!! Please don't take SF-NL's news for your own site. In stead put up a link to Shane Filan NL and let people read the news where you found it, on here. I know some fans still take SF-NL's news despite my request, and post it on messageboards rather then posting the site's link. If you're one of them, not wanting to put up a link to SF-NL for some reason, please at least do credit.

 

 WESTLIFE'S SHANE RAISES THE ROOF
 

THIS is the stately mansion where Westlife millionaire Shane Filan hopes to settle down with his childhood sweetheart Gillian Walsh.

The massive house is in its final stages of construction and the pop star believes it will be finished by the New Year.

Complete with a private gym, snooker room, music room with grand piano and a fully-equipped bar, the plush pad in Carraroe, Co Sligo rivals homes of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.

In fact, Filan is fast gaining a reputation as being Ireland's answer to David Beckham.

The 100ft-wide sprawling house stands on its own site just across the road from the stables where heart-throb Filan's collection of 20 showjumpers is kept.

Friends say the star helped design the 'party' house after buying the site and a cottage across the road from it where he has built the specially-constructed concrete stables to house his horses.

And he hopes that long-time girlfriend Gillian will share the plush estate with him once he returns to Sligo for good.

Filan will be greeted by an imposing spiral staircase in an enormous hallway when he enters his completed house.

On the ground floor, a games room with a full-size snooker table, bar, living room, family room and sitting room, along with huge open plan lounge areas will provide plenty of space for any entertaining Filan wishes to do.

A dining room and music room complete the ground floor. The two rooms add to the contemporary design by measuring in the full height of the house - from floor to roof.

Five bedrooms including a master bedroom with walk-in wardrobes and a huge en-suite bathroom, a lobby and a large gym and TV room have been constructed in the house which is ready to be roofed.

Friends say Filan is planning to spare no cost on the decoration of the house he hopes to share with blonde Gillian.

The singer has earned himself a reputation as a big spender over the past few years.

His sister now drives the 1994 three series BMW he bought as his first car when Westlife hit the big time.

His father uses his EUR50,420 BMW five series to get around town in and girlfriend Gillian got a BMW 330 injection coupe at a cost of EUR58,420 as her Valentine present.

Filan himself drives a Ferrari Spider worth a massive EUR289,500, a BMW sports 330 convertible worth EUR64,820, a EUR92,770 BMW X5 jeep, and a EUR50,000 Mitsubishi Pajero.

Horse-mad Filan hopes to become a full-time stud owner when his career on the international stage comes to an end.

Along with his brother Liam, he has bought up horses which he hopes will make him as famous in showjumping circles as he is in the world of pop music.

Although he has travelled the world, Filan admits that he is a home bird at heart and loves spending time in his native Sligo with his girlfriend and friends.

He recently told how he and Gillian, a cousin of bandmate Kian, love nothing better than hanging out with their friends at home.

"We've been together around a year-and-a-half now, but I've known her since I was about 12 and we were in musicals together," he said.

"She was actually one of my first girlfriends when we were teenagers and dated for a few weeks. But she's really great and I'm crazy about her.

"I talk to her a couple of times a day, thank God for mobile phones.

"We haven't gone public with our relationship. We prefer to sit in a pub in Sligo and have a laugh with our mates."

Shane is currently spending a few weeks at home before he jets out to the US with Westlife who are hoping to crack the US charts.

 
Source: MGN 2002

 

 WILD WESTLIFE DOCUMENTARY / PART 1-10
 

Watch the Westlife Documentary 'Wild Westlife' from 2002, part  1 - 10.

Click here to watch the ten parts.


 

 
Source: YouTube / Credits: Jodie for uploading and allowing SF-NL to link the parts

 

 PM GETS WESTLIFE AUTOGRAPHS
 

Prime Minister Tony Blair bagged autographs from Irish boy band Westlife after his speech to the Labour party spring conference in Glasgow last weekend.

Westlife were due to play at a Young Labour reception when they crossed paths with the PM.

A spokesman for the Labour Party said: "Like any dad, felt he wouldn't get away alive if he didn't get home with an autograph for his daughter." Kathryn Blair, who is almost 13, is a big fan of the group.

