Nicky Byrne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicky Byrne
Byrne in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Nicholas Bernard James Adam McGarry Byrne Jr.
Born	(1978-10-09) 9 October 1978 (age 46) Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter presenter footballer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Warner East West Universal Syco RCA Sony

Nicholas Bernard James Adam McGarry Byrne Jr. (born 9 October 1978) is a famous Irish pop singer, songwriter, and TV and radio host. He is best known as a member of the popular pop group Westlife. Westlife has released many albums and gone on world tours. They are one of the most successful Irish boybands ever.

Before he became a musician, Nicky played professional football. He even played for the Republic of Ireland at different youth levels. After his music career, he also became a successful TV and radio presenter. His wife, Georgina, is the daughter of Bertie Ahern, who used to be the leader of Ireland (called the Taoiseach). They have twin sons and a daughter.

In 2012, Nicky was a contestant on the TV show Strictly Come Dancing. He was the ninth person to leave the competition. In 2016, he represented Ireland with his song "Sunlight". He performed in the semi-final but did not make it to the final round.

Nicky Byrne's Career

Football Career

Nicky Byrne started as a footballer. He played for youth teams like Home Farm and St. Kevins Boys in Dublin. In 1995, he became a professional player. He joined Leeds United as a goalkeeper. He was part of the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1997.

After two years with Leeds, he played for other Irish clubs. These included Shelbourne, Cobh Ramblers, and St. Francis F.C.. He also played for the Republic of Ireland at different youth levels (U15, U16, and U18).

Nicky has also played in special charity football matches. In 2009, he played for a Liverpool Legends team. In 2011, he played for a Celtic Legends team. In 2014, he won Soccer Aid, a charity match, and even scored a goal. He was the only non-professional player to score in that game.

Music Career

Nicky Byrne representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016

In 1998, Nicky tried out for a new Irish boyband. Boyzone manager Louis Walsh asked him to join his new group, Westlife. Nicky joined Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden. Nicky once wanted to call the band "West High," but the others chose Westlife.

With Westlife, Nicky has achieved huge success. They had 25 songs in the top ten in the UK, with 14 of them reaching number one. They also had 7 number one albums. Westlife has sold over 55 million records worldwide. They are known for selling millions of singles, albums, and videos in the UK. In 2002, Nicky also had a number one song in Ireland. It was with the Republic of Ireland national football team and Dustin the Turkey. The song was "Here Come The Good Times (Ireland)," for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Nicky also helped write many of Westlife's songs.

In January 2016, it was confirmed that Nicky would represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. He sang the song "Sunlight". He performed in the second semi-final on May 12, 2016, but did not qualify for the final.

In October 2018, Westlife announced they were reuniting as a four-member group. In 2019, they went on "The 20 Tour" to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They also released new music. Their song "Hello My Love" was the first single from their eleventh album, Spectrum.

Television and Radio Career

Nicky Byrne has had a busy career in television and radio. In 2003, he was a guest host on the show CD:UK. He also hosted the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in Dublin, in front of 80,000 people.

He has appeared on charity shows like Children in Need and Comic Relief many times. In 2001, he co-hosted Children in Need from Belfast. He also co-hosted a BBC Radio 2 special for the cause in 2011.

Nicky has narrated stage shows like The Snowman Christmas Special. He also narrated a documentary about former Boyzone member Stephen Gately. He has hosted the Cheerios ChildLine Concert seven times. This concert was shown on RTÉ2 and later on TV3.

In 2010, Nicky presented several episodes of the Celebrity Sunday radio show on RTÉ 2fm. People listened from all over the world. The final show in February 2010 was very popular on Twitter.

In October 2012, Nicky hosted the RTÉ reality TV show Football's Next Star. This show followed ten young players hoping to join Celtic Football Club's youth team.

From 2013 to 2015, and again in 2017, 2018, and 2025, Nicky announced Ireland's votes at the Eurovision Song Contest. He also co-hosted the TV talent show The Hit on RTÉ One.

In 2014, Nicky started hosting a new weekday radio show on RTÉ 2fm with Jenny Greene. He left the show in March 2019 to focus on Westlife's tour.

In January 2015, Nicky began hosting the game show The Million Euro Challenge on RTÉ 1. The show ended in July of that year.

In January 2017, Nicky started hosting the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars. He hosted it with Amanda Byram and later with Jennifer Zamparelli. In June 2020, he hosted RTÉ Does Comic Relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2021, he was announced as the host of a new singing competition called Last Singer Standing. In October 2024, Nicky launched his own podcast, "Nicky Byrne HQ".

Discography

Albums

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Songwriting

Nicky Byrne has helped write many songs. He co-wrote some songs during his time with Westlife. He also co-wrote all ten songs on his first solo album. Here are some of the songs he helped write:

• "Sunlight"
• "Explosion"
• "Song For Lovers"
• "Pop Machine"
• "Still The One"
• "Some Things Always Seem To Last"
• "Finishing Line"
• "Broadway Show"
• "Thank You"
• "Pretty"
• "Talking with Jennifer"
• "Sweeping Up"
• "When You Come Around"
• "Don't Let Me Go"
• "Imaginary Diva"
• "Reason For Living"
• "Where We Belong"
• "I Won't Let You Down"
• "Singing Forever"
• "You See Friends (I See Lovers)"
• "I'm Missing Loving You"
• "Closer"
• "Last Mile of the Way"
• "The Way That You Love Me"
• "Alive"

Personal Life

Nicky Byrne was born to Yvonne and Nicholas. He has an older sister and a younger brother. He grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where he still lives.

Nicky married Georgina Ahern, who he knew from secondary school. They got married on August 5, 2003. They had a church blessing in France a few days later.

Nicky and Georgina have three children together.

Helping Others

In 2010, Nicky and his family organized a special event called the 'Nikki Byrne Twilight Ball'. This event was held to remember his father, who passed away in 2009. The event raised over €200,000. This money helped fund a TV and radio campaign to raise awareness about heart attacks. The campaign was in partnership with 'The Irish Heart Foundation'.

Television Presenting Roles

Awards and Achievements