Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Daniel cried his eyes out.. he asked, ‘Is Ed my mate now?’
Mum thanks amazing crowd for son’s very happy birthday
Everyone starting chanting ‘Daniel, Daniel, Daniel’ DANIELLE HILLAND WEST BELFAST, YESTERDAY
A MUM has told of her delight after superstar Ed Sheeran sang happy birthday to her son.
Daniel Keatinge, who turned six yesterday, attended the concert at Boucher Road Playing Fields in Belfast on Thursday with his mum, dad Joe, brother Jamie, aunt Ciara and cousin Aaron.
Mum Danielle Hilland has thanked the crowd for all coming together to get the singer to notice the birthday boy.
Daniel was left in tears of joy after Ed sang to him in front of a crowd of 40,000 fans. His mum told the Mirror: “The tickets were bought as a Christmas present for us by Daniel’s granny as she knew he loved Ed Sheeran.
“He has loved him for ages and he is really into music. He was really excited and was learning all the words of the songs over the past two weeks.
“Me and Daniel were joking and I said: ‘We are going for your birthday. I’m going to make this wee poster to say, ‘It’s my birthday, will you sing Bad Habits?’ That is his favourite song.
“It was just so surreal. We were standing at the family area as the crowds were quite big.
“I thought it would be quieter, but were quite back a bit.”
Danielle then decided to put Daniel on her shoulders to go into the main crowd.
The 38-year-old said: “He could see Ed on the screen but wanted to see him in person.
“I didn’t want to push past people, we got another 2ft into the crowd maybe, and then I met three girls.
“If I ever see them again I will thank them. They said, ‘Let’s get him through’ and took me in between them.
“As we got further into the crowd, everyone took him under their wing. They were all wishing him happy birthday.
“With the rain, his poster was starting to fold over and he was saying, ‘Ed won’t see it’.
“Everyone starting chanting ‘Daniel, Daniel, Daniel’.”
Ed then wished the six-year-old happy birthday before acknowledging the West Belfast child again by signing to him.
His mum said: “Daniel cried his eyes out. He broke his heart. He is just buzzing. I showed him the video this morning and he just can’t believe it. He goes, ‘Is Ed my mate now?’” The mum-of-three added that the concert was “amazing” and how it was a “very happy” atmosphere.
She said: “It was brilliant. It lashed out of the heavens, but we didn’t even notice it much to be honest.
“I am delighted for Daniel. I didn’t think anything like that would happen.
“I am so grateful... the crowd who just took him along without any hesitation... I’m thankful to Ed and the whole crowd. “I don’t think you would have got that anywhere else but Northern Ireland. That’s the type of people – we are just different people.”