115-707: Westlife are an Irish pop group formed in Dublin in 1998. The group consists of members Shane Filan , Mark Feehily , Kian Egan , and Nicky Byrne . Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 after 14 years and later reunited in 2018. In Ireland, the group has 11 number-one albums, 16 number-one singles, and 34 top-fifty singles. They have sold over 55 million records and are holders of four Guinness World Records . Westlife has received numerous accolades including one World Music Award , two Brit Awards , four MTV Awards , and four Record of
230-648: A Royal British Legion poppy appeal, Irish Blood for Life 2004 and did an advertisement for Galway 's Irish Water Safety campaign. They also lent their support to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS). On 4 November 2005, they performed with other music artists at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg , South Africa for The "Unite of the Stars" Gala Banquet charity concert that supports four charities:
345-520: A Protestant city, Queen Elizabeth I established Trinity College in 1592 as a solely Protestant university and ordered that the Catholic St. Patrick's and Christ Church cathedrals be converted to the Protestant church. The earliest map of the city of Dublin dates from 1610, and was by John Speed . The city had a population of 21,000 in 1640 before a plague from 1649 to 1651 wiped out almost half of
460-556: A concert from the tour live from Dublin was released on 19 November 2001. On 12 November 2001, Westlife released their third album World of Our Own , peaking at No. 1 in the UK and Ireland. " Uptown Girl " (their first single to be on the List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom ), " Queen of My Heart " and " World of Our Own " were released as singles, all of which peaked at No. 1 in
575-547: A concert from the tour, live from Sheffield , was released in November 2005. In October 2005, Westlife released the single " You Raise Me Up ", which became their thirteenth number 1 single. It was taken from their sixth album Face to Face which also peaked at No. 1 in the UK. " You Raise Me Up " was awarded as their fourth Record of the Year in the UK. In December of that year, the group released " When You Tell Me That You Love Me ",
690-443: A duet with Diana Ross , as the second single. It debuted and peaked at No. 2. The third single from the album, " Amazing ", peaked at No. 4. Westlife embarked on the " Face to Face Tour ", traveling extensively to the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Asia. The group performed 32 shows and recorded 238,718 attendances. A recording of a concert from the tour, live from Wembley Arena, was released in November 2006. In late 2006, Westlife signed
805-406: A gold sales certification in the UK for selling over 400,000 in combined sales of purchased and streaming-equivalent sales. It is the band's 10th-best-selling single in paid-for sales and combined sales in the UK as of January 2019. "If I Let You Go" composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in B ♭ major , with Brian McFadden , Shane Filan , and Mark Feehily 's vocals ranging from
920-458: A new album deal through Warner Music UK and East West Records . They performed on a BBC Radio 2 event on Ulster Hall , Belfast on 25 August 2021 that was broadcast on 10 September 2021. " Starlight ", the lead single from their twelfth studio album, was released on 14 October 2021. The album, Wild Dreams , was released on 26 November 2021. On 29 October 2021, a new schedule for their renamed fourteenth concert tour, The Wild Dreams Tour ,
1035-622: A new five-album deal with Sony BMG Music Entertainment . Their seventh album, The Love Album was a concept album that consisted of popular love song covers. The album debuted at No. 1 in both the UK and Ireland. It was the top-selling album of 2006 in Ireland. The only single from The Love Album , " The Rose ", became their 14th UK No. 1 single. Westlife kicked off their eighth world tour, " The Love Tour ", in Perth , Australia. The group then went on to other Australian cities before moving on to South Africa,
1150-422: A picture of the group's first rehearsals together in six years. " Hello My Love ", their first single since 2011 was released on 10 January 2019. Their first UK performance in seven years and of the single was on The Graham Norton Show on 11 January 2019. They also performed the single on the 24th National Television Awards on 22 January 2019. Their first Irish performance and television appearance together
1265-477: A pop vocal group called Six as One in 1997, which they later renamed IOYOU . The group, managed by choreographer Mary McDonagh and two other informal managers, released a single titled "Together Girl Forever" under Sound Records. McDonagh first encountered Egan as a six-year-old student at her weekly dance classes and came to know Filan and Feehily in their early teens as they starred in shows such as Oliver! and Godspell for Sligo Fun Company. Louis Walsh ,
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#17330925896161380-462: A scheme to assault prisoners' senses". Outside the UK and Ireland, they gained chart success with " I Lay My Love on You " and " When You're Looking Like That ". They were included in the top ten earners list of all acts in the UK and Ireland and sold over 2.5 million units in the Asia Pacific region . In February 2001, they began their first world tour, " Where Dreams Come True Tour ". A recording of
1495-492: A shopping centre named after it , while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies. If I Let You Go " If I Let You Go " is a song by Irish boy band Westlife . It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 August 1999 as the second single from their self-titled debut album (1999). It became the band's second number-one hit, spending 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart . The song has received
1610-461: A split, Westlife released their first greatest hits album in November of that same year titled Unbreakable - The Greatest Hits Vol. 1 , which peaked at No. 1 in the UK and Ireland. During this time, Westlife achieved a Guinness World Record for most public appearances by a pop group in 36 hours. The band made stop-offs in five different cities ( Dublin , Belfast , Edinburgh , London , and Manchester ) to promote their then-new album. The release
