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00:03I've been lucky enough to travel the world playing music but there's one
00:10place that's calling me back I mean just look at this it's perfect
00:18the glorious west coast of Ireland on the edge of the wild Atlantic Ocean
00:25summer holidays were here in these magical places I haven't been back in a
00:31long time it's 40 years since I've been out on this lake and after the tragic
00:35death of my oldest brother Kieron dad was proud of you he was so proud yeah I want
00:43to discover what made this place so special for him I'll be reconnecting
00:51with old friends we were like West life what yeah better than boys singing some
00:59songs and getting involved with the unique Irish culture I was 16 when I left
01:10Ireland there's so much of the Atlantic coast I hadn't seen now I'm coming
01:16home
01:26the next part of my journey is probably gonna be the wildest because I'm
01:30heading to Mayo and Sligo with its dramatic Atlantic weather
01:39and in fact my late brother Kieron fell in love with this part of the west coast so
01:43much that when he got married and had children he moved his entire family here
01:52being back on this coastline brings back so many childhood memories remember being on this very beach
01:59not far from here a Catholic shrine called knock my mum used to pile us all get into the car
02:06for the
02:06pilgrimage to knock and I remember as a kid at the time thinking oh man but this was the reward
02:13the end of the day I know what she was doing though she was trying to keep the
02:17family close together that's what's happened in the last couple of years losing my brother tragedy like
02:22that can tear a family apart we don't have the tools to deal with grief but being here I'm being
02:29close to where my brother lived it's definitely starting to help while I'm on this coastline I'll
02:42be discovering the healing and restorative powers of seaweed oh there's a gel some spot being right
02:54beside the water as well there yeah and getting back in the saddle but one of my oldest boy band
02:58friends who has lived here most of his life who'd have thought huh uh-huh horse riding in Sligo with
03:04chain-piling I don't think it'd be the next time I see Ronald Keaton but before that I've decided to
03:13take one of my brother Ciaran's favorite boat trips to Clare Island off the coast of Mayo well hello
03:21there fancy meeting you here accompanied by his eldest son and my godson Connell it's good to see you
03:27too you all right yeah yeah I'm all right you okay you nervous I am I am I'm a bit
03:34nervous not
03:34about the size of the boat but just going to Clare Island dad loved Clare Island he did he did
03:39he loved
03:39as you know what do you think it was he loved so much about just freedom yeah just being out
03:45there
03:45on his own away from it all away from the noise yeah all right let's go find some freedom
03:51man all right how are you getting on how are you how are you Brian all right what's the craic
03:58how are you doing hey Brian how are you good to see you likewise this is all right going over
04:03yeah
04:03oh yeah okay so I don't like that
04:17at 20 minutes it's a very short ferry crossing over to the island but even on the nicest of days
04:23it can be a bit rock and roll there was a tractor on that boat I love it only here
04:31would you see that
04:32brilliant you're used to this this is you were born and raised here this is your turn would see
04:37legs but see that what there's something magnificent about even when the weather's bad you know there's
04:45something majestic beautiful about this this coastline and brilliant faith are that anyway stop
04:50really is it's really picking up now love it it is catch
05:13clare island is only six square miles and is known as the ancestral home of the legendary pirate queen
05:19grace O'Malley it's been a rich source of inspiration for story song and folklore for centuries
05:28cheers Brian good luck see you buddy take care Brian nice bow terra firma that's better isn't it
05:42look at the heads on us the best way to discover Clare Island is
05:57on foot I'm with less than 150 residents here there's more sheep than people on the end of
06:02the road to here it's just further on the yonder you're also likely to experience all four seasons
06:14in one day what's your earliest memory of coming to Clare Island dad has had the boat as you know
06:19yeah
06:20and had it for years and when he wasn't working we were here all right when he was working we
06:27were
