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Shane's world of our own thank you's

To Gillian, you are my best friend and i love you.

WOOO album

November 2001

TOTP monthly: KISSING COUSIN- by Kian

I think Shane's really pleased that his relationship with Gillian is out in the open. He's had a good reaction from the fans which is the best thing. I totally trust him with my cousin - he wouldn't be with her if I

didn't! Now me and Mark get all the attention cos we are the only single ones left!

TOTP magazine

december 2001

westlife boys about talk

And love is in the air for Shane too - he's been secretly dating student and childhood mate Gillian Walsh (Kian's cousin) for nearly a year, and it's all going very well, 'I'm in love with her, without a shadow of a doubt. I send her flowers a lot, saying really silly things like, 'Happy Tuesday' or 'Happy Friday'. We're very happy.'

www.westlife.com

11/12/01

Shane has got a girl

As the lead singer of the group Shane has been under a huge securtiny from the press and public. He was recently voted one of the sexiest men in showiz, but hes not looking for the perfect girlfriend - hes in a serious loving relationship with Sligo girl Gillian Walsh. The couple have been dating for 6 months. Shane added: "We're very happy togehter. I had to keep the whole thing quiet for a while because she was doing her exams and I didnt want her to have any distractions. She's a very normal, loving girl and understands the music business and how much time I am going to be away."

Irish mirror

16/12/01

Pucker up!

Smiles were the order of the day when the band left the stage this time. "That was dead right!" beamed a jubilant Shane as he left TV centre with his brand-new girlfriend, Gillian, in tow. "Shame we can't stay, but we have to be up at 4.30am tomorrow for breakfast TV."
However, there was time for just one more thing before the charmer departed: a huge peck under the mistletoe for the TOTP team!

TOTP mag

december 2001

Shane's lovelife

:little more than an hour earlier I had watched in astonishment as 12,000 girls screamed for Shane and the rest of Westlife. Almost any of them would have done anything to spend the night with one of their idols. But there is only one woman Shane is interested in. She is Gillian Walsh, the bright and gentle Irish girl he has tried to keep secret for more than a year. But as we sit chatting in his hotel room with Shane still buzzing with exctitement from the Sheffiled Arena gig, there are no secrets anymore. He wants to talk about how they first kissed, how he told her he loved her, and his hopes one day they will settle down and have children: "I knew i loved her more or less straight away" says Shane 22, shatterring a million teenagers dreams. "She has such a great personality and is the most amzing person I have ever met" When I first met Shane, the youngest of 7 children, he had a boyish charm, and talked enthusiastically about everything. Three years on his passions are still singing and performing, but now there is Gillian too. All the attention from women could have turned him into a vain egomaniac, but his modesty shrugs off his appeal. Sitting curled up in an arm chair, wearing jeans and an old t-shirt, he has filled out since our first meeting but he has an air of innocence that belies the experiences he has gained in Westlife. As we talk, Gillian, also 22 quielty sorts through a pile of clothes. She is happy to stay out of the limelight. But Shane says it was he, not she, who insisted on total secrecy for the first year, now he wants the world to know. He says: "I needed to have a more normal relationship. We kept it quiet for ages, and it was driving me mad cos we couldnt even walk down the street holding hands." They still do not like to pose for photographs together and Gillian in the final year of a business studies degree, keeps a discreet distance when he is working. Shane has known Gillian, a cousin of fellow bandmate Kian Egan, since childhood. But it was only more recently that it became serious. He says: "I fancied her for an awful long ime, but didn't tell her. I didnt kiss her for ages because I didnt want to come on too strong. The first time I kissed her was... oh, my God, it was amazing, we had just gone on our first proper date, to the cinema. It was just a quick kiss, but long enough for her to hopefully want some more - and she did. Things got better and better, and I started thinking 'she is the one'." "We had been together for about 4 months when I wanted to tell her I loved her. I didnt know how to do it so I just said I had a secret." "I kept her guessing for a few weeks. She was dying to get it out of me. Then she said she had a secret too." One nite I said "I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours" We agreed and I told her "I love you". She told hers was that she loved me too. "It was one of the best moments ever, I'll never forget it" Will he marry her? "I definately hope so one day" he says. "I can't see myself ever being happy without her. I call her the perfect package. She is the girl of my dreams in every sense."

The mirror

19/12/01

Shane's world

So tell us about Gillian your girlfriend.

We've been together around a year now but I've known her since I was about 12 and we were in musicals together growing up. She was actually one of my first girlfriends when we were teenagers and dated for a few weeks. Buts she's really great. I'm crazy about her. She's in college at home in Sligo studying business management and we talk a couple of time a day; thank god for mobile phones! It's going to be hard when we start the world tour next March but Gillian is going to fly out and join us when she can. We haven't gone public with out relationship going to parties and pr events to be honest it's not our thing. We prefer to sit in a pub in Sligo and have a laugh with our mates.

Smash hits

January 2002

Interview with shane

Do you get much hassle on the streets?
No, not at all. Especially in Sligo, people don't even bat an eyelid when you walk down the road. It's the same in Dublin really. People might recognise you alright but that's as far as it goes. There's no need for minders and full on entourages or things like that. If you draw attention to yourself, then obviously you're going to attract attention. Perhaps if I was somewhere like a big concert or something like that I might need someone to help out and just to keep moving me along, but that's all I'd ever do really. Sligo is a very grounding place for me, my three best friends are there and of course my girlfriend Gillian so we all hang out together. Sligo is a great place, I've had a great upbringing there and plan to live there rest of my life there and raise my children there too.

So tell us about Gillian your girlfriend!
We've been together around a year now, but I've known her since I was about 12 and we were in musicals together growing up. She was actually one of my first girlfriends when we were teenagers and dated for a few weeks. But she's really great, I'm crazy about her. She's in college at home in Sligo studying business management, and we talk a couple of times a day; thank God for mobile phones! It's going to be hard when we start the world tour next March, but Gillian is going to fly out and join us when she can. We haven't gone public with our relationship, going to parties and pr events, to be honest it's not our thing. We prefer to sit in a pub in Sligo and have a laugh with our mates

U yearBook

January 2002

Popworld chat to shane

Crazed fans camp on his doorstep, his mates once scrawled "Most Fanciable Male" on his face as he slept, and the tabloids reckoned he was in a wheelchair! Welcome to the mad world of Shane Filan...

