Westlife star Shane Filan meets Buncrana fan after Belfast gig

Buncrana resident Christine Gill, 41, was given a VIP invitation to West‑West‑Westlife’s Belfast concert on Thursday, a wish fulfilled after years of battling neurofibromatosis.

Gill, who has lived with the rare genetic disorder NF1 since childhood, first attracted the band’s attention in 2025 when a friend, Nicola McLaughlin, organised a social‑media campaign for a video message during Gill’s recovery from a major tracheotomy and neurosurgery. Both Nikki Byrne and Shane Filan responded with video greetings, calling her a “warrior” and extending a personal invite to their next tour.

The invitation turned into a night of “bop, bop, bopping” at the O2 in Belfast, where Gill and friends sang Westlife hits on the bus to the venue. After the show, Filan halted his departure to meet Gill, stepping out of his car to pose for a photo, an encounter captured on TikTok.

Gill described the moment as “so special,” while McLaughlin praised the behind‑the‑scenes effort that made the meeting possible. Gill’s story, previously featured on the Virgin Media documentary *The Brain Doctors: Inside Neurosurgery*, highlights her resilience after multiple surgeries, including a 2018 operation that left her largely paralysed.

The experience marked a milestone for Gill, who credits her love of Westlife, supportive friends and her cat Misty for sustaining her optimism.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Thibault Trillet / Pexels.