06:27jumping off the pier down I really understand now why he often left Dublin and came to the west yeah
06:36they're very welcoming they're very well incredible it's actually become quite overwhelming at times the
06:42kindness yeah it makes you feel different about yourself and that's it's something that we were
06:48losing because we're in devices smartphones computers internet TV whatever I don't think you can get a
06:54signal on this I hope we don't get a signal on this island I hope you don't have your phone
07:00on
07:08perhaps the most spectacular vistas can be found at Clare Island Lighthouse
07:15a 200 year old nautical landmark watching over Ackle Westport and America
07:23you know it's mad to think this is the last thing people saw before they headed off to America
07:28so many Irish left here they all went that way your dad included yeah yeah
07:45like many Irish of his generation Ciarán left for America when he was 19
07:50in search of work and adventure he didn't stay though and eventually joined me on the road with
07:56boys on we had great times traveling the world together one Clare Island resident who traveled the
08:08other way from America to Ireland is Beth Moran a traditional hand weaver from Massachusetts and
08:14she's been living on the island for over 40 years hey Beth how are you how are you doing I'm
08:21doing
08:21great I'm doing great you're welcome what are you up to this is uh we're going I'm collecting lichens from
08:26the wall here look at that they make a fantastic natural dye for the wall that we spend and is
08:32this
08:32something that that grows all over the country or it actually only grows in places of no pollution
08:38judging by the amount on the walls it's pretty pollution free here huh uh yeah we have lots of
08:43fresh air here especially today with the wind isn't it and you you don't use a tool you just take
08:49it off
08:49with your hands I do some people use knives but I generally I just wait for the rain okay it
08:54do the
08:54work and then it peels off easier yeah Beth what drew you to Clare Island well initially I came with
09:01students on workshops in photography okay and the first time I came to Clare Island and landed it was
09:09like coming home that's fabulous lovely to have that sense of yeah and I do feel like I belong here
09:15yeah yeah that's it well okay I think we have I think we might have enough we have enough okay
09:24this is where the magic happens huh yeah plenty of that around here yeah yeah sure no come in the
09:32lichen that Beth collects is boiled down to make red brown and yellow dyes for the wall she uses to
09:38create unique hand-woven pieces inspired by the colors and textures of the island and as part of our
09:46creative process she actively encourages mistakes the weaving room you're welcome to which is just
09:53as well because Connell and I are about to give this hand weaving a go for the first time with
09:59two
09:59pieces that are nearing completion so this is the loom and these are the pedals and this is how you
10:05operate the loom with the pedals and do I pull this down before I bring the pedals down you know
10:10you bring
10:11these down and then because it gives it a nice tighter beat okay and just keep an eye on those
10:17edges you don't have to kill the loom just nice I know I did say to beat firmly but not
10:25kill okay
10:25don't kill the loom you still want to have a loom after we've left yes sorry about that okay okay
10:33operating a hand loom is a dying art these four pedals each hold a thread of yarn
10:40allowing you to interweave different colors and create patterns and as always whatever we do as
10:48a family it's never too long before the Keating competitive spirit kicks in okay so I'll just
10:55give you a little bit of space I see you're a little bit quicker than your uncle here okay
11:07please give me more space because I'm just too quick yeah give me Lord God give me okay here we
11:15go
11:18time to check out the end result of all our hand weaving efforts this is what we call the big
11:24reveal
11:25oh okay bro look at that would you look at that look at the length of that it's incredible look
11:34at
11:34this beautiful job absolutely looks like to see it does thank you love that that's great that looks
11:41cool actually that's good color for you mine's better though no it's not I can't believe we
11:48created this yeah you did well give you a job maybe I loved it yeah me too so nice before
12:04we
12:05leave the island Connell has some family photos he'd like to share with me can I show you a few