So, Shane, what�s the biggest lie you�ve ever read about yourself?

'There was a story on the front of a newspaper that I was in a wheelchair because I�d hurt my foot on stage and couldn�t walk on it. I HAD hurt my foot, but I definitely WASN�T in a wheelchair -in fact, I was walking along as I read the paper!

'What�s the most obsessive thing that a fan has done for you?

'There were a couple of fans from Germany who came over while I was away and just waited for me to come home. My mam and dad were walking my horses for me and they�d told me that there were some girls hanging about. Then I came home six days later and they were still outside! Luckily, I don�t have any stalkers - but Mark has had a stalker for a while.

'Is it true that Westlife are set to split, now that Bryan is married?

'No it isn�t. Westlife are very happy at the moment - we�ve just started working on the next album and I think there�s a lot of life in Westlife yet. There�s going to be a greatest hits album, followed by another album. After that, who knows? But it�s going to be another few years, at least, before you get rid of Westlife. I�d like to keep singing, anyway - if that means a solo career, so be it. I�d actually like to do a song with Bryan after the band - something with a Savage Garden kind of vibe. We�d be foolish to split up now, though; we�ve got some great stuff planned for the next couple of years, at least.

'You�ve been voted "the sexiest bloke in pop" a few times - does that embarrass you?

'It doesn�t embarrass me - it just makes me feel kind of awkward, 'cos I don�t feel sexy in any shape or form. If that�s what other people think, it�s very flattering - it makes me feel kinda cool, but not in a way that I�d be strutting around saying, "I won this award." The lads do take the mickey - after I won one award, I fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel and the lads drew all over my face. When we arrived back at the hotel, everybody was laughing at me - even all the fans! I didn�t have a clue why, until I got up to my room and looked in the mirror and saw that the boys had written "Most Fanciable Male" all around my face!

Has the birth of Bryan�s daughter, Molly, made you feel broody?

'It has! It�s amazing to look at her and think, "Wow, Bryan and Kerry made this person." I would love to have children - not in the next year, but before I�m 26 or 27.

'Have you babysat for Molly yet?

'Not yet, but I�m sure myself and Gillian will offer. I think I�m good with babies, but Gillian will be better - she loves children.

POPWORLD

03/02/02

Birrova break

Shane - Maldives Shane's just spent two weeks relaxing in the beautiful Maldives with his girlfriend Gillian! Ooo, ain't she just the lucky one!

Smash hits

February 2002

Sunday express interview

Who were you with at midnight?
I was on my own, getting ready for bed. I fell asleep in about 3 mintues. I sleep really well, usually. It's really tiring jetting back and forth between Ireland and England all the time.

Who was the first person you spoke to this morning?
My girlfriend Gillian who I've been going out with for about a year. I don't really like talking about her publicly as I don't think it's fair to drag her into the media spotlight.

What was the best meal you had today?
Lunch wasn't great, but dinner was lovely. The boys and I usually fly home after performing in the UK, so I usually eat the main meal of the day here in Ireland. Tonight I went to Eddie Rockets in Dublin, an American diner-style place. I had a gorgeous burger there. I don't have fussy tastes in food.

What was the most expensive thing you bought today?
I'm building a house for myself at the moment, so I have been spending quite a bit on materials. Otherwise, I haven't bought much, apart from a copy of the sunday express and some water. I'm very excited about my house. It should be finished soon and I can't wait! I did splash out on a new BMW a couple of week sago, so that was the single most expensive thing I have bought recently.

What made you laugh the most today?
Probably Bryan and Mark from teh band. They've been taking the mickey out of each other all day, and making fun of everyone generally. They're realy funny people when they want to be.
What do you regret most about today?Getting up at 5am. I'm exhausted! Not really. To be honest, I don't really regret anything I've done today. I'm not the kind of person to get hung up on regrets. It's been a good day so far.

What made you most proud today?
Let me think...Oh, I bought stomes for my house. I'm having all the walls made out of this really old, beauutiful stone. That's my proudest thing at the moment- building my own house.

What is the most annoying thing anyone's said or done to you today?
I can't think of anything. I do get irritated when I'm tired and take a lot of it out on my tour manager, who doesn't deserve it. But, as a rule, I don't usually get too stressed out.

What song can you not get out of your head at the moment?
Let me Blow Your Mind by Gwen Stefani and Eve. It's just a cool song

What appointments did you make today?
Our schedule is non-stop. We did TOTP today, and in a couple of days we've got another TV appearance.

Did you meet anyone interesting today?
Not really. I saw Gabrielle yesterday when we were on a TV show, and she looked really good. We said hello as we passed in teh corridor, and that was it.

How long did you spend getting ready this morning?I got up, had a quick shower and dressed, so probably about 5 or 10 minutes. I'm not really vain. Obviously we like to look our best on TV, but stylists help with that so I don't bother myself.

What time will you be in bed tonight?
Around 12:30am, then up again at 5:30am. It's hard, but you've got to do it. It's not as if I'llhave to do this every night for the rest of my life. Such early starts only happen during the run-up to singles or an album, so we can't complain.

Was it a good hair day or a bad hair day?
Well, I've had a hat on all day, so I'd probably say it's been a bad hair day!

Westlife's new single World of Our Own is released tomorrow

Sunday express

17/02/02

Love is in the air!

Love was in the air on St Valentine’s Day for SHANE WESTLIFE and girlfriend Gillian. As the ‘Life were performing on stage, Gillian was jetting in from Dublin so she could spend the evening being wined and dined at Shane’s swish London hotel!

TOTP magazine

March 2002

More! interview

How does it feel to be in such a successful band?

Im pretty happy. There is no point denying that we are getting bigger as a band. We're still at the top of the charts, so its a great feeling. The high point for me was when we met the Pope last December.

Does it feel as if all your dreams have come true?

Yes, but we still want to be huge round the world, play massive stadiums and win a Grammy. We have so much but we want more. It might sound greedy, but you have to set your sights higher everyday.

Do you still manage to lead a normal life?

