Westlife

"> Thursday, August 14, 2003

24th July 2003

ConCeRt BaCk HomE

As Sligo prepares for an influx this Friday evening of more than 20,000 Westlife fans for the biggest musical extravaganza in the city's history, gárdaí have this morning issued a last-minute appeal to motorists and members of the public to adhere to the traffic diversions and restrictions that will be in force.

And local residents in areas around Markievicz Park, venue for the last concert in the supergroup's "Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Tour", have been urged to immediately hand in their names and addresses to Sligo County Council so that they will be allowed through garda checkpoints in the runup to what is expected to be the greatest show Sligo has ever seen.
Gates to Markievicz Park will open at about 6 p.m. with the show starting about 7:30 p.m. Westlife is expected to take the stage at about 8:30 p.m.

This morning, Supt. John Fitzgerald said the gárdaí had plans for traffic diversions, depending on the traffic flow.

Motorists travelling out of Sligo up Pearse Road will be turned right into Circular Road and across toward the government buildings where they will turn left, and later turning left again at Tonafortes onto the Carraroe roundabout.

Supt. Fitzgerald explained that motorists coming into Sligo and not attending the concert would be diverted at Carraroe roundabout toward Oakfield/Maugheraboy. However, he emphasised that this would only include cars as big buses and lorries might not get through some of the low railway bridges on the diversion route.

The Superintendent said that people attending the concert could park in Higgins's field at Carraroe. Others would be diverted by the Holy Well Road and could come down to the racecourse where more parking place will be available. The county council car park at Londis supermarket at Cleveragh Road will also be available

"There will be no parking whatsoever in the area around Markievicz Park," Supt. Fitzgerald warned.

He added that it was also important that young children attending the concert were accompanied and that prearrangements were made about where people were dropped off and picked up.

Those attending the concert have also been advised that as the event is outdoors, they should dress appropriately for the weather, and that they should exit the park the way they came in. Catering concessions will be available inside the venue while only official merchandising will be available inside the grounds.

Organisers have also pointed out that cameras, recording equipment, umbrellas, flag poles, alcohol, bottles or cans will not be allowed into the grounds.

During the concert, the county council's civil defence teams will be on hand as well as the fire service and the Order of Malta, while the North Western Health Board will have its ambulances and staff available.

And a special area has been set aside for people with disabilities to watch the concert.

For the Sligo members of Westlife – Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily, already Freemen of the Borough – the Markievicz Park concert is the dream of playing in their home town finally come true. Indeed, the last time Shane and Kian played in Markievicz Park, it was when they togged out to play Gaelic football for local teams, St. John's and St. Mary's.

It's also expected that Westlife fans from around the world will converge on the town to see for themselves where the Westlife story began.

Among those already in town to see the group are sisters Jeanette Clausen and Helle Norbork from Denmark, having been at the group's concerts in Glasgow and Sheffield.

"We have been following Westlife since they started and we always dreamed of coming to Sligo to see the town where Mark and Kian grew up," Jeanette told The Sligo Champion yesterday, Tuesday, afternoon.

The event will also be a big occasion for Sligo's Conway sisters – Sharon, 24; Sinead, 21; Marie, 19; and Laura, 16 – who have been chosen as the support for Westlife. The high-profile appearance comes just before the girls release their debut single, "What Do You Do," next month.

Meanwhile, as the days, hours and minutes finally tick down to the start of Friday evening's concert, 15 trucks and 10 buses will ferry the group's equipment to Sligo. About 1,700 people have been working to prepare the Markievicz Park venue, with 1,000 people working there on Friday night alone, all to create for Westlife fans a very special "World of Our Own" – to paraphrase the title one of the group's many hits.

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Tuesday, August 12, 2003

23rd July 2003

On a wing and a prayer in Westlifes tribute to Jade

Top of the pops: Jade's sister, 6-year-old Mia Skain, with Kian, Nicky and Shane at the Sheffield Arena

On a wing and a prayer in Westlife's tribute to Jade

ACCIDENT VICTIM Jade Skain has been sent special get well wishes - from her pop idols Westlife.

The 13-year-old, who was knocked down by a car almost four weeks ago, had planned to go and see the band perform in Sheffield, but is still very poorly in hospital.

Although she was recently moved out of intensive care, Jade, of Southsea Road, Woodhouse, has not spoken since the accident and still has only limited movement.

Doctors are unsure what lasting effects Jade will suffer as a result of fracturing her skull after being hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing on Retford, Road, Handsworth.

The Handsworth Grange pupil was on her way home from school when the accident happened on June 27, and over a dozen schoolmates watched the horror unfold.

