Late Late Show talking points from Mary Black's final tour to Jason McAteer's falling out with Roy Keane
Mary Black on the Late Late Show with her daughter Roisin and son Danny, alongside host Patrick Kielty. Picture: Late Late Show/RTE One.
Fans of singer-songwriter Mary Black were treated to a special tribute to the one of the most notable recording artists in the country on Friday night.
Marking the announcement of her last ever tour, Black discussed retirement and prioritising family.
Reflecting on her musical background and more than 40-year career in the music industry, she described growing up in inner-city Dublin with a musical family, recounting her father's fiddle playing and her mother's singing.
Speaking about the success of which gained international attention, and the creation of a compilation featuring female artists.
Black also remembered the late Dolores Keane, who recently passed away, sharing personal anecdotes and expressing the significant impact of O'Riordan's loss on the music community.
Black was joined in the studio by her children Róisín and Danny, who joined her on the chat show, and Connor who was in the audience.
They both spoke of their mother's career and family life, highlighting her encouragement, their collective love for music, and how proud they are of their mother.
Danny joked about playing the role of PR for his mother from a young age, handling autograph requests from classmates.
Róisín performed the song a song she wrote about her mother, reflecting on her upbringing and the impact of having a working mother.
Also celebrating Black on the night were Steve Martin, Imelda May, Janis Ian, and Sharon Shannon, who left video messages of best wishes which were played on the show.
Before wrapping up their conversation, Kielty presented Black with a special award — the Late Late Show Legend Award, saying “only legends” get their hands on such an accolade
To date, tickets for Black’s final shows have been overwhelmingly in demand, with extra dates added, as well as a stadium gig.
The second guest of the night was Coleen Rooney, wife of English football manager and former player, Wayne Rooney.
Rooney discussed her journey from starting out as a McLoughlin to marrying Rooney, building a business empire, and raising four sons.
She touched on her Irish heritage, mentioning her visits to Mayo and climbing Croagh Patrick.
When asked by Kielty about home life, Rooney touched on how the family is often referred to as a football team.
She shared anecdotes about family life, including her youngest son's mischievous behavior and her role as the "manager" at home.
Reflecting on the challenges of being in the public eye from a young age, including dating at 16 and dealing with paparazzi, she recounts how her parents and a good team around her helped her navigate the spotlight.
Rooney discussed the term ‘WAG’ and how it was initially frustrating to be lumped into one category. explaining that the label didn't accurately represent their lives, which involved family responsibilities and hard work.
She also touched on the case involving Rebekah Vardy, saying she was surprised about how much attention it received.
In 2019, Rooney accused Rebekah Vardy on social media of leaking private stories to the press, following a "sting operation". Vardy sued Rooney for libel, but in 2022, the High Court found the accusation was "substantially true" and that Vardy likely knew of and condoned her agent leaking the information.
Vardy was ordered to pay 90% of Rooney's estimated £1.8 million legal fees, totaling roughly £1.4 million in payments and associated costs.
She spoke about her new collection with Primark, reminiscing about her first experience shopping at Penneys in Ireland.
Jason McAteer, a former Liverpool and Ireland footballer, joined Kielty and Rooney in the studio to discuss his journey from watching football while pulling pints in a pub at 20 years of age to international stardom.
McAteer recounted how Jack Charlton approached him after a game, leading to his first call-up for Ireland.
He went on to make a pivotal move in his career by scoring the winning goal against Holland, which qualified Ireland for the 1994 World Cup.
McAteer also shared his missed opportunity to join Bono on stage at Slane Castle.
He reflected on his reconciliation with Roy Keane after 20 years of silence. McAteer describes the Saipan incident and other conflicts between them, including an altercation during a game.
He recounts how Keane paid for his breakfast at a cafe, signaling a truce after 20 years of silence, describing the emotional impact the gesture had on him.
The conversation concluded with McAteer expressing hope for Ireland's upcoming World Cup playoff against Czechia, emphasising how important it is for the players to handle their nerves well.
The Late Late Show continues next week on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.