Yeah, I try, but obviously we can never be as normal as we used to be - that's the choice we made at the begining. If your successful, its a great life - you can make a lot of money and have things you never thought you would. The downsides are that you're away from your family a lot and you work long hours - its not like a nine - to - five job with the weekends off.

Do you ever get fed up of being followed around by fans?

I honestly dont mind that - its part of our job. My mam has a cafe and she's great with the fans. She invites them in and gets them drinks - sometimes it gets out of control and they want to take pictures or video her behind the counter, but in general its very good.

You've got a girlfriend now....

Yes. Ive known Gillian all my life - she's Kian's cousin. We've been going out for over a year now, but it feels like we've been together forever. She's a great girl and she understands me - she's like my best friend. It makes it easier because I know she's with me for the right reasons. She's the perfect girl for me.

Last year there were rumours that you'd signed a solo deal....

It was in the papers and the lads showed it to me. Stuff like that happens all the time but its definatly not true. I think I'll go solo in the future because after the band I'd still like to sing - its what I love doing. Whether I end up as a successful solo artist or in a pub singing kareoke, I dont know! Only time will tell.

More! magazine

March 2002

POPWORLD talks to Shaney

It's the final day of Westlife Week on POPWORLD! So far this week, we've had interviews with Mark, Kian, Bryan and Nicky - which means

that, today, it's Shane's turn! Here's the lush fella talking about cracking the States, being a groomsman at Bryan's wedding and coping

with fame...

Hi, Shane. So did you enjoy Bryan's wedding? You had a special role to play, didn't you?

`Yeah, Bryan's wedding was fantastic. Morning to night, everything was just happening and everything was top-class. It was over the top in a good way, everyone was really, really happy and it was really well-organised. It was excellent! I had a great time! I was groomsman, and I've never done that before. It's like the second best man. I had to look after the best man and worry for him while he was worrying for Bryan!'

How are things going with your girlfriend Gillian?

`Everything is going excellently with Gillian. We just came back from a holiday in the Maldives and it was really nice. We were over there for two weeks. We got a good colour and we came back nice and refreshed, and it was gorgeous out there - really hot. Gillian has gone back to college now to finish off her final year and I'm back at work, too.'

Do Westlife live in a world of their own?

`I think that we do, in a way - not in a cocky way, but in our own little bubble. Every day, it's like, `Westlife, Westlife, Westlife', and it's not a normal life. It is a world of our own, and that's where the album and single title came from.'

Do you ever get fed up of being famous?

`Yeah, you do - of course you do. It's not so much the being famous, but being in Westlife. Sometimes, it gets to you - probably one day in every three weeks, but every other day is brilliant. We enjoy what we do, we're having the time of our lives, but it's just like any other job - you get tired, you want to go home, or you don't want to get up in the morning. Other than that, it's great.'

Gareth Gates said that he would love to sing with Westlife - do youthink that will ever happen?

`I don't know. I didn't really watch Pop Idol to be honest, I don't really know much about him . I've seen him in the papers, but I've never heard him sing. You never know what might happen in the future, though.'

What if Simon Cowell tried to twist your arm?

`Well, we wouldn't do anything we didn't want to do. I think that to come out as a new solo star and then to hook up with a band is not the right move, anyway. It's not something we would want to do straight away, either.'

Do you think the USA is ready for Westlife?

`Yeah, I think it is. I think it's a question of whether we are ready for the US. We're very enthusiastic about it and we're busting to get over there, but I think we're going to shock a lot of people in the States. You never know. It's a lottery in the long run, but we are going to give it our best shot and we'll see...'

Will it be weird, having to start all over again?

`In a way, yeah, but I don't think we really will be starting all over again. It's just another territory that we will break, hopefully. We're not going to go back to the first album or anything, so it feels good.'

POPWORLD

march 2002

Shane Filan... on weird fans, top turn-ons and staying faithful

What do you find sexiest about your girlfriend Gillian?

Everything! She's the perfect package. She's not like a glamorous, glitzy model, she's just unbelievably funny and cute, exactly what I want in a girl.

Being surrounded by so many gorgeous women, do you ever get tempted to stray?

Never! I'm very honest and very faithful, although people probably don't believe I am. Even if I've only been with someone for two weeks, I've always been faithful. I think being unfaithful is the worst way you can treat a girl - I'd rather ring up and break it off that night than cheat on someone.

What's the most romantic gesture you've made?

Gillian's been studying for her final exams recently and one night she was feeling down and missing me. I'd been away for two weeks and on my night off I flew back to Dublin, borrowed a car and drove three hours to see her. She couldn't believe it when I turned up with a bunch of flowers!

Describe your perfect romantic evening...

We'd stay in and I'd cook Gillian spaghetti bolognese. She'd be in silky pyjama bottoms and a tracksuit top and we'd just hang out and watch a video. I don't like going out for dinner because fans come up to me so it's hard to have a romantic evening. I'd rather have the privacy and just be the two of us.

Aside from your mouth, where do you most like to be kissed?

Behind my ears, just on my neck - that's quality!

Which sounds most appealing - sex in a field or sex on the beach?

I've never done either so I don't know which is best, but I'd say a field would definitely be less messy.

What's the biggest turn on ever?

I love short skirts and great legs with stilettos!

What's your sexiest feature?

I don't know why but women say I have nice hands.

Which Westlife song do you feel sexiest singing?

'What Makes A Man' - it's got balls! It's a very masculine kind of song, not just the name of it, but the way I sing it.

What's your weirdest experience with a fan?

Once a fan pulled down my trousers in the street. She literally ripped them off and I was left standing in the boxers in the middle of Dublin. That's the worst thing that's ever happened to me.

Tell me about your last good dream...

We sang for the Pope in the Vatican before Christmas and I've had brilliant dreams about that. My mum is really religious and she went with us - for her it was like the best present ever, one money couldn't buy. It was so exciting!

What's your first thought when you wake up in the morning?

'Oh no, how long have I got to get ready?' There's always someone shouting 'You're late!' We're never, ever early. (Cosmo can vouch for that - Westlife were 1 � hours late for this photoshoot.)

What was the last text message you sent?

I sent one yesterday to Gillian saying, 'I love you and miss you and I'll call you in a couple of hours'.

Cosmopolitan mag

March 2002

M! interview

Are you enjoying your life with the most successful band?

