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Mam never met my kids, that breaks my heart interview added

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Christian Aid Trade Justice Campaign

At the end of May, Ronan will be travelling out to Ghana on a trip to highlight Christian Aid’s work through their Trade Justice Campaign in Africa. 

The five day trip will see Ronan visiting local farmers in Accra, Kumasi and Akumodan to witness first hand the problems they face in trying to sell their produce in a market swamped by cheaply imported foreign foods.

You can find out more about Christian Aid’s Trade Justice Campaign by clicking on their logo above.

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Wobbly Ronan crashes party

The Sun - May 19th 2004

RONAN KEATING fainted and crashed to the ground moments before he was due to sing at a charity ball.

The ex-BOYZONE singer was rushed to hospital — and diagnosed with severe food poisoning.

On his way to sing at Vienna’s annual Life Ball for Aids victims he told his manager he felt dizzy and feverish.

Then he stepped out of the car at the concert hall and collapsed.

A source in the Austrian capital said: “It was scary. Ronan complained of stomach pains then slumped to the ground.”

He later put his wobble down to dodgy seafood. A spokesman for the star said: “Doctors diagnosed severe food poisoning. He has been told to rest for a few days but is fine.”

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See photos of Ronan at the sound check for Zucchero's Royal Albert Hall concert and more photos from the concert

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Great Photos of Ronan with Leann Rimes added

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Ronan's brand new single 'Last Thing on My Mind' Featuring Leann Rimes, has entered the official UK singles chart at No. 5!!

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Turn It On has climbed another 2 places in the official UK album chart to No. 22!!

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Keating the good egg gets belated crack at acting

Jan Battles - The Times - May 9th 2004

AFTER several false starts, Ronan Keating’s acting career is set to take off — with a role as a cartoon egg.  The pop singer, who was supposed to star in a British gangster film that has now been postponed, will have a role in a new children’s animation series.

Instead of playing a bank robber alongside Vinnie Jones in Guns, Money and Homecooking, the former Boyzone singer will now make his acting debut as the voice of a cartoon egg.

The millionaire 27-year-old will play Splat, an egg-shaped boy who lives in Shelltown, which is also the name of the animated series aimed at six- to eight-year-olds. Keating, who has invested in the Irish company that is making the show, will also compose music for it.

Work has begun on the pilot of the television series, which will cost Ł2.5m (€3.8m) to make. The first episode should be completed in six weeks’ time. The computer-generated animation is being created by the British company that made Postman Pat, DangerMouse and Bill & Ben.  Kenneth Branagh, the actor, and Johnny Vegas, the comedian, are also being lined up for the series.

The cartoon was devised by Patricia Parson-Sparkes and her husband Bernard Sparkes from Ballymoney, in Northern Ireland. The stories are based on the bedtime tales Parson-Sparkes dreamt up for her 13 children.

“My wife has always written stories and told them to the kids,” said Sparkes. “With the Shelltown stories, the feedback from them was ‘when is it going to be a cartoon on television?’” The Sparkes, whose children are aged between 2 and 27, moved to Ballymoney from England seven years ago.

Shelltown, where the buildings and cars are all egg-shaped, is home to Splat, Cracker and Exactly, three mischievous young eggs. Splat, the leader of the Good Egg Gang, sports a strawberry blonde quiff not unlike one of Keating’s hairdos from his Boyzone days. Although he is also a poor dancer, Sparkes said the cartoon was not based on the pop star. The singer will not get a fee for doing the character’s voice or the music he composes but, as a large shareholder in the company, he will get a share of any profits made. Children’s cartoon series can be very lucrative with merchandising spin-offs generating millions in revenue for successful shows.

However, animation is very expensive to make because of the amount of time it takes to create each frame and the Sparkes are seeking broadcasters worldwide to fund the costly production. Both RTE and UTV have expressed interest in buying the completed series. Keating became a shareholder in Shelltown Productions at the beginning of the month.

The singer auditioned unsuccessfully for Ewan McGregor’s part in Moulin Rouge alongside Nicole Kidman. While Baz Luhrmann, the director, was impressed with Keating’s voice, his acting skills — by the singer’s own admission — left much to be desired.

Keating also reportedly got down to the last four for the part of Lancelot in King Arthur, the $80m (€67m) epic starring Clive Owen and Keira Knightley, which was filmed in Ireland last year. He lost out to the British actor Ioan Gruffudd.

Filming, which was due to start last month in Bray, Co Wicklow, on Guns, Money and Homecooking, has been postponed until later in the year. The film was also due to star Anna Friel and Aidan Gillen.  Keating’s character Sean is an inexperienced gangster who, after a hold- up goes wrong, is forced to hole up in a lighthouse with three accomplices, the only other occupant of which is an eccentric old lady.

Today, Keating will learn where his latest single, a duet with American star LeAnn Rimes, has debuted on the UK chart. It is expected to go in to the top 10 but is unlikely to reach the No 1 spot.

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Ronan ignores Louis's sneers

Irish Independent - May 9th 2004

LOUIS Walsh my derriere. Despite his former manager's mean-spirited remarks about him, Ronan Keating has plenty to celebrate - including a hit album all over Europe and a number two in the UK charts with She Believes in Me. The biggest celebrations were in the Wolseley restaurant in the West End last Saturday when Ronan and his wife Yvonne marked their sixth wedding anniversary. They partied the night away in what has become London's coolest restaurant - the Wolseley is part of the Ivy Group which also owns Elton John and Stephen Gately's favourite restaurant, J Sheekey. Afterwards, they repaired to the Atlantic Bar in Soho (owned by Irishman Oliver Peyton) where they enjoyed two bottles of Dee Pee before returning to their suite at the Mandarin Hotel.