1725-554: A substantial commercial center under Olaf Guthfrithson in the mid-to-late 10th century and, despite a number of attacks by the native Irish, it remained largely under Viking control until the Norman invasion of Ireland was launched from Wales in 1169. The hinterland of Dublin in the Norse period was named in Old Norse : Dyflinnar skíði , lit. 'Dublinshire'. It was upon
1840-560: A trade centre, despite an attempt by King Robert the Bruce of Scotland to capture the city in 1317. It remained a relatively small walled medieval town during the 14th century and was under constant threat from the surrounding native clans. In 1348, the Black Death , a lethal plague which had ravaged Europe, took hold in Dublin and killed thousands over the following decade. Dublin was the heart of
1955-672: Is a place name referring to a fording point of the River Liffey near Father Mathew Bridge. Baile Átha Cliath was an early Christian monastery, believed to have been in the area of Aungier Street, currently occupied by Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church . There are other towns of the same name, such as Àth Cliath in East Ayrshire , Scotland, which is anglicised as Hurlford . The area of Dublin Bay has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times; fish traps discovered from excavations during
2070-562: Is an illustrated manuscript created by Irish monks circa 800 AD. The Ha'penny Bridge , an iron footbridge over the River Liffey, is one of the most photographed sights in Dublin and is considered to be one of Dublin's most iconic landmarks. Other landmarks and monuments include Christ Church Cathedral and St Patrick's Cathedral , the Mansion House , the Molly Malone statue, the complex of buildings around Leinster House, including part of
2185-685: Is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range and sub range of the Wicklow Mountains , to the south and surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west. The River Liffey divides the city in two, between the Northside and the Southside. The Liffey bends at Leixlip from a northeasterly route to a predominantly eastward direction, and this point also marks the transition to urban development from more agricultural land usage. The city itself
2300-696: Is encircled by the Royal Canal and Grand Canal , bounded to the west by Heuston railway station and Phoenix Park , and to the east by the IFSC and the Docklands . O'Connell Street is the main thoroughfare of the inner city and many Dublin Bus routes, as well as the Green line of the Luas , have a stop at O'Connell Street. The main shopping streets of the inner city include Henry Street on
2415-479: Is intended to mark Dublin's place in the 21st century. The spire was designed by Ian Ritchie Architects , who sought an "Elegant and dynamic simplicity bridging art and technology". The base of the monument is lit and the top is illuminated to provide a beacon in the night sky across the city. The Old Library of Trinity College Dublin , holding the Book of Kells , is one of the city's most visited sites. The Book of Kells
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#17330925896162530-615: Is partially in Dublin City, but predominantly in Fingal . At the 2020 general election , the Dublin city area elected 5 Sinn Féin , 3 Fine Gael , 3 Fianna Fáil , 3 Green Party , 3 Social Democrats , 1 Right to Change , 1 Solidarity–People Before Profit and 1 Labour TDs. Dublin is situated at the mouth of the River Liffey and its urban area encompasses approximately 345 square kilometres (133 sq mi) in east-central Ireland. It
2645-573: Is rain; however snow showers do occur between November and March. Hail is more common than snow. Strong Atlantic winds are most common in autumn. These winds can affect Dublin, but due to its easterly location, it is least affected compared to other parts of the country. However, in winter, easterly winds render the city colder and more prone to snow showers. The city experiences long summer days and short winter days. Based on satellite observations, Met Éireann estimates that Dublin's coastal areas typically receive over 1,600 hours of sunshine per year, with
2760-400: The Dublin and Monaghan bombings in which 34 people died, mainly in central Dublin. Large parts of Georgian Dublin were demolished or substantially redeveloped in the mid-20th century during a boom in office building. After this boom, the recessions of the 1970s and 1980s slowed down the pace of building. Cumulatively, this led to a large decline in the number of people living in the centre of
2875-770: The Early Modern Irish form Du(i)bhlinn , which was pronounced "Duílinn" [ˈd̪ˠiːlʲin̠ʲ] in the local dialect . The name refers to a dark tidal pool on the site of the castle gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle , where the River Poddle entered the Liffey . Historically, scribes writing in Gaelic script , used a b with a dot over it to represent a modern bh , resulting in Du(i)ḃlinn. Those without knowledge of Irish omitted
2990-684: The National Museum of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland , The Custom House and Áras an Uachtaráin . Other sights include the Anna Livia monument . The Poolbeg Towers are also landmark features of Dublin, and visible from various spots around the city. There are 302 parks and 66 green spaces within the Dublin City Council area as of 2018, with the council managing over 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of parks. Public parks include
3105-676: The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund , Unite Against Hunger, St. Mary's Hospital and the Topsy Foundation. They also performed live for charity on Sport Relief , Macmillan Cancer Support , Croí, Western Alzheimer's , O'Dwyer Cheshire Home, Mayo Cancer Support Group, Marie Keating Foundation , Outward Bound Trust, ChildLine , Children in Need , Sheffield 's Children Hospital. They had also helped for auctions on Meningitis Research Foundation, Carlton Celebrity Auction for Centrepoint (for
3220-511: The Phoenix Park , Herbert Park , St Stephen's Green , Saint Anne's Park and Bull Island . The Phoenix Park is about 3 km (2 miles) west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey . Its 16-kilometre (10 mi) perimeter wall encloses 707 hectares (1,750 acres), making it one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since
