Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Boyzone at SSE Arena, Belfast, as part of the band's 2019 'Thank You & Goodnight' tour Alamy Stock Photo
one for the road
‘You don’t want it to end’: Mixed emotions for Boyzone's Irish fans going to London farewell gigs
‘It’s the very, very last one, and it’s going to be emotional.’
IT ALL STARTED with an appearance on the Late Late Show way back in 1993 when Boyzone appeared alongside Gay Byrne to show of their dancing skills.
Shortly after their TV debut, Richie Rock and Mark Walton parted company with the band, and Mikey Graham joined the line-up.
Boyzone was made up of Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and the late Stephen Gately.
Michelle Evans said she’s been a fan since that “fateful night on the Late Late”.
She’s flying over to London for Boyzone’s farewell gigs, which will take place tonight and Saturday.
The two gigs in the Emirates Stadium, “One For The Road”, are described as the band’s final farewell.
“They may not play a concert again, and I know they say that every few years!”
While Michelle acknowledged that the trip to Saturday’s gig is “quite expensive”, she said it’ll be worth it.
“I didn’t get to many of their concerts growing up, it just didn’t suit living in rural Ireland, but I’ve gone to a lot of the more recent concerts,” said Michelle.
However, she’s “disappointed” there’s no show in Dublin.
“It’s their hometown, they should have played something there, but I’m excited, and let’s go for it for London.
“I did think there would be enough interest, and they’ve often played the RDS, so I don’t know why they couldn’t have played somewhere like that.”
Earlier this year, Keith Duffy said Boyzone weren’t offered an Irish stadium for their upcoming reunion.
One fan told The Journal that they have been a “long time” fan but that going to London would have cost them “€600 that I just couldn’t afford”.
They said they were “devastated” that Boyzone aren’t playing an Irish date.
‘Going to be emotional’
Sharon Hussey, meanwhile, has also been a fan since day one and is going to the Saturday gig with her sister, both of whom are big fans.
But she, too, is disappointed there’s no Irish date.
“I still can’t comprehend it. I think that is crazy. They’ll still get our support anyway, but it would have been better in Ireland.”
Sharon said it’s “quite emotional” that this is being billed at the farewell show.
“I’m over 30 years following them, since I was a little girl and seeing them at the Point with ‘Boyzone’ hairbands, which was quite the trend all those years ago.
“Myself and my sister had Boyzone posters on the walls in our bedrooms, and we’re looking forward to it.
“Regardless of whether it’s the last show or not, it’s going to be emotional.”
Clara Mullan, meanwhile, attended Boyzone’s previous “farewell tour” in London back in 2019 with her friend Hayley.
She and Hayley will be attending Saturday’s gig together too.
“It is expensive, and obviously the tickets were expensive, the flights are expensive, but it is worth it.”
She thought the 2019 London gig was “definitely the last time” but said she’d be more than happy for another gig down the line.
“I think this probably is their very last one, and we did not want to miss out on it, and we were just buzzing when we got tickets for it.
“So if this is the very last one, we’re so excited that we’re going to be at it.”
‘Nostalgic’
Another fan, Rachel Hosie, is going to tonight’s gig and said she and her Sinead Farrell are “like giddy teenagers again”.
“We’ve been fans for so many years, and when we heard of the reunion, we both said we would get there no matter what.”
While her tickets are “up in the gods”, Rachel says “it won’t really matter once you get there, with the atmosphere and singing along to all the old songs”.
“It’ll be really nostalgic for us, and I’m sure on the plane we’ll be chatting all about things we were doing when we were going to their concerts years ago.”
She, too, would have “definitely preferred” the concert to be in Ireland and has seen Boyzone is venues across Dublin.
“It was disappointing, and people were holding off on getting tickets and saying, ‘they definitely will announce something in Ireland’, but we weren’t willing to miss out on this.
“It’s also a chance for a night away for the two of us together that we wouldn’t often get these days with the kids and all the rest of it.”
And for Nicole Fagan, there’s “some mixed emotions” given this really could be it.
“Excited, but you don’t want it to end either. It’s the very, very last one, and it’s going to be emotional.”
Nicole saw Boyzone in the 3Arena back in 2019 and had pneumonia at the time, but said there was no way she was missing the band and still went to the gig.
She’s holding out hope that the lads will come to Dublin eventually.
“I would love them to finish out in Dublin; it would be unbelievable. But if this is the very last one, I’m glad I’m going to it.”
And while she says it’s an expensive trip, Nicole added that she’s “always wanted to go abroad to a concert” and thought there was no better band for this than Boyzone.
‘Emotional documentary’
Meanwhile, all five had seen last year’s three-part documentary, Boyzone: No Matter What, which featured never-before-seen footage of the band.
Sharon said it gave her a better understanding of what the band went through and enabled her to relate to them more.
“It kind of made me fall in love with them even more again, if that was possible.”
Clara said it was good to hear the band be “so open and honest” and quipped that she “certainly learned a lot” about Louis Walsh, the band’s previous manager.
Michelle pointed to the segments on Stephen Gately in the documentary.
“When Stephen came out, it wasn’t really his choice,” said Michelle.
“I didn’t understand that at the time, I would have been only 12 or 13, but I understand now that there was a lot of pressure on him to come out.”
Rachel remarked that it was “quite an emotional documentary” watching as a fan.
“Particularly with Mikey, seeing the struggles that he went through that we, as very young fans at that time, wouldn’t have been aware of.
“I watched it with a group of friends, and we were all saying, “Oh, wouldn’t it be great if they got together again,’, because they were hinting at it at the end of the documentary, so we’re delighted they’ve made it happen.”
have your say