12:12pictures of course I'd love to see some yeah my goodness so I was with mom last night yeah we're
12:18going through these there's the boat there's the boat oh my goodness is that you there that's me yeah
12:24that's me would he take that boat over here yeah yeah yeah wait you see the side look that that's
12:28it
12:29there for the people on a remote-controlled boat we were all five was we wedged in underneath and he'd
12:36be
12:36outside just just driving along yeah incredible that's my third birthday oh my who's that that's
12:43me upside down who captured that moment that's brilliant you know I was probably dad the bouncy
12:50that's you doing a flip there yeah always the showman that's me teaching you to do a backflip yeah
12:56yeah because you were showing us and then I was like I want to do it but the bouncy castle
13:04man came
13:04to pick up the bouncy castle and you threw him a few pound to keep it told him to come
13:09back tomorrow
13:09so we can keep it for the night yeah dad and I were probably on it all night doing backflips
13:15that's New York that's the Suzuki intruder in New York that's in New York okay yeah and
13:21he would have been 60 this December and mom for his 60th she was gonna buy him a Suzuki intruder
13:35and cool bike he was cool he was so cool man he was so cool I was telling roar you
13:42know I looked
13:42up to him so much he was me big brother he looked after me but he was so cool you
13:46know people would say
13:48are you Ronan Keaton's brother and he'd say no he's mine yeah yeah but the hardest part is he had
13:57so much living in the left yeah you know what he his plans his grandkids his kids but I'm happy
14:06that
14:06he found this place man really happy he found this place yeah mom wanted me to tell you that him
14:15whether you knew it or not dad was proud of you he was so proud of you and he was
14:22so proud of
14:22all of your achievements and everything that you've done
14:29and he loved you so much
14:33God I loved him
14:37I'm sorry your dad's gone it's not fair man
14:43you're so like him
14:44yeah
14:44your laugh
14:45your mannerisms the way you move
14:49he loved his kids to bits
14:50you were his world
14:51he came to the west so he could raise you
14:54away from all the noise
14:55that's what he wanted for us yeah
14:56and he did a hell of a job
14:58thanks
14:58thanks bud
14:59you're a gentleman
15:00love you
15:01love you too
15:15after an emotional time on Clare Island
15:18I'm heading back to the mainland
15:24in search of a wellness ritual that's been practiced along this coastline for hundreds of years
15:31a soak in seaweed
15:34Neil how are you doing Ronan pleasure to meet you
15:36great to meet you too
15:37thank you very much
15:37now I believe you were the man to talk to about seaweed
15:39absolutely yeah seaweed baths were prevalent in Ireland
15:43there's over 300 at one stage
15:45now it's whittled down to only a few of us
15:47okay
15:48but it's look it's an amazing experience and I want you to experience it
15:52I cannot wait let's go
15:53absolutely let's get you going
15:54love it
15:57the west coast of Ireland is recognized as a world-class habitat for seaweed growth
16:05Neil and his family have been harvesting the crop for their seaweed baths for over 20 years
16:09okay Ronan so this is the seaweed here
16:12yep
16:12okay so this is the seaweed that's going to go in my back
16:15this is the seaweed that we're going to bring upstairs
16:16it goes from the baskets
16:17yep
16:18into here
16:18okay
16:19and what we do we wash the seaweed first and that gets rid of any crustaceans
16:23okay fresh water
16:24this is fresh water
16:25yep
16:25now what happens is a lovely beautiful gel that comes out of it
16:30it's called calcium alganate gel
16:31amazing for your skin and your hair
16:34so basically we're going to put it into the bucket here and then bring it upstairs
16:38wow there's a lot of weight in it too isn't there
16:40yeah there is yeah yeah it's it's people don't realize how heavy wet seaweed is
16:45so I have a dodgy shoulder here from carrying it over the air
16:47or two dodgy shoulders
16:49good man
16:50okay let's go
16:53okay so we're going to go upstairs now
16:56I am dying for this seaweed bath I can't wait
17:02and after a quick steam to open my pores
17:05all right
17:08I've never been more ready
17:10let's go
17:11for my Atlantic seaweed bath
17:14oh that's lovely
17:20whoa
17:23lovely
17:25oh man
17:27It's claimed that seaweed baths release nutrient-dense oils
17:31that intensely hydrate, detoxify and nourish the skin.