The spokesman said that Mr Blair got autographs from the whole group - Shane Filan, Mark Feehilly, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Bryan McFadden.

Westlife were formed in 1998 when Boyzone's Ronan Keating pulled together a new Irish pop act from scratch.

They made pop history by becoming the first act to have six consecutive singles go to the top of the UK chart.

They entered the Guinness Book Of Records when their fifth single, Fool Again, went straight in at number one.

Then they broke their own record with a version of Phil Collins's 1984 song Against All Odds.

Westlife's next UK single with be a cover of Billy Joel's Uptown Girl in aid of Comic Relief.

The single is released on 5 March.

 
Source:  BBC News

 

 THE WESTLIFE MUSKETEERS
 

FEAR not, damsels in distress – the five musketeers of pop have arrived to save the day.

Irish boyband Westlife swap their usual black polo-necked sweaters for frilly cuffed shirts and black leather trousers in their swashbuckling latest video.

The promo for their next single, Bop Bop Baby, sees Nicky Byrne, Bryan McFadden, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Shane Filan as 17th century-style swordsmen. >>>


 

In the story they battle the villain, alias Vinnie Jones, to save the girl, played by Leah Wood.

The video sees them leaping into action, fighting the bad guys and even taking to horseback as they go all Errol Flynn to stop sneering Vinnie marrying Leah.

Mark, 21, who grew a goatee for the video, said: “It’s a real swashbuckling adventure.

“We all wanted to be heroes but we didn’t want just one guy to get the girl in the end so we all go after her.

“We love the dressing up but to be honest we just wanted to get swords to play with.”

Shane, 22, sported Dick Whittington-style boots as he strode about the set and Bryan and Kian, both 21, looked like they could give famous movie swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks Jr a run for his money in their impressive outfits.

Tough nut Vinnie, defying anyone to poke fun at his wig with ringlets, joked on set: “I’m having a laugh but as usual I get to play the baddie — what a surprise.”

Leah, 23, daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, turned out to be the true heroine of the piece.

She stepped in to save the day after Naomi Campbell pulled out of the role of the damsel in distress at the last minute.

The boys are hoping the single, out on May 20, will give them their 11th No1 hit.

Much of the lavish video, which cost £500,000 to make, was filmed in the chapel on the campus of the US International University in Bushey, Herts.

The gothic building at the former college — which is now used mainly for telly filming — had just the olde worlde look the boys wanted for the video.

We just hope they were careful with the swords when the director shouted: “Cut!”

  
 

 
Source: SF-NL Archives

 

 WESTLIFE STARS' DOUBLE PROPOSAL
 

Sorry girls, but two more Westlife stars are off limits for good after asking their girlfriends to marry them. 

Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan both popped the question on Christmas Day with diamond rings.

It was a complete coincidence - neither knew the other was proposing!

'Yes!'

Both girls happily said yes.

Nicky's marrying Georgina Ahern, whose dad is Irish prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

The pair have been going out for eight years and have known each other since they were little.

When he was 12 Nicky told his mum he'd seen the girl he was going to marry. Aah!

Shane's fiancée is Gillian Walsh. She's bandmate Kian's first cousin.

We don't know when the happy days will be yet but maybe the boys will have a double wedding!

 
Source: CBBC Newsround

 

 WESTLIFE LOVES HONEY
 

Westlife have revealed the secret behind their sweet taste of success...honey!

They demanded a jar of honey before helping to launch a new North venue, saying that it would help them sing their hits at the official opening of Durham's £14m Gala Theatre.

They also asked for white towels in their dressing rooms to be swapped for blue ones.

A source said: "The boys asked for honey, presumably to help them sing. But getting hold of honey on a Sunday night is no easy task so in the end they had to do without. They also asked for the white towels in their dressing room to be changed for blue ones. Big stars do tend to ask for these special requirements before they perform."

They sang six of their hits, including Uptown Girl, to a sell-out crowd packed with screaming girls. They were only four strong as Bryan was still off with Kerry on their honeymoon.

A spokesman for Westlife said: "A lot of artists like to drink honey and lemon before performing. It is very good for the throat and helps them sing better. We can't comment on the blue towels because we have seen the lads use white towels before. The only other thing they like to do is give each other a hug before going on stage as a little good-luck superstition."

