MAY
For Twins Rocco And Jay, An Outfit Costing E16.90
For twins Rocco and Jay, an outfit costing e16.90 SHE has stunning good looks, a
pop star husband and her father is leader of the country. So when Georgina Ahern
dressed her newly-born twins to meet the media at the weekend, she could have
been forgiven for splashing out. Ralph Lauren, perhaps, or even Prada's
expensive range. But close inspection of the stunning pictures that filled
Ireland's papers reveal Georgina to be a lady of modest taste. In fact the
twins' outfits cost less than E35.
Georgina and her Westlife singer husband Nicky Byrne kitted out Rocco and Jay in
Belgian label Premaman for their first photo shoot, with grandfather Bertie.
Donning matching white beanies, baby blue trousers and matching tops with
adorable puppy cut-outs on the front the outfits were a hit with onlookers. And
the ensemble only set the couple back E16.90 for each outfit, which they
purchased from Premaman's Malahide store. A company spokesman yesterday
confirmed that Nicky and Georgina were regular customers. But those hoping to
get their hands on the cute outfits were warned to act quickly.
'Only a limited number of that particular item is still available as Premaman
does not mass produce to avoid market saturation,' he said.
The fashion label, which features maternity wear, toys and pushchairs, is more
than 50 years old. Its popularity in Ireland is shown by the fact that the
company has opened new stores in Drogheda, Limerick, Cork and Mullingar in the
past six weeks. Rocco and Jay Byrne were born six weeks premature by Caesarean
section on April 20. They were only released from Holles Street Hospital's
intensive care unit in the past two weeks. Despite the recent birth, Georgina
Ahern looks to be in fabulous shape. However, a spokesman for the couple said
yesterday that the qualified fitness instructor had not been back to the gym
just yet. 'She practically hasn't left the house and before that her exercise
was going to the hospital and back.
'But she's just naturally slim. I mean, she looked great when she came out of
hospital just five days later.' Aside from possessing that celebrity knack of
bouncing back into shape, it seems that the couple are facing the same
challenges encountered by all new parents. They're in great form. Obviously
anybody who has twins knows it is full on,' the couple's spokesman said
yesterday. They're not getting much sleep at the moment, but obviously they have
great parental support. And it's something they've always wanted.'
source - Daily Mail / Credit - Gitta
posted - 30th May
Two more reasons for Bertie to smile
IT doesn't get much better than this. Grandad Bertie Ahern relaxed with his twin
grandchildren Rocco and Jay yesterday after an exhausting campaign. With proud
parents Nicky Byrne and Georgina Ahern also looking on, Rocco and Jay were
photographed by the media for the first time and slept soundly throughout.
Their grandfather just beamed with happiness.
source - Irish independent / credit - Jowfvip
posted - 30th May
Sleepyheads . . . laid-back Grandad admits he was out for the
count - Jason O'Brien
IF Grandad can do it, then so can we.
Rocco Bertie Byrne and Jay Nick Byrne were photographed by the media for the
first time yesterday and slept soundly throughout. Their grandfather, the
Taoiseach, was somewhat more energetic. But then he had earlier claimed he slept
soundly through much of his own big day, Friday's election count, so this could
explain his fresh appearance.
"I know I'm an unusual guy in a number of ways but in fact the first report I
had got on the entire election was when my daughter Cecelia contacted me at 5.40
in the afternoon to tell me things were going well," he chuckled. "I had no
contact with the outside world until then."
So - let us get this straight - on the day of the most-anticipated election
count in decades, the leader of Fianna Fail had no idea how destiny was panning
out for his soldiers until tea time? "None whatsoever." And all because you
didn't get out of the scratcher? "I was in bed, I slept until about twenty past
four in the afternoon." Some of Manchester businessman Michael Wall's money must
have been spent on a decent mattress. Taking into consideration that Bertie
revealed last week that he had been surviving on four hours' sleep a night for
five weeks, his claim of an epic shuteye is a little easier to swallow. It is
still hard, though, to shake the image of him sitting on the couch in Drumcondra,
mobile phone off, glued to the screen and nodding to himself as his greatest
victory unfolds. Now we know that Bertie was so laid back about it all, he was
horizontal.
"Cecelia said, 'Everything is going to be okay, it's going well and it's going
well throughout the country', and I left it at that," he said, "I think the next
person I spoke to was [Fianna Fail press director] Mandy [Johnston] about an
hour later so I didn't watch any tv or radio until the nine o'clock news." Come
to think of it, he didn't miss much. Nor did his granddad kids yesterday. The
cute pair, in baby blue and white woolly hats, were held by parents Nicky and
Georgina as photographers filed into a small room in the Malahide Grand Hotel in
north Dublin for a quick shot.
