New Mark Interview From Australian Gay Magazine (April 2006)

© Typed By Rhiannon J

 

WHEN YOU CAME OUT LAST AUGUST IT DID NOT SEEM SUCH A BIG DEAL?
(MARK)
To be honest that was the perfect way for it to go it is no big deal.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO COME OUT?
(MARK)
I had been in a relationship for six or seven months at the time and we went to USA on holidays it was amazing. Westlife are not known in USA so we were able to walk around and not give a toss about anyone seeing or annoying us. I was thinking to myself why the hell don’t I do this back home as well, obviously it was a bit different back home, it was not like I did not want anyone to know it was just if I walk down the middle of the street in London hand in hand with a guy people were going to go 'Oh that’s the guy from Westlife and he is holding hands with a guy'. I just felt like I was ready to do it. I finally got to the place where I was ready to stand up once and for all say it and then sit back down again. I did not want to make a big deal about it. In one way I was lucky that I was in the public eye, it was in the papers so everyone knew straight away. Someone who is not in the public eye would have to go tell everyone they met.

WHEN YOU DO INTERVIEWS NOW IS YOUR SEXUALITY STILL A MAJOR TOPIC?
(MARK)
It has gotten to the stage where we are on out third single from our album in the UK, when the first single came out everyone was asking about it, with the second single it was less, and now with the third people don’t ask me anymore.

DID YOU RUN YOUR DECISION BY YOUR FELLOW WESTLIFE MEMBERS FIRST?
(MARK)
No, I said what I was doing, purely because they are my band mates and friends as well. I told my family I was going to do it by I did not feel I had to run it by anybody.

WHAT ABOUT MANAGEMENT?
(MARK)
That just would not be me. I did not see this as something that is important to my professional life, it does not seem to have affected my career one bit.

DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW YOU WERE GAY?
(MARK)
I don’t think I have always said it to myself, but of course I have always had the feelings. Everyone goes through there own little journeys before they get to the point when they say 'Ok I am gay'. When you are an adolescent you think it might be a phase you are going through, I was 21 when I realised it was not going to go away and I was just having to face it.

YOUR PARTNER KEVIN IS ALSO A MEMBER OF BOYBAND V?
(MARK)
Yes, though his band have now gone there separate ways. He’s busy with modelling at the moment.

DOES THAT MEAN YOU MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TOGETHER?
(MARK)
Oh, we do that as well. It is good that he understands what it is like to live by a boyband schedule. He was in a band that was signed and promoted for three years, I don’t have to explain anything to him, he knows what it is like, he travels with me, and is with me in Australia. I don’t like calling him my boyfriend or partner though.

WHAT ABOUT HUSBAND?
(MARK)
Yeah that is easier.

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A ROLE MODEL?
(MARK)
If I had the choice I think I would say no, but back in my home town in Ireland it is quite rural and religious there was a guy that came up to me and said that my story helped him come out to his parents. That is beautiful to hear, because I know it can be such a tough thing. I don’t like to think about it to much, but it is a nice feeling to think something you have done for yourself has a positive affect on other people.

DO YOU EVER GET SICK OF TALKING ABOUT BEING GAY?
(MARK)
Not really, it is much better then what is your favourite colour, by a mile.

SO WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?
(MARK)
Green and black. It is weird how you just start getting pelted with all these questions like what do you think about gay marriage. In Ireland we are in the papers all the time. Like last month at a charity event someone asked me if I thought the civil union thing should come to Ireland all I said was 'Of course I do', it was front page the next day 'gay rights activist Mark Feehily wants civil union because he is planning to marry his partner', I just hope I don’t say the wrong thing in public because you might say something in a passing comment and all of sudden its a big deal.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN TEN YEARS?
(MARK)
My life now is about travelling, I am never anywhere for more than five days, in ten years I would like to be a bit more stable.

SO NO PLANS FOR A SOLO ALBUM OF MADONNA COVERS YET?
(MARK)
Oh Jesus I don’t know about that, I could not even tell you where I will be in one year, I just hope I am still working.

THOUGHTS OF HAVING KIDS?
(MARK)
Definitely one day, I have not really looked into it, but seeing the Westlife lads with their kids is really amazing, I am not ready for it now but I would never rule it out. I think I would be a good dad one day.

ANY MESSAGE FOR THE READERS OF DNA?
(MARK)
To anyone who that is not out, it is not as bigger deal as you think. It is the biggest thing in the world for you but it is the smallest to everyone else. People deserve to be happy and it’s not worth being unhappy over something like this. Apart from that but our new album and we will be in Australia soon.

 

Credit/Source: DNA Magazine