"Not that MOST. But I am not denying that we are getting bigger as a band ... Thought we are on top of the charts in UK, still there is no reason to rejoice. But as long as we are on the top of the charts its a wonderful feeling. "

Has your dreams come true?

"Yeah! But still have to be known in some parts of America. THat is the most nervous part of it"

Do you have stalkers?

"Having stalkers is part of your job.. My mum has a cafe and she's treating fans so well.."

Gillian? How is she?

"She's a great girl and she understands me & she's like my best friend. She's the perfect girl for me.

Solo Career for you?

"not yet, not at the moment, I dont have any plan to go solo yet, although the band is thinking about that also, me, and the rest think about that, but not in the next years, we are still enjoying each other's company and as long as we are loved by the fans, we will stick together"

M! Magazine

March 2002

Sneak interview

Despite an on-off relationship with Atomic Kitten Liz, Blue's Lee says boybands should keep their girlfriends tucked away. Does he have a point? If so, was Westlife's Shane right to hide Gillian from his fans for so long?
I t's not a good idea to be seen out with a girlfriend, because that's going to lose you fans," says the outspoken Lee Ryan from Blue. "I mean, your female fans all want to be your girlfriend." He should know he's had a rocky ride during his relationship with Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon.
- SECRETS
The couple, who got it together while working in New York last September, went to great lengths to keep their snag shenanigans secret, but finally, at Bryan McFadden and Kerry Katona's wedding, they admitted all. Lee had another reason for keeping their relationship quiet. "I don't want the fans to start being horrible to her like they were with Billie when she went out with Ritchie from Five. That'd kill me."
- SHOCKING
But should pop stars keep their fans in the dark to protect their love lives? When Westlife's Shane Filan admitted last year he was dating bandmate Kian Egan's cousin, Gillian Walsh, fans were shocked. Not just because Shane became 'unavailable', but also because their idol had covered up the fact he was in a serious relationship. Shane, from Sligo, admits he's known Gillian, a business studies student, for over ten years. He also suggests they've been dating since early 2001, but some fans say it's longer than that, claiming he could have even been seeing her since 1999!
- BETRAYAL
So why, when Westlife's Nicky Byrne has always been open about his fiancee, Georgina Aherne, has Shane been so secretive? And was that decision a betrayal of his fans?
- UNDER WRAPS
Shane says Gillian insisted on keeping their relationship under wraps for so long. He claims: "The reason I didn't say anything is that I didn't want her to have a different kind of life. She just wanted to be Gillian from Sligo when she was at college – not Shane from Westlife's girlfriend." He insists Gillian's "very shy" and adds: "She didn't want to be judged by other students."
- CAMERA SHY
When the press and TV cameras are out Gillian and Shane are careful not to be seen together. Their reclusive lifestyle has certainly helped: "Going to parties and PR events is not our thing. We prefer to sit in a pub in Sligo and have a laugh with our mates, says Shane. And on the rare occasions they have attended showbiz bashes, such as the World Of Our Own album launch party, the pair have been careful to arrive and leave separately. Cunning!
- MIXED UP
The Irish tabloids had been trying to uncover the truth about Shane's love life for months. And they've often reached the wrong conclusions - once publishing a photo of Shane and his sister, saying she was in fact Gillian! Shane relished the fact that they've kept one step ahead of the press. "The papers thought Gillian was dating Kian because she used to come to our concerts," he says. "But they didn't know she's his cousin and we're the ones who've been dating. Ha ha!" Last October when Shane confessed he'd been seeing Gillian, he said they'd been dating for "a year" and admitted that he had known her since he was 12.
- FURIOUS FANS
"I've been out with a couple of girls for a month or six weeks – never anything too serious," he said. It's possible Gillian was one of these girls because some reports suggest the pair dated for a couple of weeks when they were in their teens. However, according to several Westlife fans, Gillian and Shane have been loved-up for a long time. "I've heard that Shane has been going out with her on and off since he was about 17, and also that he was going out with her well before Westlife got really successful," says one fan. "I don't believe this ‘I've been with her for just over a year' thing. I've been following Westlife since the beginning of '99 and I'm sure he was going out with her then." Could this be true or simply a reaction from an angry fan? Pick up any recent magazine and you may find a quote from Shane suggesting he's still single. But he's always avoided outright deception. A year ago, referring to the possibility of settling down with a girl, he said: "If I meet a girl, 75% of the time she's only interested because of the band." It's not a lie, but it's hardly the real story, either. And if the truth was bound to come out, would Shane have been better off coming clean in the first place? Or should his loyalty be to his girlfriend? •
SNEAK SAYS
OK, so Shane told a few porkie pies to cover up his romance with Gillian, and Lee and Liz attempted to keep their love hush-hush at the start. But – although it's unfair to deceive fans – both couples felt the need for privacy in the early days to give their relationships a real chance. "If they're true fans they'll be happy for us,” says Lee. "And we're not going to start shoving our lives down people’s throats like Posh and Becks." Let's hope their hectic schedules don't ruin their romance. As for Shane's girl, well, she gets a big thumbs-up from Sneak – and he gets the go-ahead from Kian, who jokes: "I totally trust him with my cousin – he wouldn't be with her if I didn't!" And do we hear wedding bells? Shane says: "I can't see myself ever being happy without her. I call her the perfect package."

Sneak magazine

April 2002

It's Westlife and the Uptoon girls

Watching ... Kian and friend flanked by Shane, left, and Nicky and their girlfriends in the stands

WA-HEY the lads – here’s WESTLIFE’s KIAN EGAN scoring with a mystery striker at a Newcastle Utd match.

Four of the boys went for the day out on Saturday. SHANE FILAN and NICKY BYRNE took girlfriends GILLIAN WALSH and GEORGINA AHERN and BRYAN McFADDEN went with a pal. But single Kian was sporting a new squeeze.

As the action dragged at Newcastle’s St James’ Park, Kian decided to make passes to his right.

Getting stuck in ... Kian with new friend

One Magpies fan said: “He kept giving her a big smacker. He was doing more dribbling than the players on the pitch.”

Yesterday Kian was keen to keep the girl’s name a secret, despite necking her in front of 52,000 people. He told me: “It’s not serious.”

