Post by shayne on Apr 3, 2008 20:58:50 GMT 8
My father-in-law has gone out on top, says Westlife singer
By Stephen Rogers
YESTERDAY afternoon, Westlife singer Nicky Byrne was waiting for a text from his father-in-law as to where they were going to meet up for a few drinks last night.
The singer and his wife Georgina had been inundated with texts of support from their friends ever since Bertie Ahern had announced to the country that he was stepping down as Taoiseach. “While it is a very sad day for the country, Georgina, myself and the family are happy for him,” said Mr Byrne. “He had taken enough of it and there was a point where he wanted to move on from it.”
The singer said the Taoiseach had revealed his intentions to his daughters “a couple of days ago”.
“They are really proud of him. Watching the one o’clock news when it started to go back over the time when he first came into the Dαil, then Georgina and Cecelia as kids and watching him move on and become Taoiseach winning three elections, his legacy will live on and I think he has done an amazing job. He has gone out on top,” the Westlife star told RTΙ’s Liveline programme.
“Personally I think he had another good year left in him. I think he is a great man. Apart from my own father, I have never met anyone who really takes the bull by the horns and has such an amazing work rate. I have spoken to him about my job and asked him what I should do about things. His advice to me was always to just keep battling on. Up until recently I think those words were the words he would always use. However, I think recently though everyone realised the thing had got to him and he could do no more.”
He has no doubt what led to Bertie Ahern’s departure.
“It is obvious to anyone living in this country. Being in the public eye myself I know your name or your face is going to be on the front page of a paper. Your heart skips a beat. Bertie has had to endure that for God knows how long. It has been hard for him and it has just got harder and harder and harder. It has been a very emotional few weeks. I saw it coming because there is only so much you can take. I would text him [to offer support] and he would text me back.”
He described his father-in-law as a man who loves the simple things in life. “He loves his football, his country, his Gaelic, his garden. He is not into the finer things in life. He does not live a very elaborate or flash lifestyle.” As to the future, he thinks the Taoiseach should consider writing a book or maybe becoming more involved in the sports scene. However, he will also be able to spend more time with his grandchildren, Rocco and Jay.
Mr Byrne said the Taoiseach had already proved himself a dab hand as a babysitter and was always ready to change a nappy or two. “We will go up for a few drinks tonight. We just have to wait for the text to come through.”
Credit/Source: www.irishexaminer.com
By Stephen Rogers
YESTERDAY afternoon, Westlife singer Nicky Byrne was waiting for a text from his father-in-law as to where they were going to meet up for a few drinks last night.
The singer and his wife Georgina had been inundated with texts of support from their friends ever since Bertie Ahern had announced to the country that he was stepping down as Taoiseach. “While it is a very sad day for the country, Georgina, myself and the family are happy for him,” said Mr Byrne. “He had taken enough of it and there was a point where he wanted to move on from it.”
The singer said the Taoiseach had revealed his intentions to his daughters “a couple of days ago”.
“They are really proud of him. Watching the one o’clock news when it started to go back over the time when he first came into the Dαil, then Georgina and Cecelia as kids and watching him move on and become Taoiseach winning three elections, his legacy will live on and I think he has done an amazing job. He has gone out on top,” the Westlife star told RTΙ’s Liveline programme.
“Personally I think he had another good year left in him. I think he is a great man. Apart from my own father, I have never met anyone who really takes the bull by the horns and has such an amazing work rate. I have spoken to him about my job and asked him what I should do about things. His advice to me was always to just keep battling on. Up until recently I think those words were the words he would always use. However, I think recently though everyone realised the thing had got to him and he could do no more.”
He has no doubt what led to Bertie Ahern’s departure.
“It is obvious to anyone living in this country. Being in the public eye myself I know your name or your face is going to be on the front page of a paper. Your heart skips a beat. Bertie has had to endure that for God knows how long. It has been hard for him and it has just got harder and harder and harder. It has been a very emotional few weeks. I saw it coming because there is only so much you can take. I would text him [to offer support] and he would text me back.”
He described his father-in-law as a man who loves the simple things in life. “He loves his football, his country, his Gaelic, his garden. He is not into the finer things in life. He does not live a very elaborate or flash lifestyle.” As to the future, he thinks the Taoiseach should consider writing a book or maybe becoming more involved in the sports scene. However, he will also be able to spend more time with his grandchildren, Rocco and Jay.
Mr Byrne said the Taoiseach had already proved himself a dab hand as a babysitter and was always ready to change a nappy or two. “We will go up for a few drinks tonight. We just have to wait for the text to come through.”
Credit/Source: www.irishexaminer.com