17:36Wow.
17:38Water is like gel.
17:40Whilst the steam helps relieve stress.
17:44The last time I was in a seaweed bath was probably 30 years ago.
17:50Stephen and I, Stephen Gately from Boys Own and myself,
17:55just up the coast here.
17:56We were doing a couple of nights in a nightclub, so we had a day off.
18:00And Shane and Keith decided that they were going to go swimming in the sea.
18:03And Steele and I decided we were going to do a seaweed bath.
18:06And we could see Keith and Shane running across the sand.
18:11Shane, you know, pulled this elegant dive into the water
18:13and seemed to skim the water like a stone.
18:18Duster followed, but he was quite a few feet back.
18:20And he jumped as soon as Shane jumped.
18:23Fortunately, Duster's hands went straight into the sand
18:25because it was very...
18:28And he back-flipped straight onto the sand.
18:31He jumped up, looked around, made sure no one was looking
18:33and then he kept running for the water.
18:35Steele and I, it was supposed to be a relaxing seaweed bath.
18:39We spent the next hour just giggling our heads off,
18:42reminiscing, talking about Duster.
18:45Funny, great memory.
18:50I'm not crying again.
18:54Done enough of that this week.
19:01And one thing is highly recommended after a hot soak.
19:21It seems that everywhere I go along the Atlantic coast,
19:25I'm reminded of my boy band past.
19:28And no visit to this part of the world would be complete
19:30without calling in to someone who,
19:32despite all the fame and fortune,
19:35still calls this place home.
19:39Shane Fyland.
19:39How are you, buddy?
19:40Good to see you.
19:41Welcome to sunny Sligo.
19:42I had to come to Sligo.
19:43You see the weather out there?
19:44That's unbelievable.
19:45It's going to get better though, right?
19:46Tropical, yeah.
19:47No, it will be.
19:47We won't be out on the horse until it dries off.
19:49So we're going to get our bridles first.
19:50We're going to get our boots.
19:52Yeah.
19:52We're going to get our hats.
19:54And then we'll find horses.
19:54Okay, well, let's start with the hats.
19:56Safety first.
19:57Safety first, but you also got to look decent in it.
20:00Like our hairs are important, you know?
20:01Popstar's hair are important, pal.
20:0358 to 61.
20:04Does that mean I have a big head or a small head?
20:06Well, I might need that one,
20:06because I probably have a bigger head than you.
20:08No, you don't, do you?
20:09Oh, that's all right.
20:11Oh, yeah, we're in.
20:12That's not bad.
20:14Yeah, this is quality.
20:15Yeah, perfect.
20:16Do you know what I mean?
20:17Yeah, you look great.
20:18Unbelievable.
20:18You look deadly, you do, yeah.
20:19Sure can help it.
20:20Oh, I love it.
20:21Come on, let's go.
20:25This is your horsewoman for today.
20:26This is Bouncer.
20:27Bouncer.
20:28And then I have Romeo for you over there.
20:29Romeo.
20:30He gets Romeo and I get Bouncer.
20:32Isn't that brilliant?
20:33What the?
20:33I feel safe already.
20:36Oh, he's a beauty.
20:38Hey, buddy.
20:40So horses know when you're nervous, don't they?
20:43The best thing to do with you,
20:44I always find just go over to them
20:45and kind of just let them smell you.
20:47Yeah.
20:48You know?
20:48They either smell fear or they don't.
20:50Is that what it is?
20:51Oh, they totally can feel if you're nervous.
20:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:54100%.
20:54So he's very comfortable there now.
20:56Shane's been working and riding horses
20:58since he was seven.
21:00So if there's anyone I'd like to go riding
21:02on the beach with, it's him.
21:06I'm far used to being on a motorcycle
21:09than on a horse.
21:10But I think these guys are pretty safe.
21:12They better be.
21:19Sligo's Atlantic beaches
21:20are probably some of the most beautiful in the country
21:23and they stretch for miles.
21:27Who would have thought, huh?