3335-614: The Royal Exchange . The Wide Streets Commission was established in 1757 at the request of Dublin Corporation to govern architectural standards on the layout of streets, bridges and buildings. In 1759, the Guinness brewery was founded, and would eventually grow to become the largest brewery in the world and the largest employer in Dublin. During the 1700s, linen was not subject to the same trade restrictions with England as wool, and became
3450-587: The Scottish Singles Chart . It also peaked at number forty-six in the Irish Singles Chart. On 17 October 2018, Westlife announced The Twenty Tour and said: "Every country that wants to see Westlife will see us at some point. We won't step away from this until we've managed to tour the world." The second day of the tour in Croke Park had a live film broadcast in selected cinemas on 6 July 2019. This
3565-574: The Unbreakable Tour . A recording of a concert from the tour in Manchester was released in November 2003. In September 2003, Westlife released " Hey Whatever ", which peaked at No. 4 in the UK. Their fourth studio album, Turnaround , was released in November 2003, earning the group another No. 1 album in the UK and Ireland. " Mandy ", was released a week before the album and became the band's twelfth No. 1 single. It also won them their third Record of
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3680-637: The Vatican City and a private concert for the Pope. Their second studio album Coast to Coast received additional products, mostly in Asia, that included MRT transport ticket, picture card calendar, postcard set, signed fold-out poster, glossy slipcase and Filofax . They received sponsorship from Tayto in 2000 and for their concert tours from Calvin Klein in 2001, Adidas in 2002, and Volkswagen in 2011. A book written by
3795-594: The World Music Awards , where they were recognized as the Best Irish Act of that year. They then released a Rat Pack -inspired album, their fifth album ...Allow Us to Be Frank , which peaked at number 3. No singles from this album were released in the UK, but the track " Ain't That a Kick in the Head? " had a music video produced and was released as a physical single in other European countries. " Smile " and " Fly Me to
3910-479: The barony of Dublin . Since 2001, both baronies have been redesignated as the City of Dublin . Dublin Castle , which became the centre of Anglo-Norman power in Ireland, was founded in 1204 as a major defensive work on the orders of King John of England . Following the appointment of the first Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1229, the city expanded and had a population of 8,000 by the end of the 13th century. Dublin prospered as
4025-613: The 17th century has been home to a herd of wild fallow deer . The residence of the President of Ireland (Áras an Uachtaráin), which was built in 1751, is located in the park. The park is also home to Dublin Zoo , Ashtown Castle , and the official residence of the United States Ambassador . Music concerts are also sometimes held in the park. St Stephen's Green is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street , and to
4140-451: The 21st century in UK. On 14 March 2011, Westlife confirmed that they had left Cowell after 13 years and his record label Syco Music after nine years. Byrne said of Cowell: "he got so busy [...] and we needed someone who was on it all the time." After going back to RCA Records full-time for a one-year album contract, they announced their Greatest Hits album would be released on 21 November 2011. It debuted at No. 1 in Ireland and No. 4 in
4255-468: The 21st century with 10.74 million albums sold in the UK alone. On 14 November 2010, the single " Safe " was released. It debuted on the UK Singles Chart on 21 November at No. 10. The album Gravity was released on 22 November 2010. It was entirely produced by John Shanks . The album went to No. 1 in Ireland and No. 3 in the UK. This is their ninth No. 1 in Ireland; this album made Westlife one of
4370-658: The 7th century, followed by the Vikings . As the Kingdom of Dublin grew, it became Ireland's principal settlement by the 12th century Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland . The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest in the British Empire and sixth largest in Western Europe after the Acts of Union in 1800. Following independence in 1922, Dublin became
4485-760: The Backstreet Boys livestream concert on the same platform on 24 June 2022. On 14 August 2023, Westlife announced their first ever tour dates in Canada and the United States. They performed in Toronto, Boston, New York City, and Chicago in March 2024. On 12 April, Westlife announced the With Love Tour. Westlife's debut album and single coincided with the apogee of boy band popularity. They had album certifications in Brazil, Mexico,
4600-589: The Civic Offices on Wood Quay . The party or coalition of parties with the majority of seats assigns committee members, introduces policies, and proposes the Lord Mayor. The Council passes an annual budget for spending on areas such as housing, traffic management, refuse, drainage, and planning. The Dublin City Manager is responsible for implementing City Council decisions but also has considerable executive power. As
4715-654: The Docklands Quarter (around the Dublin Docklands and Silicon Docks ), the Cultural Quarter (around Temple Bar ), and Creative Quarter (between South William Street and George's Street). Dublin has dozens of suburbs; northside suburbs include Blanchardstown , Finglas , Ballymun , Clontarf , Raheny , Malahide and Howth , while southside suburbs include Tallaght , Sandyford , Templeogue , Drimnagh , Rathmines , Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey . Starting in
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4830-560: The Gaelic Irish Sea raiders, as well as to the Vikings who had initiated the practice. The victims came from Wales , England, Normandy and beyond. The King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada , after his exile by Ruaidhrí, enlisted the help of Strongbow , the Earl of Pembroke, to conquer Dublin. Following Mac Murchada's death, Strongbow declared himself King of Leinster after gaining control of
4945-727: The Great Recession, Dublin has rebounded and as of 2017 has close to full employment, but has a significant problem with housing supply in both the city and surrounds. Dublin City Council is a unicameral assembly of 63 members elected every five years from local electoral areas . It is presided over by the Lord Mayor , who is elected for a yearly term and resides in Dublin's Mansion House . Council meetings occur at Dublin City Hall , while most of its administrative activities are based in
