Westlife’s Shane Filan has shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife Gillian on their 20th wedding anniversary.
The couple tied the knot on December 28th, 2003, at Ballintubber Abbey, which was followed by a reception at Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo.
20 years after they wed, Shane and Gillian returned to Ashford Castle to celebrate their milestone anniversary.
Sharing photos from their stay on Instagram, the singer wrote: “What an incredible 20 years married to this Lady @gillianfilansligo ..and an unforgettable few days back in @ashfordcastle to celebrate 🎉
“I’m a lucky man !♥️🌹🎄,” he added, before thanking the hotel’s staff for making their stay so special.
Shane and Gillian, who have known each other since they were 13, share three children together – Nicole, Patrick, and Shane Jr.
During a previous interview with the RTÉ Guide, the Westlife star praised his wife for being “unbelievably strong” after he declared bankruptcy.
Shane was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2012 after his property development company Shafin Developments, which he owned with his brother Finbar, was placed into receivership with debts of €23 million.
He and Gillian sold off their Sligo home in 2014 to help pay off debts, and moved to the UK before returning home.
Shane said: “It was scary because your band is over and you have kids and you’re thinking ‘What is going on over here?’ But Gillian was unbelievably strong.”
“What happened also made me find an inner confidence to start again and go for it. So when I went solo, I knew that it just had to work. There was no other option. I feel a better and stronger person after it all and also a much more positive person.”
The father-of-three added: “If you’re lucky in life, you’ll have a few good friends, maybe just one, and I do fortunately, but above all your wife and children are everything.”
After splitting in 2012, Westlife reunited in 2018, and they released their twelfth studio album Wild Dreams in 2021.
They have toured all over the world since reuniting, and will take their Wild Dreams tour to the US in March.
