Westlife are back in Dublin for a record-breaking 13-night residency at the 3Arena, 25 years after they first became Ireland's biggest musical export.

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From Sligo schoolboys to global chart stars, the band's story is one of extraordinary success, personal setbacks and remarkable longevity.

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Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheehan speaks to Aoife Rooney, features writer with the Irish Independent, and Eddie Rowley, showbiz editor with the Sunday World, to look at how Westlife survived boyband burnout, Brian McFadden's departure, bankruptcy, changing musical tastes and the collapse of the boyband era itself.

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Why are they still filling arenas in 2026 when so many of their rivals have faded away?

Westlife are back in Dublin for a record-breaking 13-night residency at the 3Arena, 25 years after they first became Ireland's biggest musical export.
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From Sligo schoolboys to global chart stars, the band's story is one of extraordinary success, personal setbacks and remarkable longevity.
­
Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheehan speaks to Aoife Rooney, features writer with the Irish Independent, and Eddie Rowley, showbiz editor with the Sunday World, to look at how Westlife survived boyband burnout, Brian McFadden's departure, bankruptcy, changing musical tastes and the collapse of the boyband era itself.
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Why are they still filling arenas in 2026 when so many of their rivals have faded away?

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How Westlife survived fame, bankruptcy and boyband burnout to make a fresh fortune 

Ed Sheeran has built his career on being one of music's most likeable stars. But after rapper Macklemore was dropped from his US tour over pro-Palestinian comments, the singer is facing a backlash from fans, fellow artists and even members of his own touring team.

As support acts pull out and questions grow over free speech, politics and celebrity responsibility, Kevin Doyle is joined on the Indo Daily by the Irish Independent’s Dave Hanratty to examine whether this may be the biggest controversy of Sheeran's career and what it means for his carefully crafted image.

We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism. 

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Ed Sheeran has built his career on being one of music's most likeable stars. But after rapper Macklemore was dropped from his US tour over pro-Palestinian comments, the singer is facing a backlash from fans, fellow artists and even members of his own touring team.
As support acts pull out and questions grow over free speech, politics and celebrity responsibility, Kevin Doyle is joined on the Indo Daily by the Irish Independent’s Dave Hanratty to examine whether this may be the biggest controversy of Sheeran's career and what it means for his carefully crafted image.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>.&nbsp;
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Will Ed Sheeran’s career survive as Irish artists desert his tour? 

Donald Trump may be back in the White House following his newsworthy trip to Dublin and Doonbeg, but his spirited call for a united Ireland continues to provoke intrigue.  

Micheál Martin may have moved to play down the "overreaction" but the subject will surely be on the agenda when the Taoiseach treks to Manchester for his first meeting with new UK prime minister Andy Burnham later this week.  

So, how will both leaders tackle Trump's green-tinted vision? And why was Sinn Féin slow to embrace the scenario?  

On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent political correspondent Cónal Thomas, and by The Guardian chief reporter Daniel Boffey to assess the chaos Donald Trump has left in his wake, and just how much of a clean-up job the Taoiseach has on his hands.  

The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can view our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism 

Donald Trump may be back in the White House following his newsworthy trip to Dublin and Doonbeg, but his spirited call for a united Ireland continues to provoke intrigue. &nbsp;
Micheál Martin may have moved to play down the "overreaction" but the subject will surely be on the agenda when the Taoiseach treks to Manchester for his first meeting with new UK prime minister Andy Burnham later this week. &nbsp;
So, how will both leaders tackle Trump's green-tinted vision? And why was Sinn Féin slow to embrace the scenario? &nbsp;
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent political correspondent Cónal Thomas, and by The Guardian chief reporter Daniel Boffey to assess the chaos Donald Trump has left in his wake, and just how much of a clean-up job the Taoiseach has on his hands. &nbsp;
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can view our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism&nbsp;

Trump's 'United States of Ireland' in focus as Martin meets Burnham 

Once Ireland's richest man, Seán Quinn has returned to tell his story once again, this time through his new podcast, The Quinn Files.

On today's Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Sunday Independent’s Liam Collins and the Irish Independent’s Sean Pollock to examine Quinn's latest account of the events that transformed him from billionaire businessman to one of the most controversial figures of post-crash Ireland.

From the extraordinary success of the Quinn Group to the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank, prison and life after bankruptcy, they ask whether Quinn's latest intervention brings fresh insight or simply revisits a story the public already knows.

We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.

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Once Ireland's richest man, Seán Quinn has returned to tell his story once again, this time through his new podcast, The Quinn Files.
On today's Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Sunday Independent’s Liam Collins and the Irish Independent’s Sean Pollock to examine Quinn's latest account of the events that transformed him from billionaire businessman to one of the most controversial figures of post-crash Ireland.
From the extraordinary success of the Quinn Group to the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank, prison and life after bankruptcy, they ask whether Quinn's latest intervention brings fresh insight or simply revisits a story the public already knows.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>.
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How Westlife survived fame, bankruptcy and boyband burnout to make a fresh fortune

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