Since Jade was injured, her parents Jane, aged 31, and Dean , 34, have kept a vigil at her bedside in the Sheffield Children's Hospital and their youngest daughter Mia has moved in with Jane's mum Maureen Simmonite, and her partner Mac McClarence, of New Cross Walk, Woodhouse.

The family has already had to cancel a planned holiday, and they auctioned Jade's tickets to see Westlife to raise money for the Children's Hospital as they knew she would be unable to see her heroes perform.
But when the Irish quintet read about Jade in The Star last week they wanted her to know they were thinking of her.

So the caring lads invited Maureen and Mia to see them perform at the Hallam FM Arena last night.

Despite a hectic schedule on the penultimate performance of their three-and-a-half month Unbreakable tour, Bryan, Nicky, Shane, Kian and Mark all took the time to meet the pair before the show.

As the lads posed for pictures they all sent Jade their love, and when Nicky found out he was Jade's favourite band member he gave Mia a kiss to 'pass on' to her big sister!

Then, during their performance, thoughtful Nicky dedicated the band's chart topping hit Flying Without Wings "to Jade in hospital".
Maureen said: "When Nicky dedicated the song to Jade, I cried. It was so nice of him, they are such lovely lads, so ordinary and caring.
"I had originally felt guilty about going because I didn't want to be enjoying myself while Jade was in hospital but I decided to come for her, and for Mia as well.

"Mia has been so good throughout this whole thing, so she deserved something too."

Maureen added: "Jade is improving a little at a time and we think she can understand what we are saying

"What Westlife have done for her was such a nice thing and we are all very grateful.

"I am sure it will put a smile on Jade's face."

choice of France instead of Ireland for the nuptials.

Hello! magazine are paying them a staggering £700,000 for exclusive rights for photographing the big day and the sum they pocket will be tax- free because they are getting married in France.

If the wedding had taken place in their native Republic of Ireland or in the United Kingdom they would have had to hand over a third of the fee to the tax man.

A source at Hello! magazine said that the Ahern-Byrne wedding would boost sales of their magazine.

Girls Aloud singer, Nadine Coyle, will sing in the church and Ronan Keating will perform at the reception.

Heart throbs Westlife wont be playing at Nicky Byrne's posh wedding to Georgina Ahern next month-So they can all "enjoy the big day"

PR girl Joanne Byrne-who's organising the wedding said "The Westlife lads are like brothers and they all just want to enjoy the day, Its special for all of them aswel as Nicky and Georgina.The lads will want to have a few drinks and relax-it would be to hard to try and keep the sober all day to play a few songs later on"

Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle will sing hymes at the church ceremony and Ronan Keating will perform at the reception.

The couple have signed a mega-bucks deal with Hello! Magazine for exclusive photos of the day.

But Joanne rubbished reports in a Sunday paper that the deal was worth 1million

She said "I don't know where they got the figure from,it was nearer to €500,000."

Joanne also denied reports the couple were getting hitched in France to avoid paying tax on the Cash.

She said "Nicky's already made his millions, The only reason they're getting hitched in France is because its always been their dream location for a wedding"

And she poured cold water on the stories that the wedding would cost a whopping €400,000. she said "Im in charge so I should Know, there's no way I would rent a marque for 100,000 as some paper claimed and the over all cost of the wedding is substantially less than €400,000.

However the Hello! Deal will save Bertie from forking out thousands of euros for his daughters bash!

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Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Westlife give their support to good causes

Westlife have supported a line of good causes during their reign at the top of the charts. The band have never been ones to shy away from any cause, but especially ones that help children. The band have worked consistently for Childline. This year they presented the sixth Childline concert. Nicky, Bryan and Mark who sported a new blonde hairstyle did the honours. By the end of the night, Childline had received E200,000 . Childline is one of Ireland’s biggest charities and is one ...

Westlife are undisputed pop chart champions

Westlife’s greatest success has been in the UK charts where they scored seven consecutive No. 1 hit singles.
In contrast their Irish run came to 3 when “I Have A Dream/Seasons In The Sun) was kept off the top of the Irish Christmas charts in 1999 by Eminem.
However, whichever way you judge their success it is just that, a success. They have sold millions of singles and albums all over the world.
Each of their four No. 1 albums is a million seller in itself while they set a UK chart ...

The hottest gig of the year

Westlife are not making a profit from their homecoming gig in Sligo. Singer Kian Egan denied claims that the band are set to make huge amounts of money from the concert this Friday.

He said: “This is not a profit-making concert. We have not come home to cash in on the people who have been loyal to us all along. This is for our home fans to enjoy.”

Kian explained how it will take up to 70 trucks to bring the show to town and 170 people to set it up.

“It’s a three day set-up and a two day take-down. All these people need to be accommodated in the town and looked after,” he said.

The first two days will be spent laying down the majority of the stage.
“The final day will see the band’s own stage get set up. It’s like a stage on another stage,” Kian explained.

