Ronan Keating - July 2005 News

July 2005 News

Ronan at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight - July 30th 2005

Photos courtesy of Isle of Wight Radio

More photos of Ronan's concert at Osborne House added

Thanks again to Heather and Rachel!

Thanks to Regina!

An all-star line-up, consisting of top professional golfers and other sports and entertainment celebrities, joined golfing legend Gary Player and Irish singing sensation Ronan Keating, as well as a host of top business executives, on Monday, July 18th at The K Club in Ireland for this year’s Gary Player Invitational charity golf event.

This year would appear to have broken record ground in terms of charity funds; initial estimates are that over $400,000 was raised at the event. The money will be shared between the event’s three beneficiaries – The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, The Player Foundation and The Marie Keating Foundation.

Super photos of Ronan at Osborne House - Thanks to Heather and Rachel!

Ronan Tees Off for Charity

Showbiz Ireland - July 29th 2005

It seems Ronan Keating's golf swing is getting him as much notice as his singing career these days with reports in the media that he's been invited to tee-off with Hollywood A-listers

Every opportunity Ronan Keating gets he tries to enjoy the numerous world class golf courses we have here in Ireland - recently he joined a number of sport personalities at the K-Club for The Gary Player Golf Invitational.

And word seems to have got out in celeb-circles that our Ro aint half bad with a nine-iron as he's reportedly been invited to play with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones in a golf tournament.

Well at least he hasn't started wearing plaid trousers just yet!

Ronan joined up with French heartthrob David Ginola recently at the very exclusive K-Club to show his fellow celebrities how to get to the 19th hole in the least number of swings

Those who attended the event and reception later included Gary Lineker, Sir Bobby Charlton, Alan Hansen, Mr. Gary Player himself, Ian Botham, Anna Walker, John Scales, Phil Babb, Lee Westwood, Niall Quinn and many more.

It was also great to see the wives and families of most of the participants at the event.

Ronan's very heavily pregnant wife Yvonne attended the reception in the K-Club but preferred not to be in any of the photos given her condition - pity, coz she looked fantastic as ever!

BBC Radio 2 - IT'S NUMBER ONE - IT'S TOP OF THE POPS Tuesday 26th July 2005

Ronan on Boyzone’s first TOTP’s performance: Love me for a reason

Steve Wright: TOTP remained a huge milestone for pop musicians like Ronan Keating then of Boyzone.

Ronan: I remember we turned up like 8.00 in the morning (laughs) and we were here like 12.00 at night type thing, we were the only band there we couldn’t wait to get there I remember (still laughing). We all arrived and we all sat in the canteen watching everyone come in and getting autographs also and all sorts of things. We all set ourselves goals, first one was like to be on the cover of a magazine the next one was to be on the cover of something else or whatever and one of them was TOTP and I’ll never forget reaching it, it was unbelievable.

Watch video clips of Boyzone songs "No Matter What, A Different Beat, Words, and Love Me For A Reason.

Ronan and Yvonne gallery updated

Review and more photos of Ronan at Blickling Hall added

More Photos of Ronan at Blickling Hall added - Thanks to Lisa!

More photos of Ronan at Newmarket added - Thanks again to Jill!

Photos of Ronan at Blickling Hall added - Thanks to Jill!

Blickling Hall review added

Schedule updated - Click here

Ronan at Harewood House on July 2nd 2005

Photo courtesy of Stray FM

More photos of Ronan at the Marquee in Cork added - Thanks to Heather!

More photos of Ronan at Newmarket added - Thanks to Heather!

Newmarket concert review added - Thanks to Regina!

Live 8 promotional photo

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Ronan with David Ginola at the Gary Player Golf Invitational at the K-Club, Co Kildare, Ireland on June 18th 2005. Photo courtesy of VIP Ireland

Visit the Official Gary Player Invitational website

Fantastic photos of Ronan at the Marquee in Cork, Ireland - Thanks to Conny!

Ronan makes Rhona's day

East Anglian Daily Times - July 19th 2005

THERE are not too many people who can claim that one of the world's biggest pop stars dedicated a song to them in front of 20,000 people.

But East Anglian Daily Times columnist Rhona Damant is today fortunate enough to be able to say just that.