5060-549: The Greco-Roman astronomer and cartographer , called it Eblana polis ( Ancient Greek : Ἔβλανα πόλις ). Dublin celebrated its 'official' millennium in 1988, meaning the Irish government recognised 988 as the year in which the city was settled and that this first settlement would later become the city of Dublin. It is now thought the Viking settlement of about 841 was preceded by a Christian ecclesiastical settlement known as Duibhlinn , from which Dyflin took its name. Evidence indicating that Anglo-Saxons occupied Dublin before
5175-464: The Moon " also had music videos produced. Prior to the release of the ...Allow Us to Be Frank album, Westlife scouted for "the perfect fan" to help promote the album. After X Factor -style auditions, they found Joanne Hindley, who recorded " The Way You Look Tonight " with the group. A television program documenting this process, She's The One , was presented by Kate Thornton . Westlife embarked on " The Number Ones Tour " in early 2005. A recording of
5290-419: The Northside, and Grafton Street on the Southside. In some tourism and real-estate marketing contexts, inner Dublin is sometimes divided into a number of quarters. These include the Medieval Quarter (in the area of Dublin Castle , Christ Church and St Patrick's Cathedral and the old city walls), the Georgian Quarter (including the area around St Stephen's Green, Trinity College, and Merrion Square ),
5405-498: The Philippines, and the United States as well. They had more than 50,000 official fans club members in mainland China alone in 2006. In 2009, "Flying Without Wings" was listed as the seventh most popular song for the wedding's first dances in the UK. In 2012, their version of "You Raise Me" and also "Flying Without Wings" made it to the top 20 most popular songs used at funerals. In 2016, three of their songs (" I'll See You Again ", "Flying Without Wings", and " You Raise Me Up ") made it on
5520-404: The Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC). Headlining Supporting Dublin Dublin ( / ˈ d ʌ b l ɪ n / ; Irish : Baile Átha Cliath , pronounced [ˈbˠalʲə aːhə ˈclʲiə] or [ˌbʲlʲaː ˈclʲiə] ) is the capital city of Ireland . On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey , it is in the province of Leinster , bordered on
5635-409: The UK, and Ireland. The tour grossed £1,031,033. On 5 November 2007, Westlife released their eighth album, Back Home , which contained nine new original songs and three cover songs. The album debuted at No. 1 in the UK and Ireland. It was also 2007's fifth biggest-selling album in the UK. The first single released from the album was " Home ", which peaked at No. 3 in the UK. " Us Against the World "
5750-412: The UK. " Bop Bop Baby " was also released as a single and peaked at No. 5 in the UK. In 2002, Westlife went on their second world tour, the World of Our Own Tour. By the end of the year, IRMA awarded the band for 1 million units sold in Ireland. The group sold more than 12 million records in a span of three years. Westlife released their eleventh UK No. 1 single, " Unbreakable " in 2002. Amidst rumors of
5865-399: The UK. Afterward, Westlife signed to Arista Records for the North American release of their debut. "Swear It Again" peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 . On 1 July 2000, they were honored as Freemen of the Borough of Sligo. Coast to Coast , their second album, was released a year later and was their first No. 1 UK album, beating the Spice Girls' Forever album by a large margin;
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#17330925896165980-423: The UK. It was certified Gold in the UK and Platinum in Ireland. The second single from the album was " Better Man ". It reached number two on the UK Singles Sales Chart and Scottish Singles Chart. The third single, " Dynamite ", was released on 5 July 2019. The fourth single from the album, " My Blood ", was released on 25 October 2019. "My Blood" peaked at number ninety-six on the UK Singles Chart and at number six on
6095-408: The UK. The first single " Lighthouse " was released in November 2011. A follow-up promotional single " Beautiful World " was released the same month. The Greatest Hits Tour was announced on 18 October 2011, with dates in the UK confirmed for May 2012. Stereoboard reported that the tour sold out within minutes. The farewell tour consisted of eight dates in China and 33 in the UK and Ireland; in total,
6210-418: The Vikings arrived in 841 has been found in an archaeological dig in Temple Bar . Beginning in the 9th and 10th centuries, there were two settlements which later became modern Dublin. The subsequent Scandinavian settlement centred on the River Poddle , a tributary of the Liffey in an area now known as Wood Quay . The Dubhlinn was a pool on the lowest stretch of the Poddle, where ships used to moor. This pool
6325-449: The Year Awards . The group has released twelve studio albums: four as a five-piece and eight as a four-piece. They rose to fame with their debut international self-titled studio album, Westlife (1999). It was followed by Coast to Coast (2000), World of Our Own (2001), and Turnaround (2003). Following the departure of McFadden, the group released the cover albums ...Allow Us to Be Frank (2004) and The Love Album (2006),
6440-411: The Year award. " Mandy " is the single with the longest leap to the top (from No. 200 to No. 1) in UK music history. " Obvious " was released as the final single from the album, charting at No. 3. On 9 March 2004, just three weeks before embarking on their fourth world tour, McFadden left the group, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. McFadden's final public performance as part of Westlife
6555-508: The albums Face to Face (2005), Back Home (2007), Where We Are (2009), and Gravity (2010), followed by an eight-year split. After reforming in 2018, the quartet released the studio albums Spectrum (2019) and Wild Dreams (2021). Kian Egan , Mark Feehily , and Shane Filan , all schoolmates at Summerhill College in Sligo , Ireland, participated in a school production of Grease with fellow Sligo men Derrick Lacey, Graham Keighron, and Michael Garrett. The sextet formed
6670-400: The area known as the Pale , a narrow strip of English settlement along the eastern coast, under the control of the English Crown . The Tudor conquest of Ireland in the 16th century spelt a new era for Dublin, with the city enjoying a renewed prominence as the centre of administrative rule in Ireland where English control and settlement had become much more extensive. Determined to make Dublin
