Late Late Show talking points, including Westlife celebration and Imelda May on speaking Irish
Patrick Kielty pictured with Westlife, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan on the Late Late Show. Picture: Andres Poveda
It was 'Westlife day' at RTÉ's Donnybrook studios, with Friday night's show opening with the band performing their new single, for the very first time.
Fresh off the announcement of a record-breaking 13 homecoming shows in Dublin, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan chatted to Kielty about their first time meeting Louis Walsh (including a near-death experience at a roundabout in Dublin's Darndale), the power of nostalgia and their dedicated fans. "It's one of the best weeks ever in Westlife, it's like we're back in 1999," Filan remarked when asked about the band's reaction to selling out dozens of nights at the 3Arena.
"It's blown us all away," Byrne added. "I think what's happened is, years ago, we created something, and people are looking to have that big night out.
Egan said they were "genuinely nervous" putting the initial five dates on, wondering if there would be enough people to come see it. "Then the phone calls started coming in.. another five... then another five.."
"The big thing about this show is, the last concerts that we played in Ireland [were stadiums], the Aviva, Páirc Uí Chaoimh... when we played the Arena a few years ago at Christmas, it was just so different and we came away thinking that's what we want to do again. We want to feel that intimacy. The shape of the arena, you can actually see everybody's eyes in that room.
The band also touched on how special it will be for their families - especially their children - to see them perform.
In fact, one of the kids, Filan's Patrick, even played his part in keeping his lips sealed ahead of the announcement last week, despite coming under pressure from one of his teachers.
"I told the kids, 'listen you can't tell anyone, don't tell anybody'. "[Last week], Patrick went into school and got called back after class. One of his teachers said to him, 'Patrick, can you say back after class, please'. Everyone left the class and she went, 'What's the big news tomorrow?' And Patrick says, 'You'll have to wait till tomorrow'. Good man Patrick, he kept the secret."
The band also addressed Mark Feehily's absence from the forthcoming world tour.
The Sligo singer hasn't performed with the band over the past few years, dating back to a terrifying experience with sepsis in 2020.
"He's fine, but, unfortunately he's not able to join us which is obviously sad," Filan said.
"It's a tough decision for him to make but we have to respect that," he added, assuring fans that Feehily will still appear on the band's new record.
"He is on the new music, he's on all the songs on the album, which is great, that is the most important thing for us."
"But we have got to keep it going. It's the 25th anniversary and he wishes us well. We can't wait to have him back as soon as possible," Shane added.
Before they left the couch to perform again — this time a medley of their greatest hits — the band were given a 'Late Late Legends Award'.
Singer Imelda May also appeared on the show to discuss her new television series The series sees May journey through the Gaeltacht regions, connecting to our téanga through music.
May said the inspiration for the programme came while she was filming another documentary with gaeilgeoir Maggie Breathnach.
"We started talking about the Irish language. She kept trying to encourage me to speak it, but I’d just seize up. I'd say, 'Oh, I can’t, I can’t speak with you, you’re fluent.' I’d freeze completely.
"That’s really where the conversation began. We both realised we needed to do something about this — because the more I spoke to people, the more I realized it wasn’t just me who felt that way. There are so many of us who feel disconnected from our own language."
Kielty admitted he could relate, with May later saying she felt many people "feel left behind when it comes to speaking Irish".
"For those of us who didn't grow up with the language, it can be daunting to start. Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4... I can't keep up with them. I wanted to do this for me and for everyone else who feels the same, and put myself in that really awkward, embarrassed, mortified position that you're 10 years old at school again."
"There is a fear, there isn't there?" Kielty acknowledged.
"There's a fear, and a shame," May said. The Liberties native said she was encouraged by sean-nós singer and ethnomusicologist Lillis O’Laoire, whom she met while filming the show.
"While I was talking to Lillis , I realized it's not my fault, it's not your fault that you don't speak Irish. It's not our fault. It was taken from us.
"I didn't wake up and learn to speak Irish as a child, and it's not my fault. And that's what gave me the way forward through it. He told me, 'get past your shame. ' It's not because you didn't pay attention in school. It's deeper than that."
The singer also performed a song as gaeilge on the couch.
Ruth Bradley closed out the show, speaking about her appearance in Apple TV hit
"When I joined, season one had been out, but it's gained momentum as it's gone on. It's brilliant scripts, great people, amazing writing."
The Dublin actress said it was "mad" to share a screen with her acting hero Gary Oldman, saying that when she was a child, she wanted to be "just like him".
She said preparing for the show involved lots of boxing and weight-training to ensure she was in the best physical shape.
"In the script, there were loads of bits, 'she runs, she races, she jumps'," she said. "I'd skip them. Then you get to it and... oh no, it's a full day of racing!"
Bradley also reflected on her time on
"I never went to university, so that was like my college. We were all babies. We'd go to the pub after [filming]. It just happened to be a massive success, which nobody was really expecting."
Asked whether she was still close with the cast, Bradley said Charlie Murphy remains one her closest friends. "We live down the road from each other, and our kids always hang out. She's one of the loves of my life."
