“PLEASE SING IT FOR DANIELLE” — WESTLIFE PAY HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTE TO MUM-OF-TWO AFTER DUBLIN ACCIDENT

Danielle O’Keane, 37, was returning from a Westlife concert when a rickshaw accident left her with critical injuries. After her passing, the band honoured her memory with two emotional songs as her family prepared to say goodbye.

A mother of two who had been enjoying a night out with friends at a Westlife concert has been remembered in an emotional tribute from the band following her tragic death.

Danielle O’Keane, 37, from Newry in Northern Ireland, died on October 1, several days after being seriously injured in an accident involving a motorised rickshaw in Dublin.

She had travelled to the capital with friends to see Westlife perform at the 3Arena on Saturday, September 26. After the concert, the group was travelling towards the city centre when the rickshaw reportedly struck a kerb and overturned.

Danielle fell from the vehicle and was struck by a passing car, according to reports. She was taken to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, where she received intensive medical care.

Despite the efforts of medical staff, she later died surrounded by her family.

A NIGHT OUT THAT BECAME A FAMILY’S WORST NIGHTMARE

For Danielle, the concert had been a rare opportunity to spend time with friends and enjoy the music she loved.

Her sister-in-law, Ashling O’Keane, told Irish media that the outing was a special chance for Danielle to relax and have a night away from her usual family responsibilities.

Instead, the evening ended in tragedy, leaving her husband, Dave, and their two young sons facing life without her.

Danielle was remembered in her death notice as a much-loved wife and devoted mother to Caolán and Cillian. She was also a beloved daughter to Michael and Pauline, and a sister to Barry and her twin brother, Sean.

WESTLIFE’S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE

News of Danielle’s passing reached Westlife, who honoured her during a concert at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena.

The band dedicated two of their best-known songs, “Flying Without Wings” and “You Raise Me Up”, to Danielle and others who had lost loved ones.

Introducing “Flying Without Wings”, Nicky Byrne addressed the audience and asked them to sing in Danielle’s memory.

The moment offered a moving tribute to a fan whose concert outing had ended in unimaginable circumstances.

For her family and friends, the gesture was a reminder that Danielle’s story had touched people far beyond her hometown.

TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR A MUCH-LOVED MOTHER

Following her death, friends, former classmates and colleagues shared messages remembering Danielle as warm, kind-hearted and devoted to her family.

One former classmate recalled her warm smile and friendly conversations at the school gates.

Her colleagues at the HSE National Business Operations Department also expressed their sadness, saying she would be greatly missed and fondly remembered.

An online fundraiser was launched to support Danielle’s grieving family, with donations rising rapidly as people responded to the news.

The messages reflected the impact she had on those around her — not simply as a concertgoer, but as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.

HER FAMILY PREPARES TO SAY GOODBYE

Danielle’s funeral arrangements were announced in early October. Her funeral Mass was scheduled to take place at St Joseph’s Church in Sheeptown, County Down, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Her death notice named the family members who would miss her most deeply and reflected the grief shared by her wider family circle.

While the circumstances of the accident remain under investigation, Danielle’s loved ones are left to remember the woman whose life was intertwined with theirs in countless everyday ways.

Gardaí have appealed for information from anyone who was in the North Wall Quay area around the time of the incident and may have relevant dashcam footage.

A SONG, A FAMILY AND A MEMORY THAT WILL REMAIN

Danielle’s story began with a night of music and friendship. It ended with a family mourning a woman they loved and a community sharing its condolences.

Westlife’s tribute gave fans a moment to remember her, while the messages from those who knew her offered a more personal picture of the life behind the headlines.

For her husband and two young boys, however, the loss is far more than a news story. It is the absence of someone central to their lives — a mother and wife whose place cannot be filled.

Danielle O’Keane was 37. She went to see a band she loved and never made it home as expected. Now, her family and friends are holding on to the memories she left behind.

Sources: The Irish News, RTÉ News, The Irish Sun and The Journal.