If you are the mystery girl or you know her, give me a call.

The Sun

29/04/02

a match made in heaven

I went to see the footie with Georgina, Shane and Gillian came too, I don’t think Gillian and Georgina were too impressed, but it was grand to get to see a game, even if it was a bit cold like"

TOTP magazine-by Nicky

May 2002

I in the westlife alphabet

Intimate relationships shane: Gillian Walsh, Kian's cousin, and I are still a very happy couple! There are a couple of stupid rumours concerning our relationship though. people think it's scary that i'm together with a member of my bandmate's family. To be honest, i think it's more than normal. Gillian is one of few girls who can walk in and out of our dressingroom for years now.

Joepie- belgian mag-own translation

17/04/02

Chat at aftonbladet

sara!: Shane, do you have a girlfriend??

Westlife: Yes.her name is Gillian and she�s from my hometown Sligo.

malin 22: would you consider dating a fans?? just courious... *smile*

Westlife: I have date a fan before but I have a girlfriend now so I�m happy

Aftonbladet.se

April 2002

Westlife's tough life: "Our girlfriends get harassed!"

Shane actually seems quite alert, although we can sense a few dark shadows under his eyes.
You've got a girlfriend now, I've heard.
Shane's face lights up.
- Yeah! We've been together for about a year and a half, but I've known her since I was 10. Her name is Gillian, and she's Kian's cousin. We were together for a month when I was 12.
Old love never gets rusty, in other words…
- She's always been a great girl and I've always admired her. These last years, our relation towards each other got a bit friendlier…
Friendlier?
- Ehm…yes, very friendly, hehe. And now she's my girlfriend. We were keeping it a secret for almost a year but I couldn't do that anymore, so now it's much better, when I can show to everyone that I love her.
Why were you keeping it a secret?
- The main reason was because Gillian is studying at college. I wanted her to be treated like normal and not having to put up with a lot of crap. Lately our girlfriends have been stalked and harassed quite often, I didn't want her to be "The Westlife-guy's girlfriend". That was very important to her too, and it was her that didn't want to go public with our relationship really.
How's it going wit the girls then?
MARK: - I've had a couple of girlfriends since I joined Westlife, but to be honest, I don't count them. There's been a lot about me in the papers lately; that I'm supposed to be dating hundreds of girls, but that's bullshit. I'm not that type.
Is Mandy Moore one of the ex-girlfriends?
Mark sounds a bit surprised.
- Mandy Moore? Ooohh…we've been to the movies once and we keep in touch, but she lives in America so it would be very hard to have a relationship. But she's a nice girl.
BRYAN: - I don't think that girls in general look at us and think we're good-looking. They want us cause we're in Westlife and because we're on TV. In the beginning we thought "Wow, the girls think we look good!" but with time we realised that it wasn't about us.
SHANE: - Already at the beginning of our career, I said that it's hard to find a girl I can trust, so the fact that I've known Gillian all my life played a big part when we got together. But it was a bit weird at first when I realised that I actually was in love with her, but it's the best discovery I've made!
In an interview you said that you've been together with fans but you don't do that anymore. It sounds like it happens often.
Shane objects immediately, even though he's the one who said it.
- No! It wasn't something that happened a lot at all, at least not to me. And especially not now, when I have a girlfriend, she's the only girl I'm with and I'm very faithful.
Aren't your fans a bit too young as well?
- We've got fans in many different ages and the fans we've met more than just outside the hotel have been our own age. But, honestly, I've never done anything with a fan! I've dated a fan, but nothing more, Shane establishes.

Frida

January 2002

Westlife have grown up

GIRLFRIEND - YES IN DEED!
-Yes, I've got a girlfriend.
He lights up when the inevitable question comes.
- Her name is Gillian and she's Kian's cousin, he says with a big smile and adds that love has changed him.
- I used to be suspicious towards girls before, thought they only liked me because I sang in Westlife. With Gillian it was different, we've known each other for a long time and I've become very secure with her.

SKD

November 2001

On tour in Germany...

Around Bryan, the rest of the band appear similarly subdued. Today is not a good Westlife day. Kian Egan, as blonde as Debbie Harry circa 1981 and dressed in a frilly white shirt, has an upset stomach; Nicky Byrne is pink-eyed and complaining of lack of sleep; Mark Feehily is still struggling to overcome a chest infection, while Shane filan just wants to spend time with his girlfriend.

Q magazine

April 2002

I'm not a slag

Poor Kian. While Shane’s off with Gillian, Nicky’s with Georgina, Bryan’s loved up with Kerry and Molly, and Mark’s off with whoever his manager’s linking him to this week (more on that later), Kian’s tucked up in bed with a mug of coca. Yeah, right! Life’s not so bad for Westlife’s most eligible bachelor (and “five-times-a-night stud” if the tabloids are to believed!). ‘I’m not very choosy,” he tells Sneak…

As the only single guy in Westlife, do you get jealous of the other band members’ relationships?
‘Yes and no. It’s hard when they’re lying in their beds with their girlfriends, cuddling up, and I’m just lying there by myself. But it works both ways.’

Are they jealous of your young, free and single lifestyle?
‘Maybe – when we’re out, and their girlfriends are calling them, ‘What time are you coming home?’ and ‘Who’s with you?’ they look at me and think, ‘He’s got it sussed!’ When you’re in a band and there’s girls hanging around, they worry people will get the wrong idea. But they don’t envy me, ‘cos if you fall in love, you fall in love.’

So, just how single are you?
‘I date girls on and off. I haven’t got into anything serious, but I do have relationships. Sometimes it’s three months, sometimes two weeks.’

Two weeks?!
‘You might see someone, then two weeks later you realise she ain’t here for the right reason, and you dump her. I went through a stage where I was meeting hundreds of girls who’d say, ‘When are you gonna bring me backstage, when are you gonna take me to a club with loads of famous people?’ You just think, ‘go away.’’

Do you ever worry about getting caught with girls?
‘It’s frustrating. You can get caught with someone and people always assume you’re in a big relationship, which is annoying.’

