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“Although I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child,” said the comedian, who shared that she moved to Ireland just days before Trump took office.
Rosie O’Donnell has revealed she’s moved to Ireland.
On Tuesday, the comedian shared a nine-minute video on TikTok, in which she confirmed that she moved to Ireland on January 15 with her 12-year-old child, Clay, just days ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
O’Donnell’s video comes after she shared photos on Instagram of herself driving “on the wrong side of the road” last week, hinting that she was living abroad.
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“It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful,” she began in her video, adding that she’s “in the process” of getting her Irish citizenship, noting that she has Irish grandparents.
“Although I was never someone who thought I 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,” added O’Donnell, who shared Clay with her late wife, Michelle Rounds.
The former View host went on to say that while she and Clay, who is non-binary, are enjoying their life in Ireland, she does miss the US — but stressed that America needs to make a big change before she feels that it’s “safe” to return.
“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy. I miss my other kids,” the mom of five said. “I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home, and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country.”
“And when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” O’Donnell continued.
The TV personality — who has been an open critic of Trump — said that it’s been difficult to see what’s been happening across the pond.
“It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well,” O’Donnell said. “The personal is political, as we all know.”
“I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through. And now as we’re getting settled, I was ready to post this and to tell everybody what’s been going on,” she said.
As for her life in Ireland, O’Donnell shared that she’s “met a bunch of people,” saying everyone has been “friendly,” including a pal named Tom, whom she said has “taken me under his wing and showed me around Dublin.”
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The actress also apologized to those who may have been concerned about “what’s been going on” in her life, saying, “Sorry for those of you who were worried and who missed me.”
“I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions,” she continued, adding that she felt “ready to post” her video about the news now that she and Clay are “getting settled.”
O’Donnell, 62, went on to share words of encouragement for her fellow Americans during this turbulent time.
“I encourage everyone to stand up, to use their voice, to protest, to demand that we follow the Constitution in our country, and not a king, not a man,” she said. “We don’t have cruelty as part of our governing style.”
After sharing more details about her life in Ireland, O’Donnell ended her video by expressing an inspirational message for her US followers.
“Protect your sanity is all I can say,” she said. “Protect your sanity as much as you can, and try not to swim in the chaos if possible, but I know it’s nearly impossible when you’re there in the middle of it.”
“And I think about everyone every day and the United States of America,” she concluded. “And I am hoping that we can turn things around, counting on you, all of you, to do what’s right. And I think deep down inside, we all know what that is.”
O’Donnell’s TikTok video comes after her recent posts on Instagram appeared to hint that she had moved to Ireland. (She recently made her Instagram account private.)
On January 15, the date she confirmed on Tuesday that she left Los Angeles, O’Donnell posted a throwback photo with the caption, “off we go from beautiful suffering los angeles- i will hold u in my heart forever- a dozen years since this photo – savor each moment my friends.”
In the nearly two months since, she has been sharing photos, which have been confirmed to be of her new life in Ireland. O’Donnell has posted Ireland landscape photos, shared that she was watching rugby at a pub, and even expressed that she’d be interested in being a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent.
Last week, she posted a selfie of herself in a car, see above, writing, “bought a little used car to tool around the countryside on the wrong side of the road – hit the curb three times – thought i hit a cat !!! #newadventures❤️.”
