Nicky Byrne

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Nicky Byrne

Background information
Birth name	Nicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne
Born	October 9, 1978 (age 28) Dublin, Ireland
Genre(s)	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	1998 to present
Associated acts	Westlife

Nicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne (born 9 October 1978 in Dublin, Ireland), known as Nicky Byrne, is the oldest member of popular Irish pop band Westlife. He is from Baldoyle, in County Dublin. He has a younger brother Adam (born 10 March 1990) and an older sister Gillian (born 5 April 1976).

[edit] Playing At Leeds

Before joining Sligo-based band IOU,he was a keen footballer and played for Home Farm F.C in North Dublin.While playing for Home Farms under 12's in a tournament in Belgium he won Best goalkeeper in the tournament against teams like A.C Milan Ajax and Barcelona.He had trials with Derby County F.C. and He became a professional football player and had joined Leeds United as a goalkeeper in 1995, and was a squad member of the F.A. Youth Cup winning team of 1997. He played for Leeds for about 2 years but as he was only 5ft10inches coaches reckoned he was not tall enough to play as a goalkeeper so he left after his contract expired in june 1997 to join Dublin club Shelbourne F.C.,he then signed for Cobh Ramblers F.C. then ST. Frances F.C. in Irelands Eircom league. He also has been capped by his country Republic of Ireland at under 15,16 and 18 level making his debut in Basle versus Switzerland in 1994,his last game versus Norway in a european qualifier in Bergen in 1997. He also broke his elbow in a freak accident while training with Ireland in 1994 ahead of a friendly international against Chile in Dublin. An operation involving two pins being inserted to repair a broken humerous bone followed. In 1995 he was named in the Leeds United first team squad to face Southampton at the Dell at only 16yrs of age. On returning to Dublin he worked in Alias Toms menswear shop in Dublin while setting up a small karaoke business with his dad also Nikki who is a well known caberet singer in Dublin. It was called Father and Son Karaoke. In 1997 he went along to an audition in the Pod nightclub in Dublin for a new Irish Trad/boyband later called Reel. It was at this audition that he was spotted by Boyzone manager Louis Walsh and Walsh snapped him up for Westlife.He joined Westlife along with Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden.Nicky had also sat the exam and passed for An Garda Suiochana (Irish Police Force)He was actually waiting to be called by the Gardai when his singing audition arose.Despite not quite making the grade in top flite professional football Nicky continues to follow the sport very closely and has played in many charity football tournaments along with other celebrities. He is actually a huge fan of Leeds United's deadly rivals, Manchester United and he and band mate Shane Filan proudly wore their Man Utd scarves as they were half time guests at Old Trafford for the Manchester United v's Bolton Wanderers game on 17/03/07.Nicky is also a keen snooker player and golfer, and also has a love of watches and driving, and has owned many sports cars.He was voted Irelands Best Dressed Man in 2002.Nicky also achieved a diploma after he attended New York Film Academy Acting course during a four and a half month break from Westlife in 2005 to pursue his ambition to act at some point in his career.

[edit] Personal Life

Nicky married long term and childhood sweetheart girlfriend Georgina Ahern whom he met in the secondary school they both attended , Pobailscoil Neasain in Baldoyle in North County Dublin.Georgina is the eldest daughter of An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (Irish Prime Minister) on August 5, 2003 at Wicklow Registry Office in County Wicklow, Ireland. The civil ceremony was followed on August 9 by a church blessing at the Roman Catholic Church of St Pierre et St Paul in Gallardon, Eure-et-Loir, France and a reception at the nearby 16th century Château d'Esclimont. The wedding was covered by Hello! Magazine in an exclusive deal which supposedly paid them a huge figure to include pre-wedding interviews, and a honeymoon interview. The couple honeymooned in the South of France followed by the Seychelles. He and Georgina are currently expecting twins, who are due in June 2007.