For Ronan Keating dedicated a song to her while performing live on stage at Newmarket Nights on Friday night.

Performing his song, Sorry, the pop star told thousands of people in the audience that he was dedicating it to Rhona and her friends.

“It was such a great night. I'm still on a complete high,” said a delighted Rhona yesterday.

“I think the best part was when he dedicated the song to me. It was a really magic moment. There were 20,000 people there and he dedicated a song to me.''

The moment was the highlight of the evening for Rhona who had gone to the show, staged at Newmarket Racecourse, with 36 family and friends.

But what the mother-of-two, from Great Waldingfield, near Sudbury, did not know was that she would meet Ronan backstage before and after the show and watch him perform from the hospitality suite.

Rhona has come to public prominence through here weekly column, Rhona's Diary, in which she tells of how she lives with breast cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease five years ago.

Her columns have since been published in a book, Sit Down and Stop Laughing. Published by the EADT, profits from sales of the book go to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Rhona asked Ronan, who lost his own mother to the disease and is a great supporter of cancer charities, to write a foreword for her book.

The pop star kindly agreed and Rhona and Ronan have since met on a couple of occasions.

They first met at a concert at Wembley Arena at the end of last year but Rhona said that meeting him at Newmarket was better by far.

“The fact that he broke away from all those people to come and say goodbye to me was also special. He asked me: 'When will I see you again?'.”

“It was so different from the first time. He just came up to me, gave me a hug and started talking,” said Rhona.

“He's not someone who is all blown up with celebrity. He's just a northern Irish boy.”

Singer Ronan Keating drops in to open new hospital screening unit

Addenbrooke's Hospital - July 18th 2005

Photos courtesy of Addenbrooke's Hospital

Singer Ronan Keating made a special visit to officially open the West Anglia Pathology Services Cytology Screening Unit in Newmarket on 15 July 2005 before appearing at 'Newmarket Nights'.

The unit analyses cervical smear tests, providing a service for women across much of South Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk.

Studying cervical cells can help detect pre-cancerous abnormal cells from the cervix, and subsequent treatment can prevent the development of cervical cancer.

Photo left: Ronan Keating unveils the plaque with Malcolm Stamp, Addenbrooke's Chief Executive.

Cancer is a subject close to Ronan's heart, as his mother Marie died from breast cancer in 1998. Speaking about the visit, Ronan said: "Cancer is a cruel disease but if it is caught in time it can be cured. The new screening unit will help save lives, so I am thrilled to be invited to open it."

The new unit in Newmarket opened earlier this year and combines the hospital laboratories of Addenbrooke's, Hinchingbrooke and the West Suffolk hospitals. Scientists will be analysing over 60,000 cervical smear tests a year using the latest technology, improving the service for women.

The lab offers a new technology, which increases the chances of detecting important abnormalities of the cervix (neck of the womb). Tests are easier to read under the microscope which means that women receive their results earlier, and because they are clearer, there is less chance that women have to return for a repeat test.

Photo left: Cancer is a subject close to Ronan's heart

There are many other benefits to the new unit, including meeting the needs of a growing population, modernising the service and providing facilities for teaching, research and training.

Colin Carr, Addenbrooke's Pathology Services Manager, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Ronan broke from his busy schedule to open this extremely important development in the fight against cancer. The new facilities allow us to use the latest technology and provide a training centre for the whole of the east of England."

As part of the evening's events, Ronan released balloons for a balloon race to raise funds for the Cambridge Breast Unit. The person whose label is found furthest from Newmarket wins a home PC courtesy of August Computers. Balloon labels can be bought for £1 from Addenbrooke's Hospital at Pathology reception at Clinical Biochemistry, Level 4, or the Fund & Friends of Addenbrooke’s office in the outpatient hall.

Review and amazing photos of Ronan at Newmarket on Friday July 15th 2005 added

Thanks to Jill!

Ronan to put on a special opening act

Cambridge Evening News - July 14th 2005

POP star Ronan Keating will officially open a new regional cancer screening centre in Newmarket on Friday before he performs to a sell-out crowd at the racecourse.

The singer's mother Marie died from breast cancer in 1998.

He said: "Cancer is a cruel disease, but if it is caught in time it can be cured. This new screening unit will help save lives, so I am thrilled to be invited to open it."