Trucks began arriving at Markievicz Park last Sunday and preparations for the concert have begun.

Kian was speaking from Sheffield last Friday where the band were finishing the British leg of their Unbreakable Greatest Hits tour.

“It is great to be finishing our Greatest Hits tour in Sligo. We couldn’t have expected better.

“We won’t have a chance to meet and greet fans, there would just be too many.”
The band’s hectic tour continues as they fly to London the following morning to record their new single Hey Whatever. There are talks of filming the video in Cuba.

“We won’t be having an aftershow party in Sligo. We are all doing our own thing. I will be spending time with friends and family afterwards. It would cause mayhem if we went down town for a drink anyway.”

Kian did have this message for the fans: “It’s going to be proud day for us. We want our fans to come and really enjoy themselves. People all over the world have been asking us what Sligo is like. They often said they’d come to Sligo if we played there.

“The gig is going to be the same as what fans have seen all over the world. We are really looking forward to it.”

Meanwhile, Sligo trio the Conway Sisters were confirmed yesterday as one of the supporting acts for the concert.

This is the first outdoor concert for Sinead, Marie and Laura Conway, but it kick-starts a busy summer.

After the Westlife concert, the girls will be playing at the Rosses Point Mackerel Festival, as part of the Sligo Rocks Festival and will also be releasing their debut single to radio stations on August 7.

The girls have nearly a full album’s worth of material recorded with renowned British producer Simon Hill at his studio in London.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Markievicz Park will be transformed for concert

This Thursday Markievicz Park will be a hive of activity as the Westlife show comes to town.
Getting the stage set for the band’s homecoming is a massive job which will involve a crew of about 120 people who will transform Markievicz Park into a concert arena for the event.
It will take 15 trucks and 10 tour buses to bring all the necessary equipment to town.
Statistics like this are something the band has gotten used to as they tour Europe with the Unbreakable Hits Tour. But Shane ...

Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Shane’s wedding to have a Christmas theme

Shane Filan’s wedding is going to be a huge affair coupled with a Christmas theme.
It’s the day Shane Filan’s female fans have been dreading. After five years of courtship, the countdown is on to the day the pop idol gets hitched this year.
The day is Sunday December 28. The ceremony takes place in Ballintubber Abbey with the reception in nearby Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo.
Shane admits that his childhood sweetheart Gillian Walsh from Maugheraboy is doing most of the preparation ...

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Tuesday, July 22, 2003

A world wide web of band fanatics

Fanaticism and boy bands go back a long time. Elvis won the hearts of millions of screaming girls, likewise the Beatles.
With the advent of modern technology, particularly the internet, pop fanaticism has reached new heights.
Ten years ago girls would have put pictures of their favourite band on their bedroom wall. Now they put it on their own website, dedicated to their pop idols.
Westlife have more than their fair share of fan websites, some even a match for their own official ...

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22nd July 2003

Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Flying Filan spends life in the fast lane

Since Shane Filan has been legally old enough to drive he has never been short of a set of wheels.
The Westlife superstar has a love affair with all things automotive and has a particular passion for BMW and Ferrari.
Indeed, one of Shane’s first cars was a BMW, a silver 3 series coupe with massive 18 inch wheels which was regularly seen cruising the streets of Sligo or parked outside the Carlton Cafe.
With his rise to fame and his immense fortune, estimated to be north of E2 ...

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24th July 2003

Westlife do rock cover

Pop sensations, Westlife are teaming up with Irish rockers Relish for their next chart-topping bid!

Westlife have recorded the Relish track Rainbow Zephyr, and plan to release it as their next single.

The pop idols, who will record the video for the track in London next week, are planning to rename their version of the single Yeah Whatever.

"It's a very uplifting soul-come-rock track that the band just love," said a spokesperson.

"I think they've got another big hit on their hands with this release."

Relish's song Rainbow Zephyr was the second single from their debut album, Wildflower.

Westlife are long-time fans of the rock band, which features Ken Papenfus, Carl Papenfus and Darren Campbell from Down Patrick in Co. Down.

"They love Relish and regard them as a really talented group so they really wanted to do justice to the song."

Shane, Mark, Kian, Bryan and Nicky are keeping their fingers crossed that the single will be their twelfth number one hit in Britain.

If they succeed they will match the record set by Cliff Richard and the Shadows who are second in the table of music acts with the most number one hits in Britain.

However, they still have a long way to go to top the table as The Beatles still hold the record with 17 number one hits.

Westlife celebrated their eleventh number one single in Britain last November with the release, Unbreakable

Music by Westlife is to feature in this year's Edinburgh Military Tattoo festival. Queen of My Heart is to be played by the 500 strong massed pipes and drums band

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