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, while millions of others have shared heartfelt tributes on social media.<\/p>\n
We asked our readers to tell us what it was that made them fans of Parton.<\/p>\n
This is what we were told.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u2018We could all resonate with her lyrics\u2019<\/p>\n
Gerard Quinn<\/strong> said that news of Parton\u2019s death was \u201ca sad day for all music lovers\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cDolly was many things, from a brilliant businesswoman, a very caring individual for those less well-off with her book initiative for children and her workers at Dollywood, to a fantastic storyteller with her music.\u201d<\/p>\n Quinn said her songs captured the hearts of everyone, no matter what their taste in music is. \u201cWe could all resonate with the lyrics in so many of her songs.\u201d<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n He added:<\/p>\n Now and then, you have someone that is a legend, but for about 40 years, she was a living legend and very few will ever achieve that status in their lifetime.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cRIP Dolly, and thanks for all the laughs, fun and great music you gave us over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Childhood had Dolly woven through\u2019<\/p>\n A woman<\/strong> who wished to remain anonymous told The Journal she was surprised by the level of sadness she felt since learning of Parton\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s because so many of my childhood memories have Dolly woven through them,\u201d she said, before going on to list some of her films and songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWatching 9 to 5 with Mum and my sisters, dancing and singing along. Watching the fabulously funny The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and loving all the songs \u2013 especially Hard Candy Christmas. And, of course, the original version of I Will Always Love You.\u201d<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n The reader said she remembered singing Here You Come Again in the kitchen with her mother, and \u201cbawling my eyes out\u201d while she watched the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, which Parton starred in with Sally Field, Julia Roberts and Shirley MacLaine.<\/p>\n She said what made Parton so special was that the singer always seemed such a positive, warm and non-judgmental person, qualities that reminded her of her mother.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why this has hit me harder than I expected. So many of my Dolly memories involve Mum, and somehow losing Dolly has made me miss Mum all over again.\u00a0<\/p>\n Funny how music can do that \u2013 one song and you\u2019re right back there, in the kitchen, in the car, or sitting beside someone you loved. Losing someone you never knew can make you miss someone you loved so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u2018Always there\u2019<\/p>\n Another woman<\/strong> wanted to thank Parton for being \u201ca lifelong and sometimes only friend\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn happy times, sad times and unsure times, going inward with only you in my ears, the world seemed a whole lot better and some of it even made sense.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she did not remember the first time she heard Parton\u2019s music, and that she was \u201calways just there\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n \u201cFrom childhood, motherhood, womanhood, life, your songs have meant so many different things throughout, but you have always been and will continue to be a constant,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for your songs, your sparkle, your talent, your love, your knowing. The brightest of lights, may you continue to light all our paths.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018The epitome of good\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Sean Bergin<\/strong> (40s) from Co Laois described Parton as \u201cthe epitome of good\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile I\u2019m personally not a big fan of country music, I\u2019ve always enjoyed her brilliant lyrics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n One of the things he admired most about her was her faith. \u201cAs a confirmed atheist, I\u2019ve always truly respected her version of Christianity, the one that leads with love and kindness. She didn\u2019t use her beliefs to berate others.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the other thing he admired most was her philanthropy.<\/p>\n As someone who has worked in the charity sector for years, seeing someone use their wealth for good is always so inspiring.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cHer Imagination Library is an incredible example of this that has made such a difference to millions of children, as well as her other endeavours in this area. Rest well, Dolly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018I saw a tear in the eye\u2019<\/p>\n Gareth English<\/strong> (40s), from Dublin but now living in Canada, recalled his father John telling him \u201cwith a very straight face\u201d at a family gathering around 30 years ago that he introduced Parton to Ireland in 1968.<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n \u201cAsked if he ever met her, he said he hadn\u2019t. He provided no more information. It\u2019s been a family joke ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n The family were celebrating his sister\u2019s birthday on Wednesday when they learned of her death. Gareth said it \u201cabsolutely changed our mood\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cMy dad, who is the same age as Dolly, sat in front of the TV, didn\u2019t speak a word and watched many YouTube videos of her songs. He would never admit it but I\u2019m sure I saw a tear in the eye.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018A joy and inspiration\u2019<\/p>\n Susan Daly, <\/strong>originally from Tipperary and our managing editor,\u00a0said she is \u201cso glad\u201d that she got to bring her mother to see Parton in The Point (now the 3Arena) in 2014. \u201cIt was full circle from a childhood soundtracked by her singular voice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cDolly had huge resonance for Irish women of a similar generation; my mother, just a few years younger, was also one of a big family \u2013 16 children \u2013 brought up in a tiny cottage.<\/p>\n Many Irish women, not that long ago, had limited opportunities, but built a resilience and a drive to make things better for the next generation coming after. Dolly was a joy and inspiration to us both.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Some quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"IF ONE THING became clear this week, it was that Dolly Parton had a profound impact on the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":663241,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[75],"tags":[67586,18,117,19,17,55236,70755],"class_list":["post-663240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-dolly-parton","tag-eire","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-tributes","tag-your-stories"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/117183076416807674","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=663240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/663241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=663240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=663240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=663240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"dolly-parton-at-her-concert-on-october-9-2010-in-nashvilletennessee-usa\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788071729_370_.jpeg\")
\n Dolly Parton performing in Nashville in 2010. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n\n
![\"9-to-5-1980nine-to-five-1980lily-tomlin-as-violet-newsteaddolly-parton-as-doralee-rhodesjane-fonda-as-judy-bernlyfilmstill-editorial-use-on\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788071729_569_.jpeg\")
\n Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda in 9 to 5 (1980) Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n\n
![\"dolly-parton-photographed-in-the-1970s-nancy-barr-brandonmediapunch\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788071730_866_.jpeg\")
\n Dolly Parton in the 1970s. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n\n
![\"dolly-parton-performing-in-concert-at-the-o2-dublin-featuring-dolly-parton-where-dublin-ireland-when-11-jun-2014\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1788071731_839_.jpeg\")
\n Dolly Parton performing in Dublin in 2014. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n\n