Are you looking for love?
‘I’d like to find it soon, but I don’t go out looking for it and I don’t get annoyed when I don’t find it. In a lot of interviews, I come across as a slag, but I’m not like that. I’m not choosy but if I see a girl in a club and she’s not up for it, it doesn’t mean I’m just going to go off and find another one. And if I was in a relationship, even if it was for just two weeks, I wouldn’t cheat.’

Is it easier for pop stars to have a ‘normal’ love life than it used to be?
‘Yeah. To be in a band like Take That (Robbie’s old band), you had to be a nice boy. Now boybands are a lot more ‘real’. To have a girlfriend or to be caught having sex was a sin, whereas nowadays it’s normal.’

Pop stars seem to be more open about their sex live nowadays
‘I think it’s disgusting! I’ve read interview with Blue and they’re quite harsh – going into details about what they do with women. It’s fine if that’s what they wanna do, but what I do with a girl is my business. And if someone asks me that in an interview I tell them that.’

But do you worry about details of your sex life suddenly appearing in the papers in a ‘kiss and tell’?
‘Of course I do. One was sold on Mark a while ago, and they can be really nasty. But I had on sold on me a few years ago and she was quite complimentary – said I was a five-times-a-night stud!”’

Was she telling the truth?
(Blushing modestly) ‘I don’t know…I can’t remember…You do worry, but what can you do? You can’t stop living your life. If there’s a terrible story in the paper, you have to say, ‘I’m not gonna stop living my life ‘cos I’m in a band’.’

What’s it like when you open a paper and your private business is there in the centre pages?
‘We usually find out beforehand, from our press officer. It used to p*** us off but now it really doesn’t. Mark was just like ‘whatever’. We’re all the same.’

Did you take the mick out of Mark (the report said he had a small, er, ‘wee-hily’!) when you saw it?
No. You don’t know what that person’s feeling inside, so you don’t want to hurt their feelings. Mind you, we’d take the piss out of Bryan and we’d take the piss out of everyone except Mark, probably. He’s not necessarily sensitive but he take things in a different way.’

And if you get a good one do you leave the paper lying open for the other lads to read?
‘Ha ha ha! No – even if someone’s calling you a ‘five-times-a-night stud!’ I don’t want people reading about my sex life, That’s private.’

Does the idea that people might read about your ‘performance’ in the papers make you nervous when you’re with a girl?
(Blushing) ‘Yeah, every male is worried about that kinda stuff.’

Is there anywhere you can get away with ‘having fun’ without it getting in the papers?[B/]
We used to think Sweden was OK, but it’s not, ‘cos that girl who sold her story on Bryan was Swedish. What worries me is, we’re going into clubs for over 21’s, and there are 16 year old girls in there. They’re all dolled up and they’ll tell you they’re 19 or 22.’

[B]What do you do?
‘You believe them or you don’t. But it’s worrying you don’t know how old these girls are now!’

Do girls ever try to pull you so they can sell the story?
‘If we’re in a club, there’ll be plenty of girls thinking, ‘I’m gonna try and get him into bed so I can sell the story.’ I’ve got plenty of them out.’

How can you tell?
‘It’s suspicious if a girl’s coming on really strong. You get everything – girls flashing their boobs in your face, girls saying, ‘I’, not wearing nay knickers’. And sometimes a girl will be wearing a short skirt and will lift it up so you can see everything. It’s not the best way to pull a bloke but they believe blokes think about sex and nothing else. When I’m in a club, the last thing on my mind is sex. I want to have a bit of fun.’

Kian on Shane & Gillian
‘They’re cool. I must say at first I had some reservations. I used to try to stop Shane from seeing Gillian because she’s my cousin and I was really close to her. When we were 16 and we were performing in the musical Grease together, they nearly started going out. But I’d say things like, ‘Aah Gillian, you don’t wanna go there, you won’t get one,’ and ‘Oh, Shane, she’s a real…whatever!

‘Then I ended up putting the, together! Gillian came round and I said, ‘Shane’s upstairs – I think there’s something going on there,’ and she said, ‘Oh yeah?’

‘It’s so cool that two of my bet friends are going out together, and it’s good ‘cos he knows if he ever does anything wrong he’d never get away with it!’

Kian on Nicky & Georgina
‘Georgina’s a very quiet, nice girl. I’ve met her dad Bertie (Aherne, the Irish Prime Minister, no less!) a couple of times and he seems like a regular guy – the type who likes a pint down his local pub on a Sunday afternoon’

‘Georgina and Nicky seem to have a good loving, relationship with each other. They play about in public, and they’re like little kids when they’re together. She calls him ‘Nousey’ – Nicky Nouse – and puts on this baby voice. Actually, Shane and Gillian do that as well!’

‘They’ve been going out with each other for seven and a half years and they are the best of friends – that’s probably the best way of describing them. To be honest, I don’t see a day when either of them are without each other in their lives, ever. They’re true soulmates’ aww, bless!

Kian on Bryan, Kerry & Molly
‘Bryan and Kerry have been through a tough time, but they’re cool. You can see Kerry now and she’s bubbly as heel. She’s finished her TV show and she’s really happy.’

‘Molly is a great gift. She’s done an awful lot for both of them – and for the rest of us. She’s brought back the real values of life to us. It’s not just about the success and the band – there’s a hell of a lot more.’

Kian on Mark
‘Mark’s not in a relationship either. That thing with Cathy Newell from Bellefire? That was just a press thing – that’s just Louis Walsh (Westlife and Bellefire’s manager!). I didn’t get linked with Bellefire ‘cos I told Louis not to do it!’

‘Mark and I go out quite a lot now. When the boys are out with their girls we go out and have a laugh. We’re quite good mates at the moment – we’ve got no problem just going to the bar for a drink, just the two of us. Its cool!’

‘I kinda notice Mark getting a bit lonely once in awhile, but I think he’s coping well. He’s very close to his mum, and he’s the kind of person to ring her up, and say ‘I’, f***ing p***ed off.’ I would never talk to my mum about problems like, ‘I’m p***ed off today ‘cos Bryan did this to me’, but Mark would do all that.’

Sneak magazine

May 2002

Would westlife survive big brother?