The new West Anglia Pathology Services Cytology Screening Unit will analyse more than 60,000 cervical smear tests a year for women across South Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk.

The £1.5 million new laboratory replaces units previously based at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hinch-ingbrooke Hospital and West Suffolk Hospital.

It opened earlier this year with the latest technology which increases the chances of early detection of cancer of the cervix. Tests are easier to read under the microscope which means that women receive their results earlier, and because they are clearer, there is less chance that women have to return for a repeat test.

Colin Carr, Addenbrooke's pathology services manager, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Ronan is breaking from his busy schedule to open this extremely important development in the fight against cancer. The new facilities allow us to use the latest technology and provide a training centre for the whole of the east of England."

As part of the evening's events, Ronan will be releasing balloons for a balloon race to raise funds for the Cambridge Breast Unit. The person whose label is found furthest from Newmarket wins a home PC courtesy of August Computers. Balloon labels can be bought for £1 from Addenbrooke's Hospital at Pathology reception at Clinical Biochemistry, Level 4, or the Fund & Friends of Addenbrooke's office in the outpatient hall.

The News team will be at Newmarket racecourse on Friday. Come and visit the team at the family enclosure and make sure you pick-up your free Ronan poster when you buy your copy of the News.

Thanks to Karen!

Epsom Live! concert re-scheduled

Ronan's Epsom Live! concert has been rescheduled to Wednesday August 17th. For tickets or information, call 01372 470047. Alternatively, book online

Thanks to Jill!

Ronan performing at Live 8 Edinburgh

Photo courtesy of Sky Showbiz

Ronan's lovin' each challenge

Liverpool Summer Pops review added - Thanks to Regina!

New Magazine - Issue: July 18th 2005

Ronan Keating, Summer Pops, Liverpool review added

Thanks to Karen!

More photos of Ronan at the Liverpool Summer Pops added -Thanks to Conny!

Liverpool Summer Pops review and photos - Thanks to Heather!

Ronan in triumphant pops return

Star Magazie - July 4th 2005 - Thanks to Stacey!

Please do not use this scan without asking for permission! - Thank you.

Blue eyes is back

Epsom Live concert postponed

Statement from the official Epsom Downs Racecourse website

Ronan Keating - Abandoned due to the incidents in London and the police advice not to travel unless absolutely necessary. We are hoping to re-arrange the date.

Ronan's speech at Live 8 Edinburgh

Ronan's speech at Live 8 Edinburgh 50,000 the final push

I went on a Trade Justice visit to Ghana last year and when you see hundreds of men and women breaking rocks in 90 degree heat in a quarry because they cannot work on their own land because of unfair trade rules and they come home with less than 2 dollars a day to feed their families that is why we need Live 8 to mobilise millions of people all over the world to influence the G8

WE NEED THE G8! To make moves now because of public demand for trade justice, for debt cancellation and more and better aid, while Live 8 was going on in Hyde Park 225,000 people gathered here in Edinburgh for a Make Poverty History rally and the words of Mahatma Gandhi were read out:

First they will ignore you
Then they will laugh at you
Then they will fight you
And then you will win

For all of those people and the people that I met in that quarry we demand justice not charity thank you, God bless ya.

Ronan performed Life is a rollercoaster.

Ronan performing at Live 8 Edinburgh on July 6th 2005

Photo courtesy of the BBC

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Courtesy of the official Live 8 programme 2005

By all rights, Ronan should be a monster. The man behind the music has been topping the charts for 10 years, he's shifted over 17 million records worldwide, he's duetted with the likes of Cat Stevens and Leann Rimes ....... and he's not yet 30 years old.

But he's also the quiet family man. He writes songs about his wife. He shuns the celebrity whirligig and is rarely a victim of the paparazzi. He's softly spoken in interviews and always makes time for his fans. He is widely known for being an incredibly nice guy. It's extraordinary really.

As for the music behind the man .... it speaks for itself. For a full decade it's been in our consciousness. When You Say Nothing At All, Life Is A Rollercoaster, Lovin' Each Day. The Way You Make Me Feel, Baby Can I Hold You, Words, Father & Son ....there's a reason for Ronan's incredible success. And, more than anything else, that reason is the songs.

Thanks to Jill!