Westlife's Ireland: Dublin
You gotta love Dublin. There is so much to see and do, and it's the home town of both Nicky and Bryan!
If you're in Dublin, the best places to go shopping are Grafton Street, and Henry Street. They're located in the city centre.
Captain America's, located on Grafton Street. If you're hungry, go somewhere else, but if you want to see all kinds of pop memorabilia, go here!The Hot Press Irish Music Hall of Fame, located off of O'Connell Street. This has awesome exhibits of people like U2, The Corrs, Boyzone, B*Witched, Sinead O'Connor, every Irish musician you can think of.
St. Stephen's Green - Bryan: "It's a lovely place in the centre of town to hang out in on a hot day."
Nicky: "I did a Coca Cola promotion down here in the spring and the whole place was choca block mental. It was brilliant!"
Shane: "There are a lot of decent hotels near it too, and the Hard Rock Cafe..."
Nicky: "When I was younger my dad would take mt to the Natural History museum nearby and we'd end the day down here in the park."Lillie's Bordello and The Kitchen - Nicky: "Most bands visit either Lillie's Bordello or The Kitchen, Bono's club at The Clarence Hotel, when they visit Dublin."
Mark: "The good thing about these places is that we can go there and we can get no hassle. The bad thing is that the reason why we don't get any hassle is because everyone is so self obsessed!"
Kian: "Whenever I'm out in Dublin I go to Lillie's. It's just off Grafton Street but you'd never find it unless you know where to look!"The Olympia Theatre - Nicky: "The Olympia is Dublin's variety theatre, if you like."
Bryan: "I made my professional stage debut in The Olympia! I spent nearly a year here in a production of The Wizard of Oz - you know, the flying monkey part! Everyone in the cast got along really well, we were a great team. I wonder what everyone on the team is doing now?"The Gaiety Theatre - Bryan: "The Gaiety was where we did our annual Billia Barry cabaret shows - a lot of people in Dublin look forward to them. They were a big deal - two hundred performers, a lot of show tunes, sketches from musicals, all with a different set or backdrop. The preparations were mental!"
The Red Box - Mark: "The Red Box is owned by the same people who own The Pod. We went there a fair bit in the early days."
Kian: "Shane and I went to Ronan's 21st at the Red Box. It was the first big celeb thing that we'd been to, and Louis invited us. We felt like we were suddenly in with the in crowd, if you like!"The Pod - Nicky: "This is where Bryan and I auditioned for Westlife."
Shane: "Then we came down here every day for weeks of rehearsals. Early interviews, record company meetings, all the big decisions for the band were made in The Pod."
Kian: "Look, we've hit the big time! We've a plaque outside on the Rock'N'Stroll Trail!"Windmill Lane Studios - Shane: "We've recorded most of the thrid album [World Of Our Own] at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin. It's so cool because that's where U2 recorded The Joshua Tree. There are few plaques on the wall and maybe we'll give them one of our own! You can feel the history of the place as soon as you walk inside."
Mark: "We actually recorded one of our very first songs there. It was called Westside and it never made it onto the album because we changed our name!"The Point - Kian: "What can you say about The Point? It's like our second home! We headlined our first big show there, the Childline show in 1999, then went back to do eleven nights on the Coast to Coast tour."
Shane: "The home crowds are amazing. The atmosphere is great!"
Bryan: "And you can finish a show and go home to your own bed. Very special."Conolly Station - Shane: "This is where the train from Sligo arrives in Dublin, so all of us have travelled through here a few times!"
Mark: "I remember visiting my Auntie in Dublin and getting off the train ready for a big adventure. Everything seemed so big and exciting back then, and Dublin seemed like a whole world away. Now it's shrunk and got nearer!"Billie Barry's Stage School - Bryan: "I came down to Billi Barry's in Fairview every Saturday and Monday, and that's how I got to know most of my friends. I spent years here, it's like the Sylvia Young Stage school o Dublin. You learn proper stage craft, and I even learnt jazz and tap dancing here, and hip hop in an old church in town. I knew I'd always go into showbusiness, but I never imagined I'd have the right look for a band. I thought I'd be a comedian."
Croke Park - Nicky: "I love Croke Park, the national stadium, in the Northside. I always go there when I'm home, because the atmosphere at the games is unbeatable. It's an eifhteen thousand capacity all-seater stadium. One day Westlife will play there. In fact if we ever split up I think we'll do our farewell gig there. It's such a great venue, it would mean a lot."
Home Farm Football Club - Nicky: "I played at Home Farm for either years, right the way up the ranks til I joined Leeds United. I loved it. I was at training whatever the weather, it was like my home! I played for sides in all age groups and even came awauy with a a trophy for best goalkeeper in Europe for my age! If it hadn't been for my time at Home Farm I would never have been spotted by Leeds so I really do owe them a lot - a lot of players who've since gone on to be successful professionals started here, and you learn a lot - especially discipline!"
Dublin Airport - Shane: "We're here so often it's like the local bus stop to us!"
Bryan: "We're not always too keen on the leaving part but we love flying back here! On the way, we fly over Nicky's house and the golf course beside it."
Shane: "Abd then we have to walk under that sign which says 'Welcome to Ireland, home of Westlife' (Boyzone used to be on that) Yeah, I wonder who it will be next?"More places to see around Dublin...
Pheonix Park - Dublin Zoo (Ireland's number 1 tourist attraction!) is here, and outdoor concerts are also sometimes held here.The O'Connell Street monument is the one in Boyzone's coming home now video, if you're a fan. Also the Korky's where Ronan worked is at 4 Henry Street.
If you like U2, their hotel The Clarence is located right in between Temple Bar and the River Liffey. It's amazing. Windmill Lane studios is where they recorded most of their albums, and Fitzpatrick street is the street in their "The Sweetest Thing" video.