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 KIAN ESCAPES INJURY AT WESTLIFE GIG
 

Kian from Westlife nearly came a cropper as the Irish lads kicked off the first part of their UK tour.

Westlife opened their Belfast show singing World of Their Own.

They stood inside huge hanging globes, which they're then meant to jump out of.

But Kian realised that the rope holding his globe wasn't tight, so he didn't jump. If he had let go, he'd have fallen 50 feet!

Westlife's official website was relieved: "We know you're an angel Kian, but please don't try Flying Without Wings!"

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 WESTLIFE SINGER BACKS FRIEND'S CLAIM ON VIDEO 'WORTH SAME AS FOOTAGE
 OF BEATLES'
 

MILLIONAIRE popstar, Shane Filan, was home in Sligo yesterday to defend a school friend's claim on video footage of the band that went on to become Westlife.

The now valuable video footage of Shane Filan, Cian Egan and Mark Feehily - the three Sligo members of Westlife - when they were part of the teenage pop group, IOU, has become the centre of a bitter court battle between cameraman, Ciaran Carthy and the local production company which claims to have commissioned him.

Given the phenomenal success of Westlife, the footage, currently in a Sligo bank vault, is as valuable as early tapes of the Beatles performing in the Cavern in Liverpool, Sligo Circuit Court was told.

Fighting for ownership is producer, Mary McDonagh, musician, Padraig Meehan and theatre manager, Avril Dooher, trading as Streetwise Promotions.

They are suing Carthy for £30,000 for breach of contract, claiming they arranged for the professional photo shoot and video to be made following their popularity on stage as the interval act during a school performance of 'Grease'.

Westlife singer, Filan told yesterday's Circuit Court hearing that he and fellow Westlife member Mark Feehily, not Streetwise Promotions, had been responsible for getting Ciaran Carthy involved in filming them.

"We were feeling a bit famous in a small way and loving it. We wanted to document things because we were hoping in some way we would get famous," he told the court.

He insisted that despite their evidence to the contrary, IOU had never been managed by Streetwise Promotions.

"They showed us this contract they wanted us to sign and we would not sign it. They were never part of the management team, at any stage," he told the court.

Padraig Meehan, told the court that in April 1997 he agreed to enter a partnership with Mary McDonagh and Avril Dooher to manage IOU after he had seen them on stage.

"I was impressed with their ability to sing and dance. They were very enthusiastic. I was convinced from almost the first day that they were going to be a successful group," he said.

He testified that he met 18-year-old Ciaran Carthy in a bar in September 1997 and asked him to shoot video footage of the fledgling stars.

He admitted that no contract was ever signed with IOU and claimed that they ran up substantial debt during the months they managed the band.

By the end of 1997 when it became clear that the band was about to move to management with Louis Walsh, Streetwise attempted to formalise the arrangement with Ciaran Carthy and recover the master tapes of the footage which they believed was their property.

In May 1998, Carthy told Meehan that he had been offered £40,000 from a Cork film-maker for the tapes. Avril Dooher claimed that on behalf of the management, Padraig Meehan had approached Ciaran Carthy to video the band which was being bank-rolled by Mary McDonagh.

She said that following legal advice after the group had broken up, they requested invoices from Ciaran Carthy for work done which was subsequently paid from Mary McDonagh's personal account.

She said Streetwise was involved with everything to do with the band during those months, including costumes, transport, promotion and choreography.

Avril Dooher denied Streetwise only became interested in the tapes after the three former members of IOU began to achieve success as Westlife.

The case resumes on Friday.

 
Source: Irish Independent - 2002

 

 WESTLIFE SAY MOVIE RUMOURS ARE RUBBISH
 

Westlife say they've got no plans to make a movie.

Some unconfirmed showbiz reports said the boy band were to start filming Westlife: The Movie early next year.

Loads more Westlife

But the boys have told our entertainment programme Newsround Lite the rumours are a load of rubbish!

"It's just not going to happen. That's the bottom line," said Mark.

He went on to explain it would be impossible to make a film because the story of the band's still being told.

"If we ever do make a movie it won't be for a long time.