Little Rocco made his first trip home last Sunday; his brother had beaten him to
it by a couple of days. They had been cared for at the Maternity Hospital in
Holles Street since their birth there - six weeks premature - on April 20.
Neither boy was answering questions yesterday. Nor, indeed, was their
grandfather who, admittedly, looked well-rested. Billed as a photocall,
journalists hoping for a quick word, a quick look or even offering to change a
nappy were left to sulk in the corner.
Earlier, Bertie had said that there was no problem with the media despite
throwing the toys out of the pram on Friday night.
"I'm not in any way angry and 98% of media I don't have a problem with ever..."
he told RTE radio. "I'm not a bitter person, I don't hold grudges, I don't go
around saying 'so and so, so and so said that, I have to get him back'. I'm not interested in that, it's not Bertie Ahern, the campaign is over and
other than being fairly wrecked, tired like every other politician I'm not at
all angry at the media or anybody else." Most likely then he was just a little
tetchy on Friday night - despite the big sleep - when he took a swipe at
journalists, their salaries, their expense accounts and the reasons behind the
questions they asked. It's all a little childish. Yesterday was just about the
boys, really.
Mr Ahern revealed that they had been in to see him last week at campaign
headquarters, and if, in 20 years, they asked what he was most proud of, he had
the answer ready.
"The answer for that is easy for me, I have had 30 years in politics, 40 years
almost since I left school ... it is to move from the horrors of Northern
Ireland that I went to school with, spent my teenage years with, spent my 20s
playing football with, spent my political years with - to see that solved,
nothing I will do can ever beat that," he said. Bertie Ahern is a man who has
fought some extraordinary battles, and is now on the brink of leading his party
back into power for the third time in succession. This time, he will be heading
back to the Dail as a granddad. And given that he has just faced down the mother
of all election battles, it's probably no wonder Bertie can, for the moment at
least, sleep easy. He knows he still holds all the cards when he returns to the
table later this week.
source- Irish Independent /credit - Jo wfvip
posted - 30th May
Bertie’s revenge on pesky press By Shaun Connolly,
Political Correspondent
LIGHTS! Cameras! Revenge!
For an attention seeking Taoiseach it was a petty, though very telling, way to
start the third term. After the mother of all election comebacks, the
grandfather of Jay and Rocco had summoned the media to Malahide’s Grand Hotel to
dance attendance upon his photogenic family. Well, the safe part of the media he
likes — that is, not the other shower — as was made clear to journalists from
the three national broadsheets as we were being barred from the room.
The Taoiseach was still smarting from the legitimate and necessary questioning
of his extraordinary finances and, quite literally, could not stand the sight of
us. Of course Bertie Ahern was not being petulant, we were assured — despite his
graceless outbursts against the media since being re-elected. Far from it, there
were lots of good reasons for the little snub. We were told the invite only
mentioned photographers, technically true, but precedent dictates reporters
always attend. We were told the room was too small (damn these pokey five-star
hotels). And, most bizarrely, we were told our presence was not welcome because,
“they are two little babies, just out of hospital”. Which begs the question: if
the twins are so fragile perhaps having 11 burly photographers explode flash
bulbs in their faces was not the best idea to begin with?
The babies were put to bed, the journalists had been put in their places and Mr
Ahern had put in motion the snarling mood for a third term in which he will be
propped up in the Dáil by disgraced ex-Blueshirt Minister Michael Lowry and
potential bankrupt Beverly Cooper Flynn. Hold on tight, it is going to be a very
bumpy ride.
source- Irish Examiner / credit - Cravinicky
posted - 30th May
Westlife's Kian Says I Do To Barn
Westlife star Kian Egan may not have popped the question to Jodi
Albert, his girlfriend of four years, just yet but the pair have made a serious
commitment in property terms by buying a new house together in Essex.
'It's exciting news. We've just completed on buying a stunning barn conversion,'
says former Hollyoaks actress Jodi, pictured right with Kian. 'It has five
bedrooms, is set in three-and-a-half acres and is very close to my parents'
home. I'm now longing to get a horse.' The couple plan to divide their time
between Essex, Ireland and London where Kian also owns property. 'Kian's house
in Sligo is gorgeous, right on the beach,' says Jodi. 'We also spend plenty of
time at our place in London.'
source -
Mail on Sunday
posted - 15th May
Looking Good Jodi
WESTLIFE wag Jodi Albert proves she's top of the pots in her latest photo shoot.
