Facts about WESTLIFE

 * Group forms originally as IOU as a six member gruop. "Discovered" by
Louis Walsh, who dumps 3 members and holds auditions in Dublin. Nicky
and Bryan join the group, making it a 5 member group, and renamed as
Westside. Ultimately changed name to Westlife because other groups
already held the name Westside.

* Ronan Keating, lead singer of Boyzone, named as a co-manager for the
group along with Louis Walsh. However, it turns out it Ronan was named
more for recognition and star power than anything else.

* Performs as opening act to the Backstreet Boys in Dublin.






* 2000 Attempt at cracking the US market with release of "Swear It Again" in April.
Made it to #20 on the Billboard 100 singles chart. They make several
stops in the US promoting the album. It would ultimately be their best
showing in the US. Interestingly enough, to this day, you can find this
CD in record stores across the country.

* September 2001- Bryan becomes a father as Molly is born.

* January 2002- Bryan marries Kerry Katona.

* Christmas 2002 - Shane proposes to Gillian, Nicky proposes to Georgina.... both happily accept!

* July 2003- Nicky marries his sweetheart Georgina Ahern, daughter of Irish   

prime minister Bertie Ahern.                                 

* December 2003- Shane marries his sweetheart Gillian Walsh, the cousin of

Kian.

* March 9 - Bryan splits from Westlife leaving a four-some, with the initial
headline plastered over "The Sun". The group holds strong, continuing to tour and ultimately release more albums.

* May 2004.Westlife’s Kian Egan married his former Hollyoaks actress fiancee Jodie Albert in a paradise wedding in Barbados at the weekend.

* 2005 The world finds out that Mark is gay through "The Sun" headline,        

although it had been suspected for some time. Later on, we find out
that he has been dating Kevin McDaid of former boyband "V"

Major Awards:
ITV Record of the Year
1999 - "Flying Without Wings"
2000 - "My Love"
2003 - "Mandy"
2005 - "You Raise Me Up"
Brit Awards
2001 and 2002 - Best Pop Act