"We're still in the middle of the story so we can't start making a film until the story's finished," said Mark.

But Mark did say if they ever change their minds and decide to make a movie it will be nothing like the Spiceworld, the Spice Girls' film.

Instead it would be based on their real lives.

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 WESTLIFE GETS SIX OF THE BEST AT POP AWARDS
 

POP group Westlife rounded off a record-breaking year by yesterday taking six titles at one of pop's biggest award shows, including the prize 'Best Band on Planet Pop'.

The group, which last night won the Record of the Year 2000 Award for the single My Love, was presented with the titles in front of thousands of screaming fans at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party at London Arena.

But the Spice Girls followed its album flop Forever by picking up four of the most dubious honours, including worst group.

The group got the worst single award for Holler and worst album for Forever, while Mel C was named most tragic haircut. Westlife, which this year became the first band to have its first seven singles go to number one, also picked up best non-British band and best album for its first release, Westlife.

In addition, singers Kian Egan and Shane Filan picked up prizes in their own right Filan being named most fancied male and Egan picking up best haircut. The band could have more riches to come this month as it is tipped to take the Christmas number one.

Other winners at the ceremony included the band's former joint manager Ronan Keating, who was named best-dressed male and best male solo star. Liam Gallagher was named 'Sad Loser of the Year'.

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2000

 

 EVEN WESTLIFE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO PARKING TICKETS
 

Edinburgh's (Scotland) notorious parking Enforcers proved that no one is beyond their reach when they slapped Irish boy band Westlife with a ticket as they came to the Capital.

While the superstars were meeting and greeting fans a parking attendant stuck a ticket on the windscreen of their luxury double decker bus. The bus, which has all mod cons including ten beds for the band and crew members, as well as video games, TVs and DVD players, was parked on a narrow cobbled street outside the Radio Forth studio in Edinburgh when a pair of attendants seized the opportunity to ticket their bus.

The drivers were beside the bus making sure the band got safely into the building when the Enforcers pounced to hand them a £30 fine. Trevor Payne, who has been the band’s driver for four and a half years, said: "We were standing around the side of the bus with the boys when they stuck the ticket on. It was unbelievable. They walked all the way up the street just to give us a ticket. This is the first ticket I have got in four and a half years but where was I meant to park the bus?"

The band, on a whistle-stop tour of Scotland, were in Edinburgh to meet their number one fan - who postponed her wedding so she could go to their concert. Jilly Finlayson, 24, is so infatuated with the Irish boy band that she ordered her husband-to-be to change the wedding date when it clashed with one of their concerts. She was yesterday voted number one fan by Radio Forth which ran a competition to find the most obsessed fan to win a meeting with the band.

Jilly, who works for SportScotland, postponed her "dream day" for three months so she could go to the gig at the SECC in Glasgow last May. She has already booked her ticket for the return leg next year. She is now happily married to 23-year-old Alex, despite her obsession, and they live with their 21-month-old daughter Charlotte in Penicuik, Midlothian. She said: "I just told my fiancé that the date would have to be changed. There was no arguing, I started as I mean to go on. Some people may think it is a bit excessive but it was the only concert date I could get a ticket for and I really wanted to go. I was so stunned that I won, it was a dream come true for me to meet them and when I go to their next concert I will be one of the privileged few that have done so. But Alex puts up with me very well and he understands that there will always be another five men in my life."

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh City Council’s transport department said: "Parking attendants are not allowed to exercise discretion and every vehicle is treated the same irrespective of the owner. On this occasion the attendant did ask the driver of the vehicle, which was taking up three parking bays, to move and was told he would do so and a ticket was then issued We welcome many celebrities to our city, but when it comes to parking, the rules are the same for everyone and there are no exemptions. "

Westlife will have to stump up £60 but if they pay within 14 days the fine is reduced to £30.

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 WESTLIFE PLEDGE TO GO AHEAD WITH GIG AFTER THE BIG MATCH
 

BOYBAND Westlife yesterday decided not to pull out of a major concert which clashes with Ireland's next World Cup match.

The five heart-throbs from Sligo and Dublin have decided to jet into Glasgow for the concert immediately after watching the crucial game against Spain in Dublin.

