00:00I have anxiety that I hide very well.
00:03It brings a lot of stuff and a lot of emotions back to the surface again, stuff that I've put away.
00:07He's always nervous around me. Most people are because I'm unpredictable.
00:10I'm representing my brother in this shirt tonight and I don't give a f*** what anybody thinks.
00:30Well, Ronan, we're at this event tonight. Why is now the time to do this?
00:45I think after 30 years, there's enough of a story. Our ups and our downs, it's been
00:53quite a bloody rollercoaster and to document it, to be able to have something archived
00:59for our kids and our kids' kids, because we didn't have social media in the 90s, so nobody
01:05really shared it and got to see really what we witnessed. So it's nice for the people to see it.
01:12I love the fact that you put rollercoaster in there.
01:14I just noticed that. I didn't mean that.
01:16Thank you. That's made my life.
01:18In regards to social media, what are you thinking about it? Are you glad it wasn't around?
01:23Yeah, I think so. I think so. I think it's wonderful at times and it's a dangerous thing
01:31at times. I'm lucky that I don't pay much attention to the negative that's on there,
01:37but I do worry about kids that are on social media. There's a new law that's just passed
01:41in Australia, 16 years of age for social media, which is wonderful. The brains aren't developed
01:46enough below that. They shouldn't be using it before 16 because they can't deal with
01:51it. We've seen so much suicide in young kids and so on, and I do think a lot of it comes
01:57down to that. I would blame social media for that.
02:00That's fascinating, isn't it?
02:01Yeah.
02:02How's your anxiety today? How are you feeling about the world seeing this?
02:04Very, very high. Very high. I'm struggling. It took us two years to make this film. I'm
02:11very proud of it, but it brings a lot of stuff and a lot of emotions back to the surface
02:16again. Stuff that I've put away, and that's kind of hard. It's all back tonight.
02:21Are you hoping it helps people?
02:23I hope so. I really do. I think there's going to be a lot of kids from the 90s, same age
02:28as me in 16, 17 and 18, that went through the same emotions that we all went through
02:35that we'll share in this story.
02:38We see headlines now, other bands coming through. Do you see similarities of what you all went
02:43through?
02:44I think it's a very similar landscape. I don't compare ourselves to anyone. I wouldn't compare
02:49myself with their success or anything like that, but there's similar emotions that go
02:54through, and I do think that. I do. I do.
02:57What are you most worried about people seeing?
02:59Nothing. I've watched this about 100 times. I'm not worried about anybody seeing anything
03:05I think it's going to get your tissues ready. You're going to be angry. You're going to
03:09be sad, and there's going to be times when you fall off your seat laughing.
03:13And just finally, what would Steven think right now?
03:15I think he'd be very proud, and I think this is, if nothing else, it's a legacy for him.
03:19Yes, it's going to be an amazing night.
03:21Thank you. Thanks for being here. Thank you.
03:23How are you feeling tonight?
03:25I'm feeling good, Lucy.
03:26Are you nervous?
03:27No. I haven't been nervous for years. Like, what am I? I'm 48. I'm going to tell you,
03:33when was the last time I was nervous? I don't... Yeah, that world of anxiety and nerves don't
03:38really exist in my world.
03:40What should make Ronan so nervous about tonight then?
03:42Oh, he's always nervous around me. Most people are because I'm unpredictable. I think that's
03:46actually what creates... I'm not nervous, but people around me are always nervous. They're
03:49like, what's Jono going to do? What's he going to say? So I think that's the problem.
03:52Well, that's the best way to be, isn't it?
03:54I think so.
03:55It's fun time.
03:56And your sisters are here tonight.
03:58I do have some sisters, and I have family, and I've got my daughters. I've got my wife.
04:02I've got a few boys I haven't seen for a few years floating around. So, yeah, good friends
04:08and life and family and faces and journalists and interviewers and all sorts of stuff. It's
04:14been a while, which is amazing to see, actually.
04:16Are you worried about anything in this documentary? About anyone seeing anything in particular?
04:21You know, interestingly enough, that's a good question, and I'll tell you why. Because nobody
04:25wants to leave their front door thinking, oh, no. They know about that, so no. I'm glad
04:32to say I've watched this documentary. You know, curious as the filmmakers, they've done
04:37a great job. It's not a fluffy pop duck. It's dark at times. Without a doubt, it's dark,
04:42but on a personal level, I'm very proud. I'm very happy, and I'm not worried about it.
04:48And the boy bands now, the headlines that come with that, can you see similarities to
04:53when you guys were in your heyday as well?
04:55All boy bands and headlines are the same. All bands are the same. Music is the same.
04:59Celebrity is the same. Celebrity comes with a lot of conviction. Celebrity comes with
05:04a lot of difficulty. Now, we're meant to be the people who have it all. Hunky-dory and
05:12life is great. It's not. It's far from it. It comes with pressure. It comes with moments.
05:17Yes, it comes with a great lifestyle in the end, but to dig deep and go through certain
05:21great mental battles that a lot of people have. You know what's interesting, right?
05:24Somebody said to me the other day, and I was like, wow, I never thought of that as an analogy.
