Majella O’Donnell has raised almost $535,000 (€400,000) for the Irish Cancer Society after she shaved her head on live TV  to raise funds for the charity.

Thousands of people tuned into Friday night's Late Late Show on RTE to watch the cancer sufferer shave her blond locks as part of her fundraising efforts.

O’Donnell, the wife of singer Daniel O’Donnell, choked back tears on Monday morning when told by Late Late presenter Ryan Tubridy on his radio show how much her charity efforts had raised.

A surge of traffic caused the Irish Cancer Society’s website to crash several times over the weekend.

She said she thought that if she raised €10,000 she would be doing well, but her husband told her to aim for €100,000.

“I thought I’ll aim for €50,000 and that if I aim for the stars I’ll get the Moon. Mother of God almighty and Heaven above, it is absolutely incredible,” she said.

The 53-year-old was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and began a course of chemotherapy treatment last week.

Tubridy said the reaction he received to Fridays edition of the Late Late was the greatest he had seen in his time presenting the show.

To donate to the Irish Cancer Society log on here.