21:28Horse riding in Sligo, chain-filing.
21:31I don't think it'd be the next time I see Ronan Keaton.
21:36Way to be back in the saddle.
21:39Woo-hoo!
21:49Gorgeous.
21:50Beautiful.
21:51Some spot being right beside the water as well here.
21:53Yeah, it's a gorgeous location.
21:55Wow, look at that.
21:56The old ruins down there.
21:58Yeah, there's loads of them all along this coastline.
22:03You can see now why I don't want to leave it.
22:05I get it.
22:05I get it totally.
22:07It is.
22:08It really is spectacular.
22:10It is beautiful.
22:11And it's all very different.
22:12Everything is a different view.
22:14Everywhere you go, yeah.
22:14All the way along.
22:17The sun is shining on us.
22:20Yeah, I know.
22:21We've got a nice day.
22:21Yeah.
22:23Really special.
22:30Thank you so much.
22:32It's your responsibility now.
22:34Thanks a million.
22:34Brilliant.
22:35Love it.
22:35Thank you, Ben.
22:36Thanks so much.
22:37Oh, man.
22:38All right.
22:38I can't walk now, shall I?
22:40Me legs are killing me tomorrow.
22:41I won't be able to walk tomorrow.
22:42You'll be walking like John Wayne for about two days.
22:45It'll be worth it, though.
22:46Yeah, totally.
22:53Sit down now and take your coats off.
22:55Ah, you're too kind.
22:56Excellent.
22:56And hang, we'll have a cup of tea.
22:58Ah, thank you.
22:59Thanks, Liz.
23:01Before we leave these stables, Shane and I have been invited in for tea and homemade treats
23:05by the lady of the house, 93-year-old Liz.
23:10That's Bruce.
23:11Bruce is always interested in food.
23:14He doesn't care at all.
23:16That's if our dog, Bruce, doesn't get them first.
23:18All right.
23:19So, enjoy.
23:21Thank you, Liz.
23:22Thank you very much.
23:23Oh, wow.
23:23Looking forward to this.
23:24Haven't had a carb in about two years.
23:29Oh, this is property.
23:31This is the real deal.
23:32Property.
23:33You need that after the horse ride now.
23:35It'll warm you up.
23:35Oh, yeah.
23:36So, like, obviously, Louis and I had an incredible relationship.
23:39And he was a mentor to me.
23:41But Nicky in your band told me a funny story.
23:43He said, all the lads would come off stage.
23:45And he'd say to every one of them, Shane was great, wasn't he?
23:48Because Louis used to do the same to the other lads.
23:51They'd all come off stage.
23:52And you'd go, Ronan was great tonight.
23:53Ronan was great tonight.
23:54All the lads would be, I thought I was great tonight.
23:56But that's it with Louis, you see.
23:57He's, I'm just being honest.
23:59Yeah, that's it.
23:59But it's.
24:01Love it.
24:02It's hard to imagine Westlife without Shane.
24:05Oh, my God.
24:06But that is what very nearly happened all those years ago.
24:10We met Simon Cowell.
24:11Simon came over.
24:12And it didn't go well.
24:13It didn't go well, no.
24:14Simon didn't like me.
24:16I'm going to blame Gillian on this, my wife.
24:17Right, OK.
24:18So I had a bit of a late night the night before and got a very early train to Dublin
24:22for an audition
24:22with Simon Cowell, who wasn't Simon Cowell at the time.
24:24He was just a record executive, was coming to meet you.
24:26It didn't go too well.
24:28So Simon said, get rid of him and him.
24:30So it was two of us.
24:32Keep Mark and Cian.
24:34I didn't know this.
24:34I came out of the room and Louis came running after me.
24:36Yeah.
24:36And then slapped me across the face in the middle of the Westbury lobby and literally was freaking
24:44out.
24:45He was like, I was counting in there.
24:46I was counting on you.
24:47You were terrible in there.
24:48I was counting on you.
24:50He says, I know what to do.