Would you miss your mates and girlfriends in a house like that?
Mark: What girlfriend?! I'm single at the moment. There's been a lot in the press about me dating hundreds of girls but it's not true.
I'm not that kinda guy anyway.
Bryan: I'd definitely miss my family. I like to see Kerry and the baby as much as possible. They're always on the road with us so it
would be horrible to be without them for ages.
Shane: Yeah, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. I really believe that and can say it for a fact! When you're away, you miss
people an awful lot. And it seems the more you're away, the more you grow to love that person. It's healthy!
Interesting stuff, Shane! While you're talking about laydeez, why not let us know if it's true you guys have dated fans?
Shane: Ha ha! That was sneaky! Yeah, I've dated a fan before, but no sex. And it's not a common thing either! I've got a girlfriend now
and obviously I'm very faithful to her.

Smash Hits magazine

June 2002

Shane already oves Gillian 4 aaaaaages!!!!

This is an extract from an old interview from smash hits back in 1999, and i guess you all know who's shane talking about!!! it's sooo cute knowing that he fancied her for ages!!!!! :-)

There's one person reading this who might know if Shane has a chance at the 'perfect scenario'. When I asked Shane to describe his dream girl, he tells me, " I like this one girl so I'll explain what she has." It turns out the girl is from Sligo and went out with Shane when he was 13. He wouldn't tell me her name, but he said he hoped to meet her up with her over Christmas and "have a nice talk." He also said he'd mention this article, so she could read about herself..."

SH: So?

Shane: She's cute, she's not a model, she's got a nice figure, blah, blah, blah.

SH: What's "blah, blah, blah"?

Shane: Very good body, you know what I mean? (Blushes and laughs) Whatever.

SH: Dark hair?

Shane: No, blonde. And she's very down to earth and when I got home se doesn't treat me like I'm in Westlife, shre treats me lie a normal guy.

SH: So like a female Hugh Grant from Notting Hill then?

Shane: (Laughing) Exactly.

Smash Hits 1999

Shane's secret home

Shane is having two luxury mansions built

Sneak can exclusively reveal that Shane Filan from Westlife is building two whopping great mansions - one for himself and one for his family! He is finalising plans for his house, which he'll share with girlfriend Gillian Walsh, and the home for his parents is already under construction.
"I'm getting the family house built first and I'll live there with them for a year," Shane said. "Then Gillian and I will to move into our dream home."

Money
Westlife's European tour has meant Shane can't oversee the work as much as he'd like to. "Being away is frustrating," he said, "but every time I'm here, I head to the site to make sure work is going as planned. It's costing a lot of money but it's something you have to do!"

Money
The houses are in Sligo, where Shane grew up. "It's the perfect location for me as I can go out horse riding and get away from it all," he said.
A source close to the Filan family told Sneak, "Shane can't wait to move in. It really is going to be palatial! It's nowhere near finished, though - the builders haven't even put the roof on yet!"
Huge gates and security cameras will keep intruders out - but Shane doesn't seem worried about fans visiting him.

Fans
"The house is 200 metres off the main Dublin road, but I don't think Shane will be bothered by fans," said our source. "People here leave the band alone."
Bandmates Kian Egan and Mark Feehily also live in Sligo, Nicky Byrne has a seven-bedroomed house near Dublin and Bryan McFadden has a penthouse flat in Dublin.
And don't worry about Shane affording two houses: he's said to be getting 40,000 a gig on the current tour. Lucky lad!

The Westlife star's house will have...

- Posh snooker room
- Dining room that seats 18 people
- Music room with grand piano
- Family room, sitting room and TV lounge
- Gym with sauna
- Sweeping spiral staircase
- Seven bedrooms including luxury master bedroom
- Nine bathrooms
- Luxury stables for Shane's beloved horses

Sneak June 2002

OFF-limits

... Three doors down, Shane and his girlfriend, Gillian, are about to crack open a bottle of champagne. Gillian (who is in the middle of a business-studies degree) has got used to seeing her boyfriend winking at the adoring masses. "He knows how to play them." Shane was at college in Limerick studying accountancy before Westlife took off. "It was the only thing I was good at in school: I loved maths, counting numbers." So now he can count his millions. He laughs uncomfortably. "Something like that." He wants to go solo one day, but he says he won't be the first to leave. "We agreed at the start: we'd give Westlife 100% until the day it ends." Does he have to believe in what he's singing? "If it's an up-tempo song, you just give the crowd what they want: energy. When it's a ballad, it can mean a lot more to you. Sometimes it makes girls cry. It's mad. It's touching somebody in some way. I'm not embarrassed by any of our songs."

�� We move on to a grungier basement. After our arrival it fills rather rapidly - no coincidence. The boys are flattered but tired of being on show. Shane and Gillian chat in one corner. Kian smooches with a girl in another.

�� At 3.40am, Shane and Gillian, Kian and Mark and Nicky and the minders arrive back at the hotel. They disappear in the lift towards their floor. It's nearly 4am but a few fans are still lying in wait along the corridors. In this game, persistence is everything.

Norwegian magazine April 2002

on finding love

Three of you have a girlfriend. Bryan's married to Kerry, Nicky and Georgina live together and Shane has a secret, longterm girlfriend. What's with you, Mark and Kian ?
Shane : Hey, what's with that `secret girlfriend' ? She just wants to stay out of the limelight. I respect that, and many of the fans do too !
Mark: I do miss a real girlfriend. But you can't force finding love. I don't try to find one at the moment.
Kian : I'm not lucky with girls. I'm desperate to have a girlfriend though. But I haven't found the right girl yet.

popcorn June 2002

"Shane’s smitten up-tongue girl"

Westlife singer has Filan in love

These pictures are the proof that westlife singer Shane filan is head over heals in love.
And as the pictures show, he’s totally tongue tied with the queen of his heart. The westlife singer is seen here enjoying his 23rd birthday party with his Sligo girlfriend Gillian Walsh. Pretty business student Gillian is actually cousin of Shane’s band mate Kian Egan. The pair have known each other for over ten years and started dating seriously early last year.
Shane spoke recently of his real life uptown girl: "I can’t see my life ever been happy without her, I call her my perfect package"
Meanwhile cousin Kian has giving his blessing "I totally trust Shane with her-he wouldn’t be with her if I didn’t"
Lead singer Shane is pictured enjoying his 23^rd birthday party last week. Westlife and a bevy of beauties partied the night away following a brilliant performance at London's party in the park. Westlife mingled with the likes of Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova.
However Shane ,Bryan and Nicky only had eyes for the women in there lives as they drank til the early hours of the morning. Gillian is said to be shy of media exposure and is not keen to turn her relasionship with Shane into "a posh and becks type circus

The Sun, July 6^th 2002

It's another westlife wedding

Now magazine July 2002

He loves her, he loves her not

Smash HIts JUly 2002

Home boy shane's story

Smash Hits July 2002

FORBIDDEN LOVE

WHEN Shane finally confessed his love for Gillian Walsh, student in business, his fans were shocked.
Not so much because of the fact itself what they forgave the singer immediately. But they were disappointed that Shane had lied to them for months.

