“SHE WAS ONLY 37”: MUM-OF-TWO DIES AFTER WESTLIFE CONCERT — BAND DEDICATES TWO SONGS TO HER MEMORY

Danielle O’Keane was travelling to meet her husband after a night out with friends when a rickshaw incident in Dublin left her critically injured. Days later, the devoted mother’s family faced an unimaginable loss, as Westlife honoured her with two of their most beloved songs.

A 37-year-old mother of two has died after being seriously injured in a road incident in Dublin following a Westlife concert, prompting an outpouring of grief from her family, friends and the wider community.

Danielle O’Keane, originally from Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland, passed away in hospital on October 1, 2026, five days after the incident on North Wall Quay.

She had been enjoying an evening with three friends at Westlife’s concert at Dublin’s 3Arena on Saturday, September 26. After the show, the group travelled by rickshaw towards the city centre to meet their husbands and partners.

What should have been the end of a memorable night out instead became a devastating turning point for Danielle’s family.

A night out that ended in tragedy

According to reports, the rickshaw carrying Danielle and her friends was involved in an incident at approximately 11 p.m. on North Wall Quay.

The vehicle reportedly struck a kerb or road divider before overturning. Danielle fell from the rickshaw and was struck by a passing vehicle, according to media reports.

She was taken by ambulance to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, where she received treatment for serious injuries.

Danielle sustained a devastating brain injury. Despite the efforts to treat her, she passed away on October 1.

Ireland’s police force, An Garda Síochána, confirmed that a woman in her 30s had been seriously injured in the incident and subsequently died in hospital.

Investigators appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from road users who were travelling near North Wall Quay between 10:30 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. on September 26.

The circumstances of the incident remained under investigation.

“Her life was about her kids and her husband”

Behind the headlines was a woman whose world revolved around the people she loved most.

Danielle was a devoted wife to Dave O’Keane and the mother of two young boys, Caolán and Cillian.

Her sister-in-law, Aisling O’Keane, spoke about the family’s heartbreak and remembered Danielle as a loving, selfless person.

She explained that Danielle had attended the concert with three friends and that the group had enjoyed their evening before setting off to meet their loved ones.

Aisling also recalled one of Danielle’s final messages: a photograph of suitcases packed for a family holiday they were due to take the following week.

The family had been looking forward to travelling to Mallorca together on October 5. Their bags were ready, and plans had been made for what should have been a happy family break.

Instead, the holiday became another painful reminder of the future Danielle would never get to share with her husband and children.

Her relatives described her as full of life, full of energy and someone with a heart of gold.

Westlife dedicates two emotional songs to Danielle

News of Danielle’s passing reached Westlife, the band whose concert she had attended just days before the incident.

During their performance at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, the group paid tribute to her by dedicating two songs to her memory: Flying Without Wings and You Raise Me Up.

Before Flying Without Wings, Nicky Byrne addressed the