24:51I said, we're going to dye your hair blonde.
24:53I have a plan and I'm going to get Simon back in two months time.
24:56And Simon said.
24:57Yeah.
24:58So two months later, Simon came back for the audition in the pod that you probably were at.
25:02I was backstage.
25:03I was so nervous because I was like, he's going to know who I am.
25:06He's going to know who I am.
25:07And the boy's like, just relax.
25:08He's not going to.
25:09And Cian's like, he's not going to know you, buddy.
25:10It's fine.
25:11Look, look at the stadia there.
25:13Look at you now.
25:14You know, it was one of those.
25:16And about halfway through the first verse, Simon leaned into Louis and goes, I
25:19I love the new guy.
25:21And Louis goes, I told you.
25:22I told you I'd saw this.
25:24And the rest of us.
25:25How long was it until Simon knew you were the same guy?
25:28It was about a year later, I think.
25:29Yeah.
25:29Louis was like, you know it was Shane.
25:31And he was like, I knew all along.
25:33He had no idea.
25:34Did he not have a clue?
25:35Because I would have been gone.
25:36Yeah.
25:37But the audition went great.
25:38And he signed us basically on the spot that day or whatever.
25:41What a success story.
25:42It was incredible.
25:43I mean.
25:43The first year was crazy.
25:44It was crazy.
25:45It was crazy.
25:46That first single, swear it again.
25:48What a song.
25:49And still is.
25:50Yeah.
25:50It's better now.
25:52Wow.
25:53Look at you.
25:56Swear it again.
25:57Good vocal, Shane.
26:00Now, you were called Westside.
26:01We were called Westside for the first nearly year.
26:04Yeah.
26:04So we had to change it because there was a company in America called Westside that were suing us or
26:08something.
26:08And then Simon Cowell actually came up with Life.
26:11So he was like, it's your life.
26:13You're from the west coast of Ireland.
26:15Brilliant.
26:15Westlife.
26:16And we thought it was a terrible name.
26:18We were like, Westlife?
26:19What?
26:20Yeah.
26:20Better than boys.
26:23It is a very nice.
26:24You guys got lucky.
26:25You guys got lucky.
26:26Dodged a bullet there.
26:27We'll tuck one for you.
26:29Look at the jumpers, man.
26:31The sheer heat.
26:33And Nicky then with a velvet coat on top of the jumper.
26:36Nicky was always about faster than that.
26:37Oh, he loves it.
26:38And still does.
26:38He loves the clothes.
26:40First to the rail.
26:40Oh, yeah.
26:41He loves it.
26:41First to the rail.
26:42Oh, yeah.
26:43Oh, I can't go backwards.
26:45You're not one of them, are you?
26:46No.
26:46Duster, I can't go backwards.
26:47Nicky hates it as well.
26:48We got on a train one time and Duster's like, oh, I can't sit backwards.
26:51He sits down and then the train goes the other way.
26:54Brilliant.
26:55He got caught out then.
26:56Brilliant.
26:56Love it.
26:57Love it.
26:57You've never been here in the last, since the bands, no?
27:00No, I haven't been in Sligo in over 35 years.
27:03Wow, okay, okay.
27:04Yeah, and just being out there today on the beach, on the horse, it's just magical.
27:07It's spectacular.
27:08I'm delighted we made this happen.
27:09No, listen, man, I'm delighted you're here.
27:11It's good to see you, brother.
27:13Cheers, buddy.
27:22Something struck me, Connell said, that losing dad has brought the family closer together.
27:28I can't help feel regret.
27:30Regret that I didn't spend more time here with Ciarán and the family, experiencing the
27:35things that he loved so much about the West.
27:39Spending time with Connell and Shane has been really special.
27:43Made me realize how important those bonds are.
27:46We busy ourselves so much in our own lives.
27:51We forget about the friendships.
27:56I'm going to work on that.
28:00But for now, I mean, just look at this.
28:05It's perfect.
28:06It's perfect.
28:24It's perfect.
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