It reached the limit when When Shane then got caught up in a web of contradictions when making his confession. Why for example does he say that he and Gillian are a couple since August 2001? Insiders were and are sure that Shane and Gil were already very, very close in 1999.

Shane tries to put the blame of the dilemma on his better half by saying:"She had her own, normal life. I am, as a singer, always
in the limelight. She wanted to be just Gil the student, not Gil, the friend of 'star Shane', Shane says today. wheter that is the whole truth...

TOTP thinks:

Shane deserves extanuating circumstances, because Gillian hasn't got anything to do with show-biz. Anyway, he should've known that with
this play he wouldn't go far !

TOTP Germany July 2002

Quote

"NO WAY! I have no plans to get married! Not for a long time yet! I'm more focusing on the band and our new five Album record deal. Im not ready to settle down yet!"

Hot Magazine July 2002

TOTP magazine July 2002

Double trouble

wpeF7.jpg (12098 bytes)

TOTP magazine July 2002

TOTP Monthly

by Kian

HORSEPLAY
It's been really hectic this year and we couldn't wait to take a well-earned break. Shane's spending time at home with his lovely girlfriend Gillian and I've just been chilling out with my family but also catching up with the boys

TOTP magazine August 2002

I'll not marry Gill (just yet that is)

Irish News Of The World August 2002

Shane calling Gillian in America

wpe7C.jpg (13243 bytes)

Sneak magazine September 2002

quote

Guess what Ki told Gill when she started to fall for Shane? "He�s probably not interested.Shane�s supergay!

OKEY Magazine september 2002

What Shane says about Gillian in album-sleeve thank you's:

To Gillian, I love you so much baby, and you mean the world to me.

Unbreakable sleeve

Westlifes shane shuns glossy wedding

WESTLIFE hunk SHANE FILAN and long-term girlfriend GILLIAN WALSH have refused to sell their wedding rights to a glossy magazine. The Irish couple have decided to wed in an open ceremony - unlike Shane's bandmate BRYAN McFADDEN, who sold the rights to pics of his and wife KERRY McFADDEN's happy day to British publication HELLO! in January (02). Gillian says, "We want the wedding to be here in Sligo if we can get the right place. I would never sell my wedding pictures to a glossy magazine. "After seeing how it's done - with the bride having to walk to the church with a big sheet over her head behind big screens - I know I don't want it. I wouldn't put my family and friends through it."

December 1 2002

Interview (only Gillian bits)

When was the last time you were a rock for someone? Shane: I've probably been there for Gillian if she's been upset. I think I'm very good at talking to people. But who's your rock? Shane: My rocks are Gillian and my dad. I'll always call Gillian when I'm homesick.

TOTP magazine december 2002

Shane talks about gillian

Shane Filan from Westlife broke a million teenage hearts last year when he announced he was no longer single but in fact had been dating childhood friend Gillian Walsh for more than a year. So we caught up with shane to see how things are

So Shane how are things with u and Gillian? Just great absolourtley great things couldnt be better. What made u go for Gillian? She's everything I've ever wanted. She's beautiful, quirky and has an amazing personality. She's my dream girl and more. I think without Gillian I wouldn't be the Shane I am today because she helps me make sense of everything and puts it into perspective.

What has the fans reaction been like? Mostly positive. There have been a few incidents where Gillian has had abuse thrown at her but we just rise above that. Most of the fans have been fantastic and now instead of just me having teddies and gifts from fans, they bring something along for Gillian too. One fan bought her this lovely necklace. And another gave us both a picture that she had taken from meeting us before. It's that kind of reaction that makes not just myself but the other boys think that we have the most amazing fans in the world.

How do the other girls [Georgina & Kerry] get on with her? All the girls get on like a house on fire, which I think is fantastic because there is nothing worse than having 3 girls thrown together and not getting on - it would cause stress on the band. But they are each other's support and are really like sisters.

Do you and Gillian go out with Bryan and Kerry or Nicky and Georgina? On occasions we do but we also love staying in together - just the two of us. So what's you're idea of a romantic night? Cooking a lovely meal for the two of us and then sitting down for a cuddle and watching a video. It may sound boring to you but we try to stay away from the limelight - we just want to be a normal couple. I know that is hard with me being in Westlife but that's why these type of nights in mean so much and make me fall in love with her all over again. So it is definitely love? Yes. I felt on cloud nine when I told her I loved her and she said it back i will never forget that. Weren't you scared incase she didn't say it back? I was too worried about how to tell her 'I love you.' [Laughs] I havent really thought about that. Are you going to get married soon and have a baby like Bryan and Kerry? I definitely want to marry her - there's no doubt about that. I can't ever see myself settling down with anyone else. But one step at a time. When Westlife doesn't demand so much of my time then I'll defineatly think about it ! How would you describe Gillian in 3 words? Beautiful, Beautiful and beautiful

December 2002

Have you ever stopped to help someone change a tyre or repair a car?

Shane: I have stopped before, with my brother or whatever, when an old woman had a puncher or a young girl or young fella was looking like he couldn't do anything. If I'm on my own I might stop, though – I'd just be afraid, if I saw two lads, that they'd turn out to be psychos, you know what I mean? I can change a tyre, although Gillian can change a tyre better than me, believe it or not! I got a flat tyre a while ago, as it goes. I dindt know where the tyre was, and Gillian was like `Just life that out.' She's very good when it comes to cars – she started driving a year ago and loves driving and knows everything about cars, whereas before she hadn't a clue what a BMW was. I like that about her.

December 3 2002