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December 2004
news
December 2004 - Platinum Europe
Awards -
IFPI - December 2004
Former Boyzone member Ronan Keating
celebrates his tenth anniversary as a pop artist with the release of his album
10 Years Of Hits.Keating is awarded with his fourth Platinum Europe Award as a
solo artist, as 10 Years Of Hits goes 1 x Platinum Europe.
Thanks to Karen!
Wembley concert review by Angela Griffiths added -
Click here
Howard Pearce talks to Ronan Keating on
Thursday 30th December at 7pm
Wave FM reflects on
Ronan's ten years in the business including his time with Boyzone and his
remarkable solo success - Howard Pearce in conversation with Ronan Keating - a
one hour documentary special only on Wave 105
Introducing Mrs Higgins!
 The wedding of Ronan's sister, Linda, to Mick
Higgins, took place at the church of Ireland, Sraffan, County Kildare. It was
a small private ceremony attended by 40 close family and friends.
Star's sister remembers mum at wedding
Irish Independent
THE sister of Boyzone star Ronan Keating wed her fiancé yesterday in a
ceremony where she paid tribute to her mother, who died of cancer almost seven
years ago.
"She was my best friend. I miss her and I love her," said Linda Keating (37),
who is chief executive of the foundation set up in memory of her mother Marie.
She told the congregation at Straffan Church, Co Kildare, that her only regret
was that her mother wasn't there to see her marry Michael Higgins (46), a
garda motorcyclist.
Earlier, the bride-to-be had stopped off to visit her mother's grave at
Donacomper Cemetery in nearby Celbridge before arriving with a full garda
escort. Among those attending were the bride's brothers, Ronan, Kieran, Gary
and Gerard, her father Gerry, and two bridesmaids, Amy and best friend Erin.
Melanie Finn
The not so long goodbye - Click
here
10 Years of Hits tour programme interview added
- Click here
Photos added of Ronan in Concert at Vicar
Street and Wembley Arena - Click
here
End of an era. Start of something new! -
Photo courtesy of
What's On Wembley
It was the end of an era at Wembley Arena on December 22, as Ronan Keating
played the last ever gig in the venue before the start of the 2005 £30m
refurbishment programme. Wembley’s Carrie Walsh presented Ronan with a framed
‘final ticket’ to mark the occasion, and during the show Ronan told the audience
how thrilled he was to be playing the last Wembley Arena concert before the
refit.
Brave Rhona meets Ronan -
December 23rd 2004 -
East Anglian Daily Times
ONE of the most famous songs penned by Irish pop pin-up Ronan Keating
features the chorus "Life is a roller-coaster, you've just got to ride it".
No-one knows that better than East Anglian Daily Times diarist Rhona Damant, a
mother-of-two who is battling terminal cancer.
And last night a special Christmas wish came true for Rhona, who lives in Great
Waldingfield near Sudbury, as she met the pint-sized pop star.
The courageous 44-year-old travelled to London, where she came face to face with
Ronan before he went on stage to play to his adoring fans at Wembley Arena.
Ronan, currently at number two in the charts with Father and Son, has penned the
foreword for Rhona's forthcoming book of diaries about her fight with cancer.
Speaking from the venue last night, Rhona told the EADT of her joy at meeting
the singing sensation along with son Kristopher, daughter Francesca and a close
friend.
She said: "I'm in another world at the moment. We've just met him and it was
absolutely wonderful – we had quite a long chat.
"It was quite weird because I was thinking what in the world do I say – I'm
standing right in front of Ronan Keating. I was almost speechless."
Rhona, who confessed to being a huge fan of the Irish crooner, said the popster
signed autographs for her children's friends, as well as signing her son's rugby
shirt.
She added: "We spoke about the book as well and he said he wanted a copy
sent to him.
"The foreword he has written is lovely, very well written and very well thought
out – he hasn't just thrown it together.
"He was lovely, and very down to earth. It's a dream come true."
Rhona, who developed breast cancer five years ago and now has secondary,
inoperable tumours in her lungs, liver, brain and spine, was speaking just
before taking her place alongside Ronan's screaming faithful to watch the
concert.
She laughed: "I will enjoy every single moment of it and might have to go on
oxygen all the way home.
"I just can't believe it – I love him to bits."
It was the second time Rhona has rubbed shoulders with celebrity in the past few
weeks – earlier this month she met the Queen during a special party at
Buckingham Palace.
Comparing the two meetings, she giggled: "This was better actually – I'm madly
in love with him.
"This is the start of Christmas now. It's wonderful."