6785-510: The band sold 489,694 tickets from the tour. On 19 October 2011, Westlife officially announced they were splitting following the tour. ITV commissioned a one-off music event titled Westlife: For the Last Time . Another show, The Westlife Show : Live , was broadcast on 1 November 2011. Following this, they were guests on The Late Late Show . They were honored at that time by the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) with four specially commissioned bar stools to mark 49 performances at
6900-413: The capital city, Dublin is the seat of the national parliament of Ireland, the Oireachtas . It is composed of the President of Ireland , Dáil Éireann as the house of representatives, and Seanad Éireann as the upper house. The President resides in Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park , while both houses of the Oireachtas meet in Leinster House , a former ducal residence on Kildare Street . It has been
7015-440: The capital of the Irish Free State (1922–1937) and now is the capital of Ireland. One of the memorials to commemorate that time is the Garden of Remembrance . Dublin was also a victim of the Northern Irish Troubles , although during this 30-year conflict, violence mainly occurred within Northern Ireland. A Loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force , bombed the city during this time – notably in an atrocity known as
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#17330925896167130-488: The capital of the Irish Free State , renamed Ireland in 1937. As of 2018 , the city was listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as a global city , with a ranking of "Alpha minus", which placed it among the top thirty cities in the world. The name Dublin comes from the Middle Irish word Du(i)blind (literally "Blackpool"), from dubh [d̪ˠuβˠ] "black, dark" and linn [l̠ʲin̠ʲ(dʲ)] "pool". This evolved into
7245-446: The castle formed one corner of the outer perimeter of the city, using the River Poddle as a natural means of defence. One of Dublin's most prominent landmarks is the Spire of Dublin , officially entitled the "Monument of Light." It is a 121.2-metre (398 ft) conical spire made of stainless steel, completed in 2003 and located on O'Connell Street , where it meets Henry Street and North Earl Street. It replaced Nelson's Pillar and
7360-422: The centre of administration and a transport hub for most of the island. Ireland had no significant sources of coal, the fuel of the time, and Dublin was not a centre of ship manufacturing, the other main driver of industrial development in Britain and Ireland. Belfast developed faster than Dublin during this period on a mixture of international trade, factory-based linen cloth production and shipbuilding. By 1814,
7475-461: The chart battle was widely reported by British media . It became the country's 4th biggest-selling album of 2000. This is their second No. 1 album in Ireland. The album was preceded by the duet with Mariah Carey " Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) " and the original song " My Love " (their second Record of the Year award). Both singles reached No. 1 on the UK charts, their sixth and seventh number ones respectively. With this, Westlife broke
7590-462: The city, and by 1985 the city had approximately 150 acres of derelict land which had been earmarked for development and 10 million square feet (900 thousand square metres) of office space. Since 1997, the landscape of Dublin has changed. The city was at the forefront of Ireland's economic expansion during the Celtic Tiger period, with private sector and state development of housing, transport and business. Following an economic decline during
7705-401: The city. In response to Strongbow's successful invasion, Henry II of England affirmed his ultimate sovereignty by mounting a larger invasion in 1171 and pronounced himself Lord of Ireland . Around this time, the county of the City of Dublin was established along with certain liberties adjacent to the city proper. This continued down to 1840 when the barony of Dublin City was separated from
7820-445: The climate getting progressively duller inland. Dublin airport, located north of city and about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the coast, records an average of 1,485 hours of sunshine per year. The station at Dublin airport has been maintaining climate records since November 1941. The sunniest year on record was 1,740 hours in 1959, and the dullest year was 1987 with 1,240 hours of sunshine. The lowest amount of monthly sunshine on record
7935-432: The coldest month is February, with an average minimum temperature of 4.1 °C (39.4 °F), and the warmest month is July, with an average maximum temperature of 20.1 °C (68.2 °F). Due to the urban heat island effect, Dublin city has the warmest summertime nights in Ireland. The average minimum temperature at Merrion Square in July is 13.5 °C (56.3 °F), and the lowest July temperature ever recorded at
8050-413: The construction of the Convention Centre Dublin indicate human habitation as far back as 6,000 years ago. Further traps were discovered closer to the old settlement of the city of Dublin on the south quays near St. James's Gate which also indicate mesolithic human activity. Ptolemy's map of Ireland , of about 140 AD, provides possibly the earliest reference to a settlement near Dublin. Ptolemy ,
8165-481: The death of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn in early 1166 that Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , King of Connacht , proceeded to Dublin and was inaugurated King of Ireland without opposition. According to some historians, part of the city's early economic growth is attributed to a trade in slaves. Slavery in Ireland and Dublin reached its pinnacle in the 9th and 10th centuries. Prisoners from slave raids and kidnappings, which captured men, women and children, brought revenue to
8280-437: The dot, spelling the name as Dublin . The Middle Irish pronunciation is preserved in the names for the city in other languages such as Old English Difelin , Old Norse Dyflin , modern Icelandic Dyflinn and modern Manx Divlyn as well as Welsh Dulyn and Breton Dulenn . Other localities in Ireland also bear the name Duibhlinn , variously anglicised as Devlin, Divlin and Difflin. Variations on
