about mark feehily

Mark>>Biography

Mark Michael Patrick Feehily was born in Sligo General Hospital on 28th May 1980. Mark still lives at home in Sligo with his parents, who also have two younger boys, Barry and Colin. He is the youngest member of Westlife and with his dark hair and blue eyes, he is my favourite member of the group. Mark's mum, Marie, is a housewife but she also works in the civil service in Sligo. She is based in government buildings where she works for the Department of Agriculture and Food. Mark's dad, Oliver, runs his own conservatory business in Sligo. Mark's grandfather had a small farm and he used to help him out on it in the summer.

School.

Mark's first school, St. Patrick's National School, was actually out of town. After St. Patrick's, Mark joined Shane and Kian at Summerhill College in Sligo for secondary school. He found it very difficult to primary school: "Basically, the school that I had gone to previously had about 330 people compared to over a thousand in Summerhill. It was absolutely enormous compared to the school I used to go to and I didn't know what to think of it at first, even though there wasn't much difference between the people who lived outside the town and those from inside the town."

When he started Summerhill the subjects he picked were English, Irish, maths, French, business studies, woodwork, science and geography. He just couldn't get into French until he went on an exchange, but at his leaving cert it turned out to be one of his strongest subjects!!

Growing Up.

Mark says he was never really bullied at school: "At school I didn't get bullied at all, really. Obviously, it took me a little bit of time to get to know people, but it wasn't too long before I got to make new friends. My best friend, Rowan, comes from town. I've known him since I was very young and that kind of helped me as well because I got to know a lot of people from his old class too."

Mark was brought up as a very religious prson and he now prays every night without fail. However, he does not want to be a priest because he's always wanted to get married and have children. Mark has been very into tennis since he was young and he was good, so travelled around Ireland playing in tennis tournaments. He also used to play a lot of football (soccer) and Gaelic football in school. He played midfield for his local football team. He says that, although he doesn't get much chance these days, he would still play a lot of sport if he could.

Mark's first job was working in the kitchen of a small restaurant called Cafe Yeats in Sligo and he basically cleaned up. He was 15. Next, he worked in Staunton's Sports Shop in Sligo for 4-6 months before working in his auntie's photographic shop in Sligo. Of course, he had a job which he hated, in Burger King in Sligo, but he says that it makes him realise just how lucky he is.

Music.

Mark's first taste of fame came when he formed the boyband, IOYou with friends Kian, Shane, Derek, Graham and Michael. The band, however, never made it big and were only really known in Sligo, where they independantly released a single, "Together Girl Forever", which was written by Shane and Mark.

Mark's musical influences are Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey, so he realised a lifelong ambition when Westlife collaborated with Mariah in May 2000.

Mark has said in the past that he would like to embark on a solo career when the group split-up, which, hopefully, won't be too soon.