Ronan: Celeb secret Santa -
Showbiz Ireland - December 22nd 2004
 Ten
years ago few people would have thought that Ronan Keating would still be going
strong in the fiercely fickle pop industry, in fact few today would think he'll
be around in another ten!
He may be considered as the housewives favourite by many but it is Ronan
Keating's dedicated fan base that has kept him in the pop charts over the past
ten years.
And it is great to see that even after ten years his new single, Father and Son
with Yusuf Islam, has threatened the might of the Band Aid single for Christmas
No.1 spot. Surprisingly Ronan hit the Christmas No.2 spot with the same song
back in 1995 with Boyzone...
And even if Ronan had popped the Band Aid track, which was penned by another
charitable Irishman Bob Geldof, off the No.1 spot he had already pledged to
donate all the money raised from sales to the Band Aid Trust. Top Man Ronan!
And just to illustrate how respected Ronan is in the music industry when he
played the first of his Christmas gigs in Vicar Street last night throngs of his
fellow artists turned up to see his show which has sold out venues across the UK
and Ireland.
At the concert last night Westlife heartthrob Nicky Byrne turned up with his
wife Georgina, as did former Boyzoner Mikey Graham and his wife Karen. Also at
the gig were Bill Hughes, Brian Kennedy and Ronan's wife Yvonne.
Well, here's to another ten years of hits Ronan - Happy Christmas!
FM104's Xmas Up Close and Personal
Celebrate the Christmas Season with FM104. Tune in over the holidays to hear
the stars presenting their own shows - 10am-11am daily! Ronan will be
presenting his own show on December 29th - Click
here
Photos courtesy of
FM 104
Claire Wrafter from our Beetle Bugs
interviewing Ronan Keating before his gig in Vicar Street on December 21st
2004.
Ronan Keating with Baby Jenks, the band that
won the chance on FM104's The Jam to support him in Vicar Street on December
21st 2004
Ronan Hits The High Notes With Charity Gift -
Click here
Our forum has been re-launched! - Click
here to
go there and register
Ronan with Tay FM (Glasgow) Mid Morning Show
presenter Waggy - Click
here to visit
Tay FM
Review of Cardiff concert - Click
here
10 Years of Hits has gone up one place in the
UK album charts from No. 6 to No. 5! - Click
here
Father & Son has entered the UK singles
chart at No. 2 - Congratulations Ronan and Yusuf! - Click
here
Birmingham International Exhibition Centre
concert review - Click here
Thanks to Shelley!
10 Years of Hits goes triple platinum
The greatest hits collection, Ronan Keating 10
Years of Hits, has achieved triple platinum status after remaining in the top
ten in the UK album charts , Congratulations Ronan!!
Manchester Online interview - Click
here
Picturehouse on Ronan - “the call from Ronan
gave us the reason to spread our wings again and return to stages away from
home.” - Find out more about Picturehouse, Ronan's support act on his 10 years
of hits tour - Click
here
Manchester Online review of Father & Son added
(send your own reviews also) - Click here
Intel volunteers raise €3,697.20 for Marie
Keating Foundation - Click here
Photos of Ronan at Cardiff International Arena
added - Click here
Music Remedy review of 10 Years of Hits added -
Click here
Heat Magazine review of Father & Son - Click
here
Manchester Online Interview -
Ronan Keating - Manchester Online interview
Vote for one of Ronan's number 1 singles (eg:
Life Is a Rollercoaster or When You Say Nothing At All) - Click
here
You can only vote for ONE song.
Battle on for Christmas No. 1 - Click
here
Ronan tugs at the heartstrings - Click
here
New Magazine - issue 092 December 13th
First photos of Ronan in Concert on his 10
Years of Hits tour - Glasgow SECC
- Click here - Thanks to Lins!
KEATING AND STEVENS TO DONATE SINGLE
PROCEEDS TO BAND AID
Contact Music - December 10th 2004
 Irish
pop star RONAN KEATING and singer CAT STEVENS are donating all the proceeds from
their new single together to the Band Aid Trust.
Former BOYZONE star Keating and Muslim convert Stevens, who now goes by the name
of YUSUF ISLAM, have teamed up to record a duet of Stevens' classic FATHER AND
SON.
The track is released in Britain on Monday (13DEC04) and although it's unlikely
to knock BAND AID 20's DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? off the UK top spot, Keating
is prepared to settle for second best.
He says, "Band Aid might still be number one but I'd love number two."
Ronan on Des & Mel - December 10th 2004
© copyright
Rex Features
Ronan on the "Die Hit Giganten - Das
Weihnachtsspecial" Christmas Special - Click
here
Father and Son video screenshots
© copyright
Rex Features
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