8395-477: The few musical acts to have number-one albums in three consecutive decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s) in their home country. In March 2011, they began their eleventh major concert tour, the Gravity Tour . This tour marked the first time the group traveled to Oman , Namibia , Guangzhou , and Vietnam for concerts. As of 2011, the group were the longest reigning band and second longest reigning number one music act in
8510-658: The first week by a debut artist. Their second single, " If I Let You Go " was released in August 1999, which made them the first boy band to hit No. 1 with their first two singles. Their third single was " Flying Without Wings " (their first ' Record of the Year ' and their third No. 1 single), released in October of the same year. " Flying Without Wings " was also included on the soundtrack of the Warner Brothers film, Pokémon: The Movie 2000 . Their first album, simply titled Westlife ,
8625-933: The home of the Irish parliament since the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922. The old Irish Houses of Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland , which dissolved in 1801, are located in College Green . Government Buildings house the Department of the Taoiseach , the Council Chamber, the Department of Finance and the Office of the Attorney General . It consists of a main building (completed 1911) with two wings (completed 1921). It
8740-668: The homeless), the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children , and The Samaritans ), Zutto charity painting, Pushing The Envelope (for National Literacy Trust ). They've been involved also with the following organizations: Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), Cancer Research UK , United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP), Muscle Help Foundation, Global Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, and Real Man campaign. They are also included as ambassadors of The Irish Society for
8855-418: The inhabitants. However, the city prospered again soon after as a result of the wool and linen trade with England and reached a population of over 50,000 in 1700. By 1698 the manufacture of wool employed 12,000 people. As the city continued to prosper during the 18th century, Georgian Dublin became, for a short period, the second-largest city of the British Empire and the fifth largest city in Europe, with
8970-555: The last week of January 2009, a DVD titled The Karaoke Collection was released. On 18 March 2009, Westlife won the Best Irish Pop Act at the 2009 Meteor Awards for the ninth consecutive time. Their tenth album, Where We Are , was released on 30 November 2009 in the UK and peaked at No. 2 on both Irish and UK Albums Charts. The lead single, " What About Now ", was released on 23 October 2009 and peaked at No. 2 on both Irish and UK Singles Charts. The tour in support of this album
9085-453: The late 2010s, there was a significant amount of high density residential developments in the suburbs of Dublin, with mid to high-rise apartments being built in Sandyford, Ashtown , and Tallaght. A north–south division once, to some extent, traditionally existed, with the River Liffey as the divider. The southside was, in recent times, generally seen as being more affluent and genteel than
9200-405: The manager of fellow Irish boy band Boyzone , came to know the group after Filan's mother Mae contacted him, but the group failed to secure a BMG record deal with Simon Cowell . Cowell told Walsh: "You are going to have to fire at least three of them. They have great voices, but they are the ugliest band I have ever seen in my life." Lacey, Keighron, and Garrett were told they would not be part of
9315-527: The members of Westlife was released on 16 June 2008 by HarperCollins UK Publishing titled ' Westlife - Our Story ', as part of their 10th-year celebration. The band released two perfume gift sets, " X " and " With Love ". The group has supported various charitable causes. They were involved in the "Helping For Haiti" charity single that was released in February 2010, as well as releasing a cover version of "Uptown Girl" for Comic Relief . They have participated in
9430-564: The modern city stands. The Viking settlement of about 841, Dyflin , and a Gaelic settlement, Áth Cliath ("ford of hurdles") further up the river, at the present-day Father Mathew Bridge (also known as Dublin Bridge), at the bottom of Church Street. Baile Átha Cliath , meaning "town of the hurdled ford ", is the common name for the city in Modern Irish, which is often contracted to Bleá Cliath or Blea Cliath when spoken. Áth Cliath
9545-609: The most important Irish export. Over 1.5 million yards of linen was exported from Ireland in 1710, rising to almost 19 million yards by 1779. Dublin suffered a period of political and economic decline during the 19th century following the Acts of Union 1800 , under which the seat of government was transferred to the Westminster Parliament in London. The city played no major role in the Industrial Revolution , but remained
9660-489: The name are also found in traditionally Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland ( Gàidhealtachd , cognate with Irish Gaeltacht ), such as An Linne Dhubh ("the black pool"), which is part of Loch Linnhe . It is now thought that the Viking settlement was preceded by a Christian ecclesiastical settlement known as Duibhlinn , from which Dyflin took its name. Beginning in the 9th and 10th centuries, there were two settlements where
9775-470: The new group, and auditions were held in Dublin where Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden were recruited. The new group, formed on 3 July 1998, was originally named Westside , but as another band was already using that name, the group was renamed Westlife . They signed a four-million-pound record deal with RCA Records . Westlife's first big break came in 1998 when they opened for Boyzone and Backstreet Boys ' concerts in Dublin. Boyzone singer Ronan Keating
9890-646: The new parliament, the Oireachtas , in Leinster House . Since the beginning of Norman rule in the 12th century, the city has functioned as the capital in varying geopolitical entities: Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541), Kingdom of Ireland (1541–1800), as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922), and the Irish Republic (1919–1922). Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, it became
