The Filans.net Stats

By Paddy Clancy

Shane Filan is set to realise a childhood dream by leading his own soccer team against home town club Sligo Rovers.

The Westlife singer, a Rovers fan all his life, is stepping up several divisions for the game next month.

Shane is striker for his father-in-law's work team from the Sligo Plumbing and Heating company.

He has been playing on the astroturf in Division Two of his local Nightowls League.

The 30-year-old plans to recruit one or two surprise guests for the game at Sligo Showgrounds against League of Ireland Premier Division side Rovers on Ausgust 5.

He set up the event for pals Lesley Ann Culkin, 26, and 27-year-old Hilary Jones who are climbing Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for the Irish Red Cross. HR consultant Lesley Ann, whose boyfriend Michael Walsh is Shane's brother-in-law, said they were discussing a football match as a likely fundraiser when the singer volunteered.

She said: "He has so many other things to do that we are absolutely thrilled. I know it will be a great night at the Showgrounds."

Shane has been banging home winners during the past 10 months for his team in the amateur astro-turf league at a sports complex in Sligo. He said: "We've won a good few games. It's good craic. I started off on the left-wing, but I wasn't great there.

"Then I moved up front and I started scoring goals. I'm getting there slowly but surely."

Westlife's link to soccer goes back 12 years to their first TV appearance when they performed at half-time during a Sligo Rovers home match and it was shown on RTE's Nationwide. Shane said: "It was a 30-second clip. We were delighted at the time. It was great exposure and we felt very excited when we saw ourselves.

"We were on telly and we thought we were very famous. We were 17 or 18 years of age at the time with dreams of becoming Backstreet Boys or Take That. Little did we know that a year later it would all kick off for us and it's been mental ever since."

Source: The Irish Daily Mirror / Villy @ Westlife.gr for typing it up / Maya & Chrissy for scanning the articles

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Sligo Rovers XI versus Shane Filan's XI charity football match in aid of the Irish Red Cross.

The charity football event will take place Wednesday, August 5th at Sligo Rovers Showgrounds, where you will see Shane Filan from Westlife and his football team participate in a friendly football match against football legends Sligo Rovers. This event is in aid of the The Irish Red Cross charity.

Two Sligo girls, Lesley Ann Culkin & Hilary Jones are taking part in The Platinum Peak Challenge trek up Africa's majestic peak, Mount Kilimanjaro this August to help fundraise for the Irish Red Cross 70th anniversary. The Irish Red Cross is part of the world's largest humanitarian aid organization with 97 million volunteers in 186 countries who are on the ground at every natural disaster and conflict zone, bringing life-saving aid to people in desperate need.

The charity football match will take place at the Sligo Rovers Showgrounds at 7pm. Admission on gate entry.

All proceeds raised on the night will go towards the Irish Red Cross.

Source: Sligo Today.ie / Alfee

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For today I have a tiny update for the interact section, being:

2x Shane's Words
2x Your Favourite Picture


And I also would like to take this opportunity to promote a new website on behalf of Michelle, who requested my help:

Westlife need you to get involed in a new website called urFANtastic in conjunction with Fremantle Media, the people behind X-Factor.

It’s a site that allows all types of music fans to come together and show their love of their favourite music acts through your creativity; uploading pictures, writing fan fiction, performing a track, but the Westlife clubs are in the need of active members.

We are looking for some real Westlife fans to get on board and help us by setting up real profiles, populating the site with content and ideally, spreading the word to fans who can help.

The link is www.urFANtastic.co.uk

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WESTLIFE'S Shane Filan got a great 30th birthday surprise from wife Gillian - news that he is to become a father for a third time.

By Sharon Conway

SHANE Filan's wife Gillian gave him a surprise present for his 30th - by revealing she's pregnant with baby number three.

Gillian, 30, broke the news to her happy husband just minutes before his birthday bash at their house in Sligo at the weekend.

The couple already have one girl Nicole, aged three, and a boy Patrick, aged ten months.

Paddy Power Bookies are already betting 4/1 that the couple will name their third born - Michael after the recently deceased 'King of Pop'.

A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: "Shane is huge Michael Jackson fan. He often performed the famous moonwalk at school in his younger years. Michael is also the name of Gillian's father and brother so it would be a fitting tribute to all the Michael's if the couple chose the name!"

And the bookies are also offering alternatives should the little nipper be a girl. Michael is 14/1 while Michaela is 33/1. Other names on the bookies list include Peter, after Shane's dad and brother at 12/1 and Nicky after Shane's band-mate at 25/1. It's 50/1 that the couple name their new addition Louis, after music mogul Louis Walsh.

Should baby number three decide they want to follow dad into the limelight, bookies Paddy Power are betting 25/1 that they top the charts before their 21st birthday!

Shane was joined by his Westlife bandmates in an impromptu gig for the 150 guests at his birthday bash.

Security men guarded the front gates and a marquee was set up for the party in the back garden.

Source: Sligo Weekender / Villy @ Westlife.gr for typing it up / Maya & Chrissy for scanning the articles

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There are some startling odds being given this week that Westlife star Shane Filan and his wife Gillian will name their third baby after the King of Pop.

The happy couple have just announced that they'll be welcoming the new addition to the family next January.

The pair, parents to Nicole (3) and 10-month-old Patrick, confirmed the news during Shane's 30th birthday bash in Sligo last weekend.