The chart-toppers are headlining the Iru-Bru Live and Loud concert in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow on Sunday in front of 30,000 fans.

The band, all huge football fans, were worried they would miss the match and asked their management team to change their schedule for the day.

The five-member group will headline the gig before flying back to Dublin for another concert in their hectic schedule later that night.

Band manager Louis Walsh said last night: "A plane has been hired by BMG (Westlife's record label) to fly them from Dublin right after they've seen the match to Scotland to do the gig there and then back home again.

"The Scottish fans will not be disappointed," he added.

Band member Bryan McFadden had told how the band had hoped to be in Dublin to watch their national team's match in the first knock-out round of the competition.

Other big names lined up for the pop festival include H & Claire, Blue, a1, Samantha Mumba and Liberty X.

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 FLAMING CHEEK OF WESTLIFE FANS
 

OKAY, so Nicky Byrne in the nip might be a sight worth seeing, but some Westlife fans go to the oddest lengths to catch their idols with their pants down (so to speak).

While on tour recently a fan set off a fire alarm in the hotel where Westlife were staying.

The five boys were in such a hurry to get out, they left their rooms and stood around in their boxer shorts.

No doubt the sneaky stalker was disappointed that she didn't get to see more!

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - 2002

 

 CUTTING THE TAPE: ON A DREAM COME TRUE
 

A CHILDHOOD dream came true for Westlife star Shane Filan yesterday when he and his sister Mairead opened an exclusive boutique in the Sligo building that once housed the family's fish and chip shop, writes Anita Guidera.

Hundreds of fans crowded Castle Street for a glimpse of their pop idol . . . and they weren't disappointed.

The Westlife idol cut the ribbon which officially opened the Morgan boutique which will be run by Mairead, in the premises previously known as the Carlton Cafe.

 
Source: Irish Independent - 2002

 

 CARLTON CAFE TO TURN TO FASHION
 

Shane Filan and his sister Mairead will transform their parent’s business, The Carlton Cafe, into a posh new clothes store.

The Filan family business, run by Mae and Peter Filan for over 30 years in Castle Street, Sligo, closed its doors for the last time earlier this year as Both parents retired.
However, Shane’s older sister, Mairead, has revealed that she will be launching a new fashion store in place of the cafe. Work on the project, which will be partly funded by Shane, is expected to begin later this year.

The Filan family have run the cafe since the mid 60s. The family originally lived above the cafe and all six of Shane’s siblings, including the Westlife star had worked in the restaurant at some stage.

In recent years the cafe has reflected Mae Filan’s pride in her son’s achievement. The windows of the cafe were filled with pictures of Westlife, and one of their CDs.
The place has also become a mecca for Westlife fans who travel to the home of Shane, Kian and Mark. It was featured extensively in many books on the band as well as the video “The Westlife Story”.

Shane and his fellow Westlife bandmates are multi millionaires because of their worldwide success, but both Shane and Kian are known to be keen to invest in their home town.

Both of them have already built homes here and Shane is part-way through building his own dream home, as featured in this paper a few weeks ago.

When work is carried out to transform the cafe into a chic fashion store, not much of the current shopfront is expected to be retained. As it stands the glass, tile and aluminium front is very different from the other shops in Castle Street.

 
Source: SF-NL Archives - August 2002


 
 WESTLIFE STAR ENGAGED TO CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART
 

Westlife star, Shane Filan, made it a Christmas to remember when he announced his engagement to his childhood sweetheart, Gillian Walsh, on Christmas Day.

The couple, who met as youngsters while taking part in local musical productions, have been dating for more than two years.

A student at Sligo IT, Gillian is a first cousin of Shane's Westlife colleague, Kian Egan.

It was a double celebration for the Westlife crew, as band member, Dubliner, Nicky Byrne, announced his engagement to the Taoiseach's daughter, Georgina Ahern, over the festive period.

 
Source: Irish Independent - 2002

 

 SHANE, KIAN AND MARK ABOUT LOVE
 

 unfortunately i did not have the nicky part -

Shane:



Singer Shane Filan has revealed bandmate Kian “hit the roof” when Shane started dating his pal’s cousin.