10005-441: The northside. There have also been some social divisions evident between the coastal suburbs in the east of the city, and the newer developments further to the west. Dublin has many landmarks and monuments dating back hundreds of years. One of the oldest is Dublin Castle , which was first founded as a major defensive work on the orders of England's King John in 1204, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, when it
10120-714: The permanent homes of parliament from then on. For elections to Dáil Éireann , there are five constituencies that are wholly or predominantly in the Dublin City area: Dublin Central (4 seats), Dublin Bay North (5 seats), Dublin North-West (3 seats), Dublin South-Central (4 seats) and Dublin Bay South (4 seats). Twenty TDs are elected in total. The constituency of Dublin West (4 seats)
10235-460: The population exceeding 130,000. While some medieval streets and layouts (including the areas around Temple Bar , Aungier Street, Capel Street and Thomas Street) were less affected by the wave of Georgian reconstruction, much of Dublin's architecture and layout dates from this period. Dublin grew even more dramatically during the 18th century, with the construction of many new districts and buildings, such as Merrion Square , Parliament House and
10350-624: The population of Dublin was 175,319 as counted under the Population Act, making the population of Dublin higher than any town in England except London. The Easter Rising of 1916, the Irish War of Independence , and the subsequent Irish Civil War resulted in a significant amount of physical destruction in central Dublin. The Government of the Irish Free State rebuilt the city centre and located
10465-523: The rainfall of the west coast. Ringsend in the south of the city records the lowest rainfall in the country, with an average annual precipitation of 683 mm (27 in), with the average annual precipitation in the city centre being 726 mm (29 in). At Merrion Square, the wettest year and driest year on record occurred within 5 years of each other, with 1953 receiving just 463.1 mm (18.23 in) of rainfall, while 1958 recorded 1,022.5 mm (40.26 in). The main precipitation in winter
10580-694: The record of the most consecutive No. 1 singles in the UK with their first seven singles. However, in December 2000, their eighth single " What Makes a Man ", debuted at No. 2, breaking their string of consecutive number ones. The single "My Love" was controversially used by the Central Intelligence Agency as part of a torture program in Afghanistan . According to the American Civil Liberties Union , "the music pounded constantly as part of
10695-545: The sea within the suburban parts of the city. Two canals – the Grand Canal on the southside and the Royal Canal on the northside – ring the inner city on their way from the west, both connecting with the River Shannon . Similar to much of the rest of northwestern Europe, Dublin experiences a maritime climate ( Cfb ) with mild-warm summers, cool winters, and a lack of temperature extremes. At Merrion Square ,
10810-686: The seventh top touring act of 2008. To mark their tenth year in music, Westlife staged the sold-out concert 10 Years of Westlife in Croke Park on 1 June 2008. The group announced that they would be going on hiatus for a year after their Back Home Tour. 10 Years of Westlife – Live at Croke Park Stadium was released on 24 November 2008 and went straight to No. 1 on the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Hong Kong, and New Zealand Music DVD charts. On 13 December 2008, while on hiatus, Westlife made an unexpected appearance during that year's X Factor final where they performed "Flying Without Wings" with runners-up JLS . In
10925-506: The south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2022 census , the city council area had a population of 592,713, while Dublin City and its suburbs had a population of 1,263,219, and County Dublin had a population of 1,501,500, making it the largest city by population on the island of Ireland . A settlement was established in the area by the Gaels during or before
11040-413: The stadium. Their last concert was screened live in more than 300 cinemas in the United Kingdom, and 200 cinemas worldwide. They released a DVD of the show, which went to number 1 in both UK and Irish charts. That year they were the 34th top-grossing tour act with earnings of $ 35.2 million (€27 million). Following the split, all four members released albums and singles individually. On 23 September 2018, it
11155-446: The station was 7.8 °C (46.0 °F) on 3 July 1974. The highest temperature officially recorded in Dublin is 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) on 18 July 2022, at the Phoenix Park . A non-official record of 33.5 °C (92.3 °F) was also recorded at Phoenix Park in July 1876 Dublin's sheltered location on the east coast makes it the driest place in Ireland, receiving only about half
11270-521: The top pop music choices for funerals in Ireland. The band performed for the Sultan of Brunei and was paid £2.5 million to play a private concert of seven songs. They also performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2000, 2005, and 2009. They also played for Queen Elizabeth II twice, Barack Obama and for Pope John Paul II . They were the first ever pop band to top the entertainment bill at
11385-404: The venue for over 380,000 fans, selling more tickets than any other act. The band had their final concert on 23 June 2012 at Croke Park Stadium in Ireland. The 82,300 capacity show was sold out in 4 minutes. Due to this popular demand, an extra date was added at Croke Park on 22 June 2012, which also sold out. Combined, there was a total of 187,808 spectators on both nights, exceeding the capacity of
11500-509: Was " The Where We Are Tour ". A recording of a concert from the tour, live from London, was released in November 2010. They were part of the Haiti charity single in early 2010 with " Everybody Hurts ", which was organized by Cowell. The single peaked at No. 1 on both Irish and UK Singles Charts. That year, the Guinness Book of World Records announced that Westlife were the top-selling album group of
11615-593: Was 16.4 hours in January 1996, while the highest was 305.9 hours in July 1955. In the 20th century, smog and air-pollution were an issue in the city, precipitating a ban on bituminous fuels across Dublin. The ban was implemented in 1990 to address black smoke concentrations, that had been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory deaths in residents. Since the ban, non-trauma death rates, respiratory death rates and cardiovascular death rates have declined – by an estimated 350 deaths annually. The historic city centre of Dublin