05:28See, if you go to a concert, you go to a boys' own concert, you stand on that stage, and
05:33there's nothing but adoration for you. It's the most incredible thing. See, as a footballer,
05:38half the crowd hate you, and half the crowd love you. And I was like, wow. Imagine if
05:43I stood on stage in the arena, and half the crowd booed me, and half the crowd cheered
05:48and I'd go, how do you deal with that mentally? So I think a lot of us are in these pressurised
05:52situations for different reasons.
05:53And are you proud of your journey and how everything's been?
05:56Yeah, my journey's still going, right? We're alive, and life is crazy, man. We don't know
06:02what tomorrow holds. We're not promised tomorrow, and I'm delighted to be here after two years
06:07of making this documentary. I'm delighted to be here with all you guys, and it's bigger
06:13than I thought it was going to be. I'm not even going to lie. Like, it's a big deal,
06:17you know?
06:18You're a big deal. You know that.
06:19Stop letting me down.
06:20And just finally, let's not forget him. What was your boy Stephen thinking tonight?
06:24Oh, listen, still, he'd be doing cartwheels here. Disco dancing, you know? Disco dancing
06:29in these red pants. He loved life, and he loved stardom. He was a star. He was a true
06:36star. I'm a get away with star because I joined a band. He's a true star, you know? I had
06:41to learn a craft. He was born with a craft, so he would love it.
06:45Yeah, and the way that you dealt with all that as a band together in brief, I mean,
06:49I think it's going to help a lot of people, this documentary as well.
06:51Hey, you know, we need to celebrate our loss, and of course we cry and we share tears with
06:56them, but it's always best when you have the best memories of it.
06:59Yeah, I've got a lot of memories of you. YouTube, very good for that. Thank you very much indeed.
07:05You're amazing. Thank you, darling. Enjoy tonight.
07:07Here he is. Someone's had a glow up. Look at this.
07:10I know. This was the deal.
07:13Hello. You look absolutely amazing.
07:15Do I?
07:16The hair, the teeth, the outfit, the glasses. In fact, I'd say-
07:1950 years of age.
07:21I'd say a better version of Robert Downey Jr. There you go. Same glasses. How are you
07:27feeling tonight?
07:28Look, I'm loving it. It's only going to last for a f***ing minute, and then it's all over,
07:34so you might as well just pinch yourself and go, is this real? Have a good time, and just
07:40do the best you can. Be the best version of yourself for 24 hours.
07:45How has the journey been? Have you actually enjoyed it, being in Boy's Eye?
07:49I loved it. I loved it. I mean, we weren't digging graves for a living. You know, they
07:55all moan about boy bands, pressure cooker work. Yes, we worked hard, and yes, we got
08:00tired, but look, I come from the north side of Dublin. I don't have an education. My education
08:07is my worldly wisdom. I love singing. I love writing songs. I played to a full house of
08:14Nip Switch last night. I'm wearing Glasgow next week. I love what I do. I'm blessed,
08:20thank the Lord.
08:21And you had to put up with Brian McFadden, I guess, for a little while.
08:23He's a lunatic. Where is he? I think he's here. He's my brother. He's my best mate. We've
08:30lived in the same car for nine years, and we went through the ups and downs, but we're
08:37on a sold-out tour. We're having a great time.
08:40What's the most annoying thing about Brian McFadden?
08:42Farting in the car, and then he blames it on me. He says, did you fart? I go, no, that
08:48wasn't me. That was you. No, that was you. I know your smell.
08:51Isn't it lovely that you've got Boy's Eye 2.0. You're still going. You're still singing.
08:55Listen, if you hadn't told me when I was 18 that I'd still be in a boy band when I'm
08:5950, I would have **** off.
09:02You look so great 50, by the way.
09:04I'm a great doctor. I'll give you his number.
09:06Thanks. Do you feel 50?
09:08No. I feel 22.
09:11And are you nervous about any of this? Because your man wrote it.
09:14I'm nervous about all of it, and I have anxiety that I hide very well. I think I hide it very
09:23well. No, I'm stressed, but I always try to just breathe and be energetic and portray
09:33positivity.
09:34So why are you worried? Is it about what you're going to see on the screen?
09:38Life, social media, press, anxiety, family, children, life. We all worry, don't we?
09:47And when you see headlines about other boy bands, things that happen to these boys, do
09:51you see similarities back in the day?
09:53I don't read any headlines.
09:54I love that.
09:55I don't read any papers. Look, there's a huge thing about the pressure cooker, mental health,
10:05and that is a real thing, and I don't escape that, but I try to deal with it the best I
10:13can, and I'm lucky that I have the headspace to be able to try to turn that positive.
10:20And you're lucky that you've got amazing brothers that you're still getting on with.
10:23And I love them with all my heart.
10:25And talking about love, what would Stephen think right now?
10:29I'm wearing his shirt. His favourite colour was red. He loved the print, and he loves
10:35sequins. I'm representing my brother in this shirt tonight, and I don't give a f*** what
10:41anybody thinks.
10:42You look amazing.
10:44And in regards to grief, do you think this documentary is going to help people?
10:46Absolutely. We all have to heal. We all have to move on and live, and celebrate the memories
10:53that we have instead of being sad about our loss.
10:56Yeah.
10:57Celebrate the memories we have.
10:58And go and see Boy's Life.
11:00And come and see Boy's Life on tour.
11:02Thank you so much. You look amazing. Have the best night ever.
11:05Lovely to meet you.
11:06And stop being so anxious.
11:08As bad as me.
11:09How am I going to stop that?
11:10I don't know.
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