Buncrana woman Christine Gill was on cloud nine this week when her Westlife wish was granted after an unforgettable gig!
Christine, aged 41, who has been battling a rare genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis since her childhood, had a well-deserved VIP invite to the band’s gig in Belfast on Thursday.
Being a Westlife fan since her teens, Christine enjoyed a night of bop, bop, bopping in The O2 with her friends.
The journey to this point started in 2025, after Christine had a major tracheotomy and neurosurgery. Her close friend Nicola McLaughlin wanted to help cheer her up, so she rallied support on social media for Christine to get a special message from her idols as she recovered, never dreaming it would lead to much more!
But both Nikki Byrne and Shane Filan sent video messages at the time, praising Christine as a “warrior” and extending personal invites to their gig when they went back on tour.
The excitement had been building for months, and the fun started long before they reached Belfast, with Christine and her friends belting out their favourite Westlife hits all the way there on the bus.
The icing on the cake came after Thursday’s gig, when Shane Filan made a special effort to meet Christine after the show.
Despite being in a rush to leave the venue, Shane had his car pull up to fans waiting outside. He came over specially to Christine to have a photo with her. Watch the encounter here on TikTok.
“Shane told us he remembered her and myself from the video and wanted to see us!,” Nicola said.
For Christine herself, the magical night in Belfast was one she’ll treasure forever.
“I felt so special that Shane came out just to see me,” she said.
Christine Gill with Westlife star Shane Filan outside The O2 Belfast.
The special encounter was the result of some behind-the-scenes determination from Nicola.
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Glad she pulled the strings to make it happen, Nicola says the night marked a wonderful milestone for Christine who has battled major challenges over the years.
Christine has lived with the rare genetic condition neurofibromatosis (NF1) since childhood and has faced numerous medical challenges along the way.
In 2018, at the age of 33, she underwent surgery to halt the spread of the condition. However, the procedure left her largely paralysed.
In 2025, she underwent another high-risk operation to remove tumours threatening vital functions in her brainstem. Christine shared her experience on the Virgin Media documentary The Brain Doctors: Inside Neurosurgery to raise awareness of NF1.
Through it all, Christine has remained remarkably positive, with her love of Westlife, her friends and her beloved cat Misty bringing plenty of joy to her life.
Christine Gill and her friend Nicola McLaughlin enjoying their unforgettable Westlife night in Belfast.
And thanks to a team of people behind the scenes, Christine was Flying Without Wings on Thursday which turned into a night they’ll never forget.
“Back in April our goal was to just get a video from Westlife to cheer her up after surgery,” said Nicola.
“In their videos they told us to come to the show but we never imagined it would actually happen between Christine being unwell and the fear they may not follow through on the promise so it was incredible to be there with her and for Shane to remember her!
“It really made her day.”