"It was supposed to be quiet night in London," Ronan told me. "We were supposed to go to Venice but my work schedule is too heavy with this new single. We'll probably go next month."

On Thursday, Ronan performed at the Royal Albert Hall in a special concert with Eric Clapton, Dolores O'Riordan (her first show since Nannygate) and Sting in honour of Zucchero, with the proceeds going to the UNHCR fund.

Next week he flies out to Nashville to record a spot for Top of the Pops with LeAnn Rimes (the pair have just released a duet as a single).  Yvonne and the two kids, Marie and Jack, will join him for a short break.

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Last Thing On My Mind enters the CD:UK chart at No. 5 and the Irish Top 40 singles chart at No. 10!!!!

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Photos added to November 2003 news archive - Click here

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LONDON - MAY 6:

Ronan Keating performs on stage at a benefit show in aid of the United Nations' UNHCR refugees fund, at The Royal Albert Hall on May 6, 2004 in London. Show celebrates release of his new album of duets, and features special guests including Luciano Pavarotti, Ronan Keating, Brian May and Paul Young.

To see larger versions of the photos below, visit Getty Images

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Gay Times Interview added

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Maley runs a Boyz band

IC Teeside May 6 2004

By Bill Mcguirk, The Evening Chronicle

Electronic engineer Sean Maley found himself the envy of thousands when he lined up for a 10km road race in Dublin's Phoenix Park recently.

The former Wallsend Harrier, no mean track performer as a teenager, was asked to take part in a special assignment of looking after Boyzone favourite Ronan Keating, who was donning running shoes in Ireland's capital city for the sake of charity.

"I was asked about the week before the race if I would run with Ronan and look after him if he got injured or anything like that," said Maley, who is not only an electronics engineer but also lends his hands to physiotherapy.

"It was a wonderful experience. Those that recognised Ronan immediately gave him huge cheers while other spectators just looked at him in amazement.

"He was good company throughout the run and he managed to finish unaided. Mind, I think I could have got the better of him if it had become serious!"

Maley is no stranger to mingling with the stars for his physio talents has been called on for the likes of Paula Radcliffe, Jo Fenn, Sonia O'Sullivan and Paul Tergat.

"When the Great North Run and other major events are here in the North East I'm often called on to give athletes a massage.

"While that is nothing out of the ordinary, I must say to run with Ronan was completely alien to anything I've done before."

After his Dublin stint, Maley is off to Scotland for this weekend's Balmoral Road Races and though he hasn't been asked to do any chaperone duties at the moment there's still a chance that there may by a lonesome star who needs a running mate.

Then, if that is the case, Maley's definitely your man!

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Vote for Ronan as Celebrity Dad of the Year 2004! - Click on the image below of Ronan, Jack & Marie

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Ronan at British Masters Pro-Am Golf Tournament

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

COVENTRY, ENGLAND - MAY 5: Singer Ronan Keating plays out of the fairwy bunker on the sixth hole during the Pro-Am event prior to the Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters on the Eden course on May 5, 2004 at the Forest of Arden near Coventry, England.

COVENTRY, ENGLAND - MAY 5: Singer Ronan Keating gestures on the sixth green during the Pro-Am event prior to the Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters on the Eden course on May 5, 2004 at the Forest of Arden near Coventry, England.

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Daily Mirror 3am magazine - May 5th 2004

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Last Thing On My Mind has climbed 2 places to No. 17 in this week's Smash Hits Chart

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Ronan has been confirmed as one of the artists who will be performing at BRMB's Party in the Park.  Click on the BRMB Party in the Park logo to find out more - if you are a VIP, sign in, if not sign up!

Thanks to Shelley!

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On Song interview added

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Visit our news archives to read about Ronan on the Kelly Show on December 19th 2003

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Last Thing On My Mind review from Heat Magazine

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May 3rd 2004

Ronan's brand new single 'Last Thing On My Mind' featuring Leann Rimes is OUT NOW!!!

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May 3rd 2004 - More quotes by Ronan added

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May 2nd 2004 - Me and my record collection interview added

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May 2nd 2004 - Turn it on has climbed the UK album chart to No. 24!! - Click here

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My Lagan love    Belfast Telegraph    By John McGurk

May 2nd 2004

ULSTER was gripped by some sensational Saturday Night Fever last night - at a massive music street party, beamed around the world.

For Belfast became the world capital for rock and pop fans, as the city played host to a spectacular line-up of stars, at the climax of the BBC's Music Live festival.

It was billed as the Beautiful Night concert, compered by TV funnyman, Patrick Kielty, and BBC NI presenter and new Sunday Life magazine columnist, Christine Bleakley.

And, indeed, all things were bright and 'beautiful', with delighted fans dancing in the streets, during the two-hour plus outdoor feast of top talent.

Ex-Boomtown Rats lead singer, Bob Geldof, was the first to turn the City Hall area into a dancing dome of delight, with a rousing rendition of the Thin Lizzy classic, The Boys Are Back In Town.

Pre-recorded appearances of chart-topping Irish boyband Westlife, and Ulster indie rockers Ash - filmed earlier at the Beeb's floating stage, on the River Lagan - also wowed the 18,000-strong crowd.

Other stars who shone during the show, broadcast by the BBC on TV and radio around the globe, included Alanis Morissette, Jamie Cullum, and Clannad singer, Maire Brennan.

But it was unique collaborations - one between Ronan Keating and Hothouse Flowers, another with Katie Melua and Brian Kennedy - which made it an extra special night to remember for the people of Northern Ireland.
 

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