Kian Egan's squeeze sprawled over a bed and blew a kiss to her admirers for a
hot magazine session. Wearing a lime and cream dress, the 23-year-old former
Hollyoaks star sizzled as she flashed her legs and showed off her curves.
She then slipped into a revealing white dress that showed off her cleavage as
she posed in the bathroom.
An onlooker said: "It's easy to see why Kian is smitten - Jodi is stunning. She
even made loo roll look sexy as she posed for the shoot in the bathroom."
But Kian will have to wait a few more years before he tames the telly star. She
explained: "I don't want to have kids or get married just yet. We are both far
too busy. If we did have kids we'd need about seven nannies to help us look
after them."
source - Mirror newspaper
posted 11th May
Milk moustache campaign recruits Westlife
Irish boyband Westlife have sign up to be the next faces of Scotland’s ‘The
White Stuff’ campaign.
The group will don the campaign's famous white moustache on billboards and bus
stops later this month to help promote the benefits of semi-skimmed milk as part
of a balanced diet. The band, who have topped the UK charts 14 times, join other
famous faces who have taken part in the campaign, including Tennis ace Andy
Murray, pop group McFly and model Nell McAndrew. Launched in 2003, the campaign
is a joint initiative between five of Scotland’s leading dairies and the Milk
Development Council. It is also co-funded by the EU.
The spokesman for the Scottish Dairy Marketing Company, the umbrella group for
the five dairies, said it was "fantastic" to have Westlife involved in the
campaign. “Scotland’s milk moustache campaign continues to go from strength to
strength, and the addition of Westlife, who are arguably the biggest pop band in
the UK at the moment gives us the opportunity to target a whole new audience,"
he said.
source -
Farmers weekly
posted 10th May
Mika Writing For Westlife
Mika is writing Westlife original songs for their next album in an effort to "freshen up" the band's sound, reports the Daily Star. A source tells the paper: "Westlife have been around nine years and want to freshen up their sound so Mika is exactly the right man to do that." Westlife is managed by Syco- run by Simon Cowell, who rejected Mika before the singer found stardom.
source - Star newspaper
posted 10th May
Westlife album load of pop corn
JUST when you thought WESTLIFE couldn’t get worse, the cheesy boyband are
about to sink to a new low. They plan to record an album of movie songs — with
the Titanic theme the CD’s ultimate disaster. CELINE DION’s My Heart Will Go On
topped the chart in 1998 when released with the blockbuster. Now it will chart
all over again as the big single from Westlife At The Movies. Talk about two
monstrosities colliding. And there are other naff tunes the lads are tipped to
pick.
Power ballad I Will Always Love You would need a Bodyguard to save it from
murder by Westlife. But as a track for the KEVIN COSTNER flick it was a WHITNEY
HOUSTON hit.
WET WET WET’s cover of Love Is All Around was No1 for 15 weeks as the theme for
Four Weddings And A Funeral in 1994. But if swept back to No1 by Westlife it
would be as a funeral march for the chart’s credibility. BRYAN ADAMS was No1 for
16 weeks in 1991 with (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, from movie smash Robin
Hood: Prince Of Thieves — and it seems a cert for Westlife. They have subjected
us to an album of love songs and one of swing classics. But clearly these
were the tip of the iceberg. The latest release is even cheesier.
source - Sun newspaper
posted 8th May
Irish pop group WESTLIFE are going to the movies - by recording an album of
film soundtracks. The new album will be the third themed disc the quartet have
recorded, after singing swing classics on Allow Us To Be Frank in 2004 and
famous love songs on The Love Album last year (06). On their forthcoming eighth
studio album, Westlife will sing Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On from Titanic
(98), I Will Always Love You from The Bodyguard (92) and Wet Wet Wet's Love Is
All Around from Four Weddings And A Funeral (94).
source - contact music
posted 8th May
Kian's Diary From The Road
Hi there
Hope you all had a brilliant Easter and ate loads of chocolate, like us! We had
a day off on Monday, which was great after another three concerts back-to-back.
The tour is still going fantastically well and even though we’ve played so many
dates already, we’re still loving every single show, which is mostly down to the
energy and enthusiasm we get from you lot in the audience. Looking forward to
Aberdeen tonight and tomorrow, then another day off before we jump on a plane –
Belfast here we come!
Take care
source - westlife.com
posted - 1st March 2007