Ronan is top of the tweets with 74,000 fans
By Caitlin McBride
LADY Gaga may be the newly crowned queen of Twitter, but Ronan Keating is Ireland's king of social networking.
The Boyzone singer has been named as the Irish star with the most followers here -- with an impressive 74,308 fans hanging on his every word.
Although Ronan took a hiatus from tweeting during his tumultuous year, he has become one of the site's most active users since he began his role as a judge on the X Factor Australia, regularly tweeting about his experiences.
But Ronan has pulled a Kanye West -- and in spite of his Twitter popularity, has decided not to follow anyone else on the website.
And in a trip back in time to the 1990s, it's once again the battle of the boybands.
Keating's main competition in the celebrity follower stakes is none other than Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, who has racked up 38,932 followers and counting.
While the singers may be Ireland's most followed celebrities, they still pale in comparison to the true leader of Irish Twitterland, the non-celebrity who reports under the alias MacTweeter.
This is the username coined by Apple, the brains behind the Mac computer and iPhone.
Following in Ronan's footsteps is life coach Sinead Duffy, nabbing second place, with radio star Chris Evans in third place.
cmcbride@herald.ie
Credit/Source: herald.ie
Westlife concert success will boost town, says mayor
THE success of Saturday's Westlife concert proves Mansfield can support a live music venue, says its executive mayor.
Around 10,000 fans packed Field Mill Stadium while Mansfield Town were playing away at Kidderminster Harriers.
There had been concerns about poor ticket sales for the concert, which had a maximum capacity of 15,000.
But the district council's Executive Mayor, Tony Egginton, said there had been a last-minute surge.
Councillor Egginton said: "It went very, very well. Obviously the weather was kind and there were just a few spots of rain during the evening.
"Just under 9,000 tickets had been sold by the end of play on Friday and more than 1,000 were sold on Saturday.
"It was a great show and everybody thoroughly enjoyed it. They were all there right to the end.
"Hopefully it has done the football club a bit of good and made them a bit of money and given them a bit of momentum."
Westlife have performed several times at Nottingham's Trent FM Arena, but this was their first visit to Mansfield.
Mr Egginton compared the importance of the concert for the town to when Rebecca Adlington won two Olympic gold medals.
To help create a party atmosphere, entertainment was also provided in the Market Place, including live music, fairground rides and a mini-beach for youngsters.
The football club's three directors put their hands in their own pockets to bring the boyband to Mansfield.
Income will be used to strengthen the club.
"I think it proved beyond doubt Mansfield can support a live music venue. We will learn from it and move forward," added Mr Egginton.
Credit/Source: www.thisisnottingham.co.uk
Kim & Monique's pictures with Kian & Mark
WESTLIFE WHERE WE ARE NOW TOUR 2010 MANSFIELD TOWN'S FIELD MILL STADIUM
Photocall for the O2 Press Conference
Caption: Westlife members Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan & Shane Filan announce that 1000 lucky fans will win a place at a intimate live gig to be streamed at The O2 on the 20th of August, The O2, Dublin, Ireland - 19.08.2010.
Credit/Source: Irishindependent.ie / Bigpictures / Keystonepress / Thanks Alfee
O2 blueroom to add Westlife intimate gig online
HI guys , we will have the Westlife gig available to view tomorrow on www.o2blueroom.ie including tons of behind the sceens footage that has never been seen before ... If anyone had any issues watching the gig on Friday please mail o2blueroom@o2.com and we will contact you on Monday...
Credit/Source: facebook.com/O2blueroom
New Nicky and Shane pictures by Mark
Aww Marky uploaded 3 fabby pictures on his Twitter page, one of Nicky and Shane sleeping mwaah and two of Nicky on his own.
markusfeehily: Shinicky brokeback mountain
markusfeehily: If @nickybyrneoffic wants chips he'll get chips! We are in a pub that doesn't do chips and he got them2get them down the road in a chipper!
markusfeehily: And here's the diva herself with a ma-hoooosive plate of chips
Also, John Shanks uploaded a picture of himself with Mark, Nicky and Shane on his Twitter page.
johnshanks1: Westlife working away
Credit/Source: twitter.com/markusfeehily / twitter.com/johnshanks1
O2 intimate Westlife gig download
Setlist of Westlife's intimate O2 gig
Waaaaw that was INCREDIBLE!! Westlife were absolutely amazing at their intimate O2 gig in Dublin! I was watching online on the O2 Blueroom site and I'm still shaking haha... Well done lads, I'm sooo proud of you!
They performed with a live orchestra different versions of:
- What About Now
- What Makes A Man
- If I Let You Go
- Please Stay (Nicky dedicated it to his and Kian's dads)
- World Of Our Own
- Viva La Vida (Yep the Coldplay song! This one was Mark and Steve Anderson's idea)
- You Raise Me Up
- Flying Without Wings
- Viva La Vida (again - once the show was finished they performed it once again for the crowd aww!)
Thank youuu Westlife and O2 for this amazing live!!
x Villy
Kian, Mark & Nicky picture in the studio
John Shanks uploaded one more picture on his Twitter page, this time one of Kian, Mark and Nicky!
johnshanks1: Those kooky westlife boys..making music that awakens the soul..biaitches
Credit/Source: twitter.com/johnshanks1
Videos of Nicky contacting O2 blueroom winners
