Nicole Rose Filan

Baby Nicole baptised 30 August 2005: Stunning Gillian looked the picture of beauty as she posed for the cameras on the steps of St John’s church. Wearing a classy black dress and white cardigan she said “It was a great day for all our families and we had a ball. It was a nice, small, personal gathering”. Kian showed up without girlfriend Jodi Albert, but brought his dad Kevin along for the event. After the private 35-minute service, guests were invited back to Shane’s €2 million mansion for a celebration where they were treated to gourmet food and champagne. Shane added “The day went like a dream and we just wanted to keep it low-key family based. Little Nicole was great and she didn’t cry through the service which was brilliant”. Nicole was born on 23 July after a caesarean in Sligo General hospital. Shane , 26, has taken a three-month break from the band but is raring to get back to the studio to record a new Westlife album. He said “It’s been great to get time just to concentrate on the baby but now I feel more determined than ever to record the best Westlife album. Source: The Irish Mirror

Shane’s Baby Girl Baptised 30 August 2005: New dad Shane Filan and wife Gillian glow with pride after christening their baby girl. The protective Westlife pop shielded one-month old daughter Nicole, the couple’s first child, from the cameras as they emerged from St John’s Church. But the Bop Bop Baby singer and Gillian beamed for the cameras as they emerged from Sunday’s ceremony. The couple were surrounded by family and friends including bandmate Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan. Nicky was accompanied by his wife Georgina, while Kian – who is dating actress Jodi Albert – went solo. Fellow Westlifer Mark Feehily had been tipped to make his first public appearance with his mystery partner after coming out as gay – but failed to show. The ceremony was followed by a party at the Filan’s nearby €2 million mansion. Source: The Irish Sun

Shane’s A Proud Dad 29 July 2005: Westlife star Shane Filan, 26, has said that the birth of his baby daughter Nicole was the proudest day of his life. “When the baby came out, I was lost for words; my wife Gillian and I were both in tears,” he declared. Shane who married 25-year old childhood sweetheart Gillian 18 months ago, added: “he was extremely emotional. One of the first things I noticed was her hair; she had loads of hair. We held her and she was so gorgeous. Along with my wedding day, it was the most amazing moment of my life”. Baby Nicole was born by caesarean section on 23 July, weighing just 5lb 7oz. “I was really nervous – I just wanted the baby and Gillian to be fine,” said Shane. “Thankfully, everything went without a hitch”. Shane is now hard at work decorating the nursery at his mansion in Sligo in Ireland. “Gillian wouldn’t let me start work on it until the baby was born because she’s superstitious” he added. “I’m working on pure adrenaline and no sleep”. Source: Now magazine

Top Of The Tots As Grans Greet Baby Nicole 26 July 2005: Westlife singer Shane Filan is celebrating the arrival of an ‘uptown girl’ of his own after his wife Gillian gave birth to baby Nicole over the weekend. The couple’s first child was born in Sligo General hospital at about 8.27am on Saturday morning and although Gillian was reportedly two weeks premature, the delivery went smoothly. The happy couple have so far refused any pictures of their new arrival, even declining a reported offer of €750,000 from a magazine. But proud grannies Mai and Rosaleen were beaming with Joy on Monday as they came to visit their newest grandchild. Source: Sligo Weekender

Shane Is Nappy To Be A Father 26 July 2005: Westlife singer Shane Filan is already changing his new baby Nicole’s nappies. He said yesterday: “I have been changing her nappies and feeding bottles. It’s great fun. It really is. In fact, I’m off to feed the baby right now”. Shane said he is looking forward to having little Nicole and mum Gillian to himself for the next six weeks at their home in Sligo. Westlife don’t resume touring and recording until early September. The 26-year old first time dad added: “The fact Nicole was a couple of weeks early means we have that extra time together at home when they come out of hospital in a few days. It’s fantastic”. Nicole weighed in at 5lbs 7oz last Saturday at Sligo General Hospital. She was induced by caesarean section after doctors decided fluid in Gillian’s womb was at an unacceptably low level. Shane said Gillian is now feeling fine. “She’s feeling much better the past couple of days and is looking forward to coming home”. He added: “Nicole is great as well. She likes to sleep a lot”. He said his Westlife pals were very excited about the baby. Former band member Brian McFadden – who has two children with estranged with Kerry – was in touch. Mark Feehily already visited Gillian and the baby. And Kian Egan was due in the hospital later yesterday when he returned from a holiday abroad. Shane confirmed he and Gillian rejected an offer of a lot of money by a glossy magazine for the first picture of baby Nicole. “The baby can’t say No, and we don’t want to exploit the baby’s identity like that”. He said. Source: The Irish Daily Star