Now bookies are giving odds of 4/1 that Shane, a massive Jackson fan, will name the baby Michael after the late Michael Jackson.

Michael is also the name of Gillian's father and her brother.

Herald.ie

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By Claire Murphy
Monday July 06 2009

Westlife frontman Shane Filan has revealed that he is preparing for a third edition to his family.

Shane's wife Gillian told her husband the news just before his 30th birthday party at their Sligo mansion. And the singer announced that his childhood sweetheart was pregnant after he blew out the candles on his birthday cake in front of 150 guests.

In a speech, the singer said that he was bowled over by the news.

"My wife Gillian has been asking me a lot about what I'd like for my birthday. I thought she was going to get me a watch or something," Shane said.

"But she has definitely surprised me - by telling me she is pregnant with our third child."

The crowd burst into cheers and then hit the dance floor in celebration. Shane's Westlife bandmates then hit the stage for an impromptu gig, performing their hits World of Our Own and Flying Without Wings.

The Filans already have one daughter, Nicole (3), and a 10-month-old son Patrick. "I'm absolutely delighted," said Shane.

-Claire Murphy

Herald.ie

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Hi everyone,

I know a lot of you have already heard the rumours, but I wanted to confirm to you myself that Gillian and I are expecting another baby.

We’ve been keeping it a complete secret from everyone for a while, and made the announcement at my 30th birthday party on Saturday. The baby’s due early next year and we’re completely over the moon about it. The thought of becoming a dad for the third time is just amazing!

Thanks, as always, for all your support

Shane x

Source: Westlife.com

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BOYBAND HUNK THROWS BIRTHDAY BASH IN 'CASTLE'

Pop sensations Westlife celebrated band member Shane Filan's 30th birthday with a huge party in Co. Sligo at the weekend!

Shane hosted a bash for his bandmates, friends and family to mark his big 3-0 at his mansion in Carraroe.

The massive party, which kicked off on Saturday evening, continued well into the early hours of yesterday morning.

Bandmates Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily all gathered for the bash along with Shane's family and friends at his €2 million house.

Shane has no problem accomodating hundreds of guests as the house which he describes as a "mini-castle" - complete with a tower and turret - is 10.000 square feet in size.

Rush
He has kept the third storey of his house as a massive party room of 3.000 square feet.

The birthday bash follows just days after the band met up in the recording studio last week for their first day of work after taking a year off.

The band will jet to Los Angeles shortly where they will begin work with a host of new producers and songwriters.

However, they've made it known that they are not in a rush to release a new album this year.

"They want this album to be full of original songs - if they don't get the right songs, it may be next year before they release it," said a source.

Source: The Irish Star / Thanks Villy @ Westlife.gr for typing it up

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SHANE Filan's wife Gillian gave him a surprise present for his 30th - by revealing she's pregnant for the third time.

Gorgeous Gillian, 30, broke the news to her happy Westlife hubby just before his birthday bash.

The pop sensation couldn't wait to spread the good news to stunned guests after he blew out the candles on his cake.

Shane staged a spectacular champagne celebration at his impressive sprawling Sligo mansion for special guests.

And he even joined his Westlife bandmates in an impromptu gig for the 150 guests.

The Daily Mirror was invited along for the big night as Shane revealed in a speech: "My wife Gillian has been asking me a lot about what I'd like for my birthday. I just told her to surprise me.

"I thought she was going to get me a watch or something. But she has definitely surprised me - by telling me she is pregnant with our third child."

Shane's family and friends burst into huge applause and hit the dance floor in celebration as the star toasted the good news with a glass of champagne.

As the drinks continued to flow Shane told the Irish Daily Mirror: "I'm absolutely delighted with the news. Gillian and I decided to announce it tonight as a surprise for everyone.

"The baby is due in January and we are both so excited. I feel like I am on top of the world. Tonight is the perfect night to celebrate.

"Gillian has gone through so much effort to plan everything and it's been a great party."

The couple already have a little daughter Nicole, three, and 10-month-old son Patrick but Shane has always said he was planning to add to the clan. Gillian converted their seven-bedroom mansion into a spectacular party zone on Saturday.

Security men guarded the big front gates and we were led through the breathtaking home and sprawling gardens into a marquee in the back.

And a team of top chefs, waiters and cocktail bar staff were drafted in to cater for guests who were served unlimited champagne, cocktails and wine as birthday boy Shane mingled.

Then the singer's bandmates Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan joined him on stage and performed their first concert together in over a year.

As the stars belted out some hits including World Of Our Own, Flying Without Wings, Amazing and You Raise Me Up, their partners - Georgina Ahern, Gillian Filan, Jodi Albert and Mark's boyfriend Kevin McDaid - danced in front of the stage.

Source: The Irish Mirror / ShaneFilan NL

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According to Today FM, Shane and Gillian announced their 3rd pregnancy on Shane's birthday party on Saturday! Congratulations to them! Gillian was said to have kept this as a birthday surprise for Shane.

Bed already.. wrecked after Shane's party! Great night, great fun, great news! Well done G and S! - Nicky Byrne on Twitter

Source: Today FM (Irish radio station) / Jasna

EDIT There's said to be an article about this in today's Irish Mirror, and seeing as Paul Martin usually writes Westlife related articles for that, we can be sure it's true. I'm still looking for the actual article, so if anyone has that, don't hesitate to send it to me!

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