Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I shore value my wealth after a poor childhood
Ex-Westlife star Kian on upbringing
KIAN Egan will never take his riches for granted because he remembers being taunted as a child for not having money.
The former Westlife star, who is estimated to be worth €18million, said he grew up as one of seven kids in a three-bedroom semi-detached house.
He remembers other children teasing him saying, ‘Are you having stew again?’ because the family had it so often for dinner.”
Kian, from Sligo, said: “When we were kids we were hard up. My father [the late Kevin Egan] was an ESB electrician and there were seven of us to look after.
“We didn’t have money. The car was held together with masking tape, and had rust falling off it. My dad’s jumpers had holes in them. Dad had a book: How To Feed A Large Family For Just £2 a day.”
Kian was so appreciative of what his parents had done for him and his brothers and sisters that he bought his mother and father a bigger house as soon as he could.
He said: “When Westlife happened in 1998 that was the big thing. Money to me was just incredible. The first thing I did was buy my parents a house in Sligo – a six bedroom house.” His mum Patricia still lives in the Strandhill house.
Kian hit the big time with Westlife when he was just a teenager out of the local Summerhill College.
The group sold 50 million worldwide, had 14 number one hits in the UK and 26 top ten singles. They broke up in 2012 and Kian has since been seen on The Voice of Ireland and I’m A Celebrity. The keen surfer now lives in Strandhill with his actress wife Jodi Albert, and their two sons, Koa, five, and Zeke, two.
Kian is now teaching his own children about the value of money. He added: “Kids tell Koa in school, ‘Your daddy’s rich’ and I tell him that’s not what life is about, it’s about your values.”
Kian was speaking as he promoted Clean Coast Week which runs until today.