11730-482: Was at Newcastle upon Tyne 's Powerhouse nightclub on 27 February 2004. He subsequently began a solo career, and reverted the spelling of his first name back to its original 'Brian'. Less than a month after McFadden's departure, the group began their Turnaround Tour . A recording of a concert from the Turnaround Tour, live from Stockholm, Sweden , was released in November 2004. In September 2004, they performed at
11845-468: Was brought in to co-manage the group with Louis Walsh. Their first live television performance as a group was on the Irish TV series The Late Late Show broadcast on 13 November 1998. They performed " Flying Without Wings ". In April 1999, the group released their first single, “ Swear It Again ", which immediately topped the charts in Ireland and in the UK for two weeks. It was the biggest-selling single in
11960-476: Was commanded that a castle be built with strong walls and good ditches for the defence of the city, the administration of justice, and the protection of the King's treasure. Largely complete by 1230, the castle was of typical Norman courtyard design, with a central square without a keep , bounded on all sides by tall defensive walls and protected at each corner by a circular tower. Sited to the south-east of Norman Dublin,
12075-543: Was designed by Thomas Manley Dean and Sir Aston Webb as the Royal College of Science . The First Dáil originally met in the Mansion House in 1919. The Irish Free State government took over the two wings of the building to serve as a temporary home for some ministries, while the central building became the College of Technology until 1989. Although both it and Leinster House were intended to be temporary locations, they became
12190-649: Was finally fully infilled during the early 18th century, as the city grew. The Dubhlinn lay where the Castle Garden is now located, opposite the Chester Beatty Library within Dublin Castle . Táin Bó Cuailgne ("The Cattle Raid of Cooley") refers to Dublind rissa ratter Áth Cliath , meaning "Dublin, which is called Ath Cliath". In 841, the Vikings established a fortified base in Dublin. The town grew into
12305-452: Was followed by the double A-side single " Tonight "/" Miss You Nights ", which debuted at No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 in Ireland. Following this release, the group premiered a TV documentary titled " Wild Westlife ". It was directed by Iain MacDonald and features their daily life as musicians and their tour experiences. It was aired on BBC Choice . In 2003, Westlife went on their third world tour,
12420-682: Was founded where the River Poddle met the Liffey, and the early Viking settlement was also facilitated by the small Steine or Steyne River, the larger Camac and the Bradogue, in particular. Two secondary rivers further divide the city: the River Tolka , running southeast into Dublin Bay, and the River Dodder running northeast to near the mouth of the Liffey, and these and the Liffey have multiple tributaries. A number of lesser rivers and streams also flow to
12535-478: Was on the final night of Dancing With the Stars Ireland on 24 March 2019. The single peaked at number 13 in the UK and reached number two in Ireland and Scotland. The single was certified Gold in the UK seven months after its premiere. In Ireland, it has a 2× Platinum certification. Their eleventh studio album Spectrum was released on 15 November 2019. The album peaked at number one in Ireland, Scotland, and
12650-745: Was released as the second single and " Something Right " became the third single in Europe and the Asia Pacific region. On 15 December 2007, they premiered a two-hour show called The Westlife Show where they performed 10 of their songs, hosted by Holly Willoughby . They embarked on the Back Home Tour on 25 February 2008. This tour marked the first time that the group had traveled and performed in New Zealand, performing four sold-out shows in Auckland , Wellington , New Plymouth , and Christchurch . Westlife were
12765-456: Was released in November 1999 and went to No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 in Ireland. The album was the biggest chart dropper on the Top 40 in UK music history when in its 58th week on the charts it leaped from No. 79 to No. 3 before falling to No. 37 the following week. In Scotland, the album debuted at number 6 in 1999 but subsequently peaked at number one year later in 2001. In December 1999, a fourth single
12880-596: Was released in a video album in different formats on 13 March 2020. It reached number 1 in the UK and Ireland and stayed at the top spot for more than thirty weeks on their official charts. On 13 September 2019, they announced the Stadiums in the Summer Tour which was scheduled to begin the following year. However, it was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . On 17 March 2021, they formally announced that they signed
12995-493: Was released, the double a-side " I Have A Dream "/" Seasons in the Sun ". It was the 1999 UK Christmas number-one single and their fourth No. 1 single. They are one of only five acts to achieve four number ones in the UK Singles Chart in one calendar year. The fifth and final single from the album, " Fool Again ", also peaked at No. 1. With this, they became the only male band to have every single release from an album that reached No. 1 in
13110-448: Was released. It included fourteen new dates and venues, with eight more dates added later. They announced that their Wembley Stadium date would be streamed live in various cinemas in Europe. On 17 December 2021, a Westlife concert filmed at London’s Bush Hall Venue and broadcast by Tencent ’s WeChat (Weixin) in China had an audience of almost 28 million. They were special guest performers on
13225-491: Was reported that the group was signed to Universal Music Group for a new five-year album and tour deal with Virgin EMI Records . On 3 October 2018, the group formally announced that they were working on new music. McFadden was not involved in the reformation, saying in an interview with Closer Magazine , "I only met the guys when I joined the band and have no regrets about leaving." On 19 December 2018, Egan and Feehily posted
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