Mary meets Ronan!
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One evening my mum came home from work, tired and so we decided to go down the road and get a Chinese. On the way in, I seen a man that our family know so we stopped and chatted, while I was waiting for my chicken chow mein. I was telling him that we had won a competition to see Ronan at the point in 2 weeks time and as we already had bought tickets to see him in Belfast on 14/11/00 we would b going 2 nights!! Anyway suddenly he went would u like to meet Ronan? And I was like YES!!! And he told me about this person he knew and he would see what he could do. I was really shocked because we've known him for yrs and never once did he mention he could do this. I tried not to get my hopes up and after a while I just thought that it probably wouldn’t happen anyway. We went to the concert in Dublin on the Monday and it was BRILLIANT! I couldn’t wait to see Ronan in Belfast the following night and although the fact about meeting him was still in the back of my mind, I didn’t really think about it much. On Tuesday night we arrived at the Waterfront Hall quite early. We had already bought most of our merchandise the night b4 so we didn't need to get 2 much and we just went straight to r seats. We were sitting flicking thru r programme when a man started walking thru the seats towards us. At first I thought maybe we had his seats r something but then Emma, my cousin grabbed my arm and said Mary, it’s about Ronan!! I thought OMIGOD!!!!! Then the man (Jim Clarke) asked me was I called Mary Kelly and what were r seat numbers. Excitedly I told him and asked him would we be able 2 meet ro. He said that there was a possibility that we could meet him and if we stayed in our seats, he would come back and get us within the next 15minutes. After he had gone me and my 3 cousins all started to hug each other and I realised I was shaking. It had been a real surprise 2 me and it hadn't sunk in properly that I was going to meet the man I had loved for the past 7 yrs! Ronan’s support group Reel (who r excellent by the way) came on and while they were singing I seen Jim walking up towards the end of our isle. He motioned us to go out towards him so grabbing my cowboy hat, album cover that I brought (...just incase) and my bag I made my way out. He led us out of the hall and we went through a door 2 the backstage area. Barrie and Liam passed us on the way and then Jim left us in the reception area and introduced us to a really nice lady. We had to wait for another 15 minutes and during that time Gary walked past and gave us a smile :) Mick Devine (he drives the boyz round and is a friend of Ro's) was also there and we overheard him talking to another man about the point concert the night b4. They were saying that Ronan had been really really nervous but it had been a great show and he seemed a lot calmer now. Anyway a wee while later the woman came back and said she could take us up now. I started to get really nervous. We had to walk along this corridor and then we went up the stairs. At the top of the stairs there was a door and when I looked through it, I just was so shocked coz it was Ronan!!! He was signing autographs for other people and the lady told us to sit on the stairs and wait for him to finish. She asked us what r favourite songs were and I said Father and Son. After a few minutes I suddenly heard the door open and when I looked up Ronan was walking towards me, smiling. He said hello howryas and I told him I was gr8! He then asked us all r names and after we had told him he made a little joke about how they all sounded the same. Then he asked us were we looking forward to the show and would we like him to sign r stuff. We told him we were and then I said how we had been at the Point the night b4. He said what did u think of it? I told him it was brilliant! He said thanks, and it was the best night of the whole tour so far, but he was really looking forward to Belfast and he hoped it would be just as good. Then he was talking about my mini calendar (from the bz box set) and asking where it was from. I told him it was from the box set and he said ahh it’s a boyzone thing, that’s why I’ve never cn it b4! And laughed. He then signed my cousins’ stuff and chatted a bit more and then stood up and put out his arms for us to have photos. I ran really quickly up so I cud get my arm round him and he had a lovely leather jacket on and a pair of jeans. He had really nice aftershave 2 J. We gave r cameras to the woman and first she took one with my camera. My cousins’ one is a digital one though and she couldn’t work out how 2 use it but Ronan was laughing away at her and trying to explain to her how it worked. After the (rather long) photo shoot he smiled and said ok well I better go and get ready coz I’m on stage in 20 minutes. He told us to enjoy the show and he’d see us soon, and then he said bye! Ronan went back through the door he came out of and we went back down the stairs. It was such a brilliant time and a dream come true for me. Since then, I have met Ro a 2nd time and although that was absolutely great and an amazing time for me, I don’t think it could compare to 14th November. It cud be because it had been such a big surprise or because we were on our own and got to talk to him for longer but whatever it was, that night was the best one of my whole life! Sometimes when u meet the person you have loved for years, they are a big let down and you leave feeling really disappointed but Ronan fulfilled all my expectations and more. He was a really nice and friendly person and I am so proud to be a fan of his and to be able to say I have met him. I wont ever forget that day or the 2nd time that I met him for the rest of my life and I can’t wait till the next time!