He plans to marry gorgeous Gillian Walsh after two years together.

But it hasn’t always been plain sailing.

Shane, 23, says: “Kian gave me a lot of grief. He warned me off because he didn’t want me to break her heart.

“He was convinced I would cheat on her. He told her I was no good for her but thankfully she didn’t listen.

“I am madly in love with Gillian and he can see that now.”

He first dated the 22-year-old when they were 12 in their home town of Sligo, western Ireland, before dating her again years later.

Westlife has made car nut Shane a millionaire and he now owns five posh motors, including a Ferrari Maranello.

He said: “I can buy a car if I’m feeling down just to cheer me up.

“We are living a dream. I know what it must have been like in The Beatles.”


Kian:



Westlife heart-throb Kian Egan has spoken for the first time about his split from his girlfriend – and insists being a pop star is a “lonely job”.

Kian and Scandinavian dancer Jessica Forsman broke up last month, because of the pressure of their other commitments.

He says: “I went out with Jessica for over a year but we were away working so often it just started to fall apart.

“It’s really hard to have relationships when you do what we do. My schedule is crazy and so is hers.

“I have had four serious relationships in my life and I’m only 22. Would I class Jessica in that four? Yes I would.

“It’s never easy breaking up with someone and it’s fair to say I’m gutted that we’re not together any more.

“Despite all the fans we have, it’s a lonely job doing what we do. My hours are ridiculous.

“We would just go through times when I wouldn’t see her for weeks or talk to her for ages because we were both so busy. It got to the point when it just wasn’t working any more.”

Kian and Mark Feehily are now the only single members of the chart-topping band. Kian says: “Take Shane, Nicky and Bryan.

“They can go to bed when we are on tour and phone their respective wives or girlfriends and get their problems off their chests.

“When you don’t have that and you see others who have, it’s hard. We are a long way from home and the people I speak to most now are my mum and my mates.

“Before, it would have been Jessica.

“I’m a relationship kind of guy. I would never have a one-night stand. It seems pointless to me and I have no interest in doing that. I crave love. I crave going home for a cuddle and watching TV and having a laugh with someone I love.”

Kian is chatting during Westlife’s trip to Kuala Lumpur to promote greatest hits album Unbreakable, which is out on Monday.

To take his mind off his heartache, he has enjoyed a round of golf with his bandmates and the lads played a gig at the country’s main football stadium before getting their kit on for a match with Malaysian Rockers United FC.

Kian cheered up as the Westlife XI won 7-1 and he was man of the match.

After the game, played in the sweltering Asian heat in front of 15,000 fans, Kian tells me about his role as the money man of the group.

Kian knows just what Westlife have in their coffers and admits: “I do feel I have taken over the business role in the band.

“It just struck me as normal to ask how much and where our money was being spent.

“I’m the kind of person who, if I see something being done and I reckon it can be done better, I will say so.

“I like giving our accountant and lawyer a hard time. I don’t set out to do it but I just feel sometimes questions need to be asked.”

Unbreakable is Westlife’s fourth album and includes all their hits, together with six new tracks.

The band have been dogged by rumours that they are about to split while at the top — but Kian insists they’re here to stay.

He said: “I could quit tomorrow if I wanted but I’m not going to because I love what I do. We all do. We’re going to be around for a while yet.”


Mark:

Despite being in one of the biggest boy bands ever, Mark Feehily says: “Westlife has ruined my love life.”

He has had a handful of lovers since finding fame but says it is impossible to hold down a long-term romance because of his hectic globe-trotting lifestyle.

He says: “It’s annoying because most people think someone in my position shouldn’t find it hard to get a girlfriend.

“I don’t want to mess around anymore. I don’t want to walk around saying, ‘I’m in Westlife, fancy a sh*g?’

“It’s difficult to find genuine girls in my line of work. That’s all I want. Someone who’s honest and likes me for who I am.”

Mark’s sadness about being single is offset by the fact that he is a multi-millionaire at 22. He said: “It’s great now to be able to send my family on holiday or buy Manchester United tickets for my brother.

“I wouldn’t have to work another day if I didn’t want to – but that’s not me.”

 
Source: SF-NL Archives