Kian's song for dad moves mourners to tears

WHEN Kian Egan stepped up to the altar yesterday for the most difficult performance of his career, his friends stood solid by his side.

The four members of the world's most successful boyband, Westlife, faced the congregation to sing a solemn version of 'You Raise Me Up' in tribute to Kian's father, Kevin, who died of cancer last Sunday.

"Myself and the guys would like to sing this song for my dad. I feel the words of this song really represent the type of man my father was," said an emotional Kian at his father's Requiem Mass in Sligo Cathedral.

And when Kian struggled to fight back the tears as Shane Filan sounded the opening lyrics, he felt the comforting arm of Mark Feehily around his shoulders.

He was finally composed enough to join in a roof-raising final chorus of the moving song which gave the band a number one hit. Then as the last notes still lingered in the hallowed arches, and the congregation wiped away the tears, pals Mark, Shane and Nicky embraced their grieving friend.


Beloved

Father-of-seven Kevin died in the arms of his beloved wife, Patricia, and surrounded by his children and grandchildren at his home on the Strandhill Road last Sunday morning.

"Dad died at home in mommy's arms as she was saying 'I loved you from the moment I first saw you, and I will love you for always'," his daughter Vivienne said.

In a moving tribute, she said her father encouraged all his children to be the best people they could be.

"He loved everything to do with all the Westlife things that happened over the years." But she said her father was so proud of all of his children, "whether they were a Westlife singer or a parent or school teacher".

Kevin, who was in his mid-60s, was too ill to attend Kian's wedding to former soap actress Jodi Albert in Barbados last May.

Leading the mourners yesterday were his wife Patricia, daughters, Vivienne, Marielle and Fenella, and sons Kian, Tom, Gavin and Colm.

Westlife manager Louis Walsh joined hundreds of mourners in the church to pay his respects.

Later, Kian left with the cortege, with his new wife Jodi by his side. They headed to his father's final resting place on the Strandhill Road, not far from the family home that had been a gift from Kian several years ago.

- Anita Guidera

Source:Independent.ie
Credit:Dazzling Westlife