I’m A Dad! July 2005: Westlife hunk Shane Filan has a new woman in his life – a beautiful baby daughter. Little Nicole Filan decided to give her famous father and proud mother Gillian a surprise when she made an appearance 10 days ahead of schedule. The couple’s first child weighed in to Sligo General Hospital at 5lbs 7oz – the exact same birth weight as her 26-year-old dad. Yesterday afternoon an elated Shane arrived at the hospital armed with a massive bouquet of flowers for his wife of 19 months and a pink teddy bear for the new queen of his heart. A family friend said: “They are delighted, the baby was born 10 days early. Mother and child are doing well. Gillian and Shane are on cloud nine. It is a dream come true”. Shane who was at his wife’s bedside for the birth, has taken the next five weeks off from Westlife to spend time with his new family at their seven-bedroom mansion in Sligo. Gillian, 26, is expected to be released from hospital early next week, which gives singer Shane a few days to do up the nursery for his new arrival. The couple who first heard of the pregnancy last Christmas, had opted not to know the sex of the baby. And Nicole, who was conceived last November on the first night Shane and Gillian moved into their dream home, will not be gracing the pages of any glossy magazine. Her private millionaire parents have already turned down lucrative offers for the first pictures of the Filan family. Source: The People. Credits: filan.net

Mother and Baby are FILAN fine 24 July 2005: Westlife star Shane Filan burst in to tears yesterday as his wife gave birth to his own Bop Bop Baby. Singer Shane was at wife Gillian’s bedside when 5lbs 7oz Nicole arrived ten days early by caesarean section at exactly 8.27 in the morning. And Shane told the Irish Sunday Mirror yesterday: “We both cried – it was the most emotional and amazing experience of my life”. Delighted Shane added “But both Gillian and Nicole are doing well. We only realised yesterday that Gillian would have to have a caesarean section so it was quite dramatic but everyone is doing great”.. Proud Shane said new baby Nicole was definitely a chip of the old block and a family friend said she weighed in the same as Shane did when he was born. “The baby look likes me”. He said “She’s got dark hair and is absolutely gorgeous. Gillian is fantastic – she’s been resting a lot and will be staying in hospital for a few days. But I can’t wait to get her and Nicole back home”. Louis Walsh, Kiltimagh's answer to Colonel Tom Parker, will take a holiday from his hols in Miami to attend the pop-star wedding in the Caribbean. He will stay at Dermot Desmond's Sandy Lane Hotel for two days before returning for another two weeks' rest and recuperation in Florida. The couple discovered yesterday that Gillian would have to undergo a caesarean section as it was best for the baby. Shane thanked the staff at Sligo General for taking good care of his two Uptown Girls. “The staff at the hospital were unbelievable throughout the whole thing”. The couple have been preparing for their new arrival for the past nine months. But Gillian refused to let Shane decorate the nursery until Nicole was born. A pal said “Gillian was a bit superstitious about decorating so Shane is going to be a very busy boy over the next few days. They had brought all the stuff for the nursery but Gillian wouldn’t let Shane organise the room until Nicole arrived”. Shane and Gillian wed in December 2003. The couple were childhood sweethearts and met through bandmate Kian Egan – who is a cousin of Gillian. Westlife are on a three-month summer break but last night Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne sent messages to their pal to congratulate them on his new arrival. Source: Irish Sunday Mirror

Shane: My Joy As A New Dad 24 July 2005: Westlife star Shane Filan was flying without wings yesterday as he experienced the thrill of becoming a dad for the first time. The 26-year old pop idol was clearly elated after his wife Gillian gave birth to a baby girl, Nicole, who weighed in at five-and-a-half-pounds. It’s unbelievable. It really is the best day of your life,” Shane told the Sunday World yesterday afternoon as he rushed back in to Sligo General Hospital with a bouquet of flowers for his wife. The couple’s happiness followed a dramatic 24 hours when it was discovered that the fluid around the baby in the womb was dangerously low. Medical staff decided to proceed with a caesarean birth yesterday morning, and little Nicole came in to the world at 8.27am, two and a half weeks premature. “She’s a small little baby, a gorgeous little thing,” Shane told me. “The fluid around the baby was low in the last few weeks and after a scan on Friday morning it was decided to go ahead with the caesarean this morning”. ”There was no fluid around the baby, so they didn’t want to take any changes. But the baby is fine now, thanks be to God. And Gillian is in great form. She’s sitting up holding the baby right now. All is brilliant in the Filan camp”. Shane’s excitement was palpable as he tried to come to terms with the fact that he’s now a dad. Even though he’s had 13 number one hits with Westlife, including Queen Of My Heart, the star yesterday admitted they don’t compare to the joy and thrill of fatherhood. “They don’t even come close,” he laughed. Shane and Gillian, who live in a fairytale seven-bed mansion in their native Sligo ,wed at Ballintubber Abbey in Co. Mayo in December 2003. Shane said yesterday that he’s looking forward to spending some time with Gillian and their baby daughter before Westlife start promoting their new CD later in the autumn. “Tell all the fans thanks for all their support. I’ve had lots of letters and cards from them in the last few months since it became known that Gillian was expecting. I really appreciate it”, he added. Source: Sunday World

It’s a girl called Nicole 24 July 2005: The latest member to join the Westlife boys was welcomed with open arms yesterday, when baby Nicole Filan made a sudden arrival 10 days early. Shane Filan and his wife Gillian were described as “ecstatic” after the birth of their first child – a bouncing baby girl who has already been named Nicole. Nicole weighed in at 5lbs 7oz coincidentally the exact same weight as her father when he was born. The couple, who are both 26 years old, admitted they were eager to start a family as soon as possible after they wed 19 months ago. Sligo General hospital refused to confirm Nicole’s birth, but a friend of the family said: “It’s true”. They are delighted. The baby was born 10 days early. Month and child are doing well”. Earlier this month Gillian said: “I’m feeling really excited, a little nervous though, but having Shane, my sister Joanne and my Mum visiting nearly ever hour of the day makes me feel better. Shane has been absolutely wonderful to me. He’s even doing the housework. Our baby will be loved so much. So many fans have sent cards, letters and gifts. I couldn’t ask for better Westlife fans”. Annoucing the pregnancy last February, Shane described the moment Gillian broke the news to him. He said: “It is a dream come true. We just burst out crying and couldn’t stop hugging each other. It was one of the best moments of my life”. The young star confirmed the baby was planned and said he intended to take the last few months of Gillian’s pregnancy off work so he would “be able to look after her”. The couple moved into a huge new house in Sligo earlier this year. Credits: Ireland’s Sunday Independent February 2005 - Source: The Filans.Net

Westlife’s Shane Filan is to become a dad February 2005: The 25 year old singer told the Mirror his wife Gillian is 13 weeks pregnant and declared: "I am absolutely thrilled-this is a dream come true." Sligo girl Gillian, also 25, discovered she was expecting just before Christmas. But the couple only told close family members two days ago. Shane added: "This is the best news in the world for us. "We can't believe we are going to have a little baby. We are on cloud nine." Shane and Gillian Filan wept tears of joy when they discovered she was pregnant. “The Westlife star said: "We just burst out crying and couldn’t stop hugging each other. It was one of the best moments of my life. "We knew over Christmas but we wanted to wait until after 12 weeks to tell everyone”. "All over Christmas and New Year we had to pretend that we were on a detox diet so we had an excuse not to be drinking. I gave it up too to make it more convincing. The first scan is coming up soon and we just cant wait to see it". Shane performed at Westlife's latest sell-out show in the Odyssey Arena, Belast, last night as Gillian watched from the wings. "The 25-year old said :"I can't believe it to be honest. The hardest part was keeping it a secret from everyone. We announced it to the family a couple of days ago and they are delighted. I told all the Westlife boys today and they are thrilled too." "The couple, who have been married 13 months revealed the pregnancy was planned. Shane added: " I will be off the last few months of the pregnancy and able to look after Gillian so the timing is great. "It is going to be fantastic because we have just moved into our new home in Sligo". Source: Irish Daily Mirror - Picture: ShowBizIreland.com