- Born
- Birth nameNicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne
- Nicknames
- Nico
- Nix
- Height5′ 9½″ (1.77 m)
- Nicky was born Nicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne on October 9th, 1978, to proud parents Yvonne and Nicky. His Irish name is Nucal O'Byrne. He was born in Dublin as the middle child, having an older sister, Gillian, and a younger brother, Adam. From the age of 7, he played for local, successful Dublin side Home Farm Football Club. He played as a goalkeeper and, when he was in his early teens, he won the Young European Keeper of the Year. He met Georgina Ahern at high school. They got together after three years of shying away from each other and staring across classrooms into each other's eyes. Nicky's best friend, Colm 'Cos' Costello, got the two together, and they've been together ever since. That was 1995!
At age 15, he was signed up by Leeds United as a goalkeeper. He grew homesick, and missed his family and girlfriend. His then-manager, George Graham, decided two years later, that Nicky was too short and, unless he grew a few inches, he would terminate his contract. Unfortunately for Nicky, he didn't grow, and his contract with Leeds was terminated after 2 years.
When he returned home, he retook his Leaving Certificate (GCSEs) at Plunkett College. He then set up a karaoke business with his father called "Father and Son", and they toured local pubs doing Boyzone songs. The Westlife audition came to Nicky's attention through his Aunty, but he was pessimistic about the idea. His girlfriend persuaded him to go, telling him she had confidence in him. He decided to go, but didn't tell anyone he was going. It was only when his face was seen in the paper that people found out. He was in the paper because he was up against another blonde for the only place in the band left, that other blonde was Brian McFadden. Eventually, the pair of them got into the band, and Westlife was born.
Westlife's debut single was released in May 1999, "Swear It Again", and started off a string of 7 consecutive number ones, ending with "My Love" in 2001. All four of their albums reached the top spot, and they have the Guinness World Record for the first boy-band in history to have five consecutive number ones from their debut.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Holly Rose, hollyrose_1985@yahoo.co.uk
- SpouseGeorgina Ahern(August 5, 2003 - present) (3 children)
- Christmas Eve 2002: got engaged to Georgina Ahern.
- One younger brother, Adam.
- One older sister, Gillian.
- 2001: won the award 'Best Hair Cut' at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party.
- His wife, Georgina, is the eldest daughter of Bertie Ahern, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland.
- [Why isn't Brian part of the band's reunion?] We tried everything to keep Brian as part of the band in 2004, but he walked away and we s**t ourselves. We realised if we wanted Westlife to survive, we needed to pull together. Him leaving really galvanised us and we became something different. Brian wouldn't know this band if he stepped back into it because this isn't the band he left. I wish him all the best, but I don't know him any more.
- [What's next for Westlife?] I look at Take That as an example of how a band can come back from a split and carry on for years with credibility. I think we can keep Westlife in our lives forever this time.
- [Why did you decide to go back?] My dad died 10 years ago and something I inherited from him was his work ethic. I'm too young to sit about doing nothing. Also, my 12-year-old sons Rocco and Jay have only vague memories of me performing last time around and my daughter Gia, five, has never known me as a pop star, so I wanted them to see this side of me.
- [The band has always managed to maintain a squeaky-clean image. Are you just better than other acts at hiding bad behaviour?] We all loved a drink, but falling around a hotel bar after one too many was about as scandalous as it got. I've never taken drugs or even smoked a cigarette. Now with so many children between us there are fewer late nights and the beers on the backstage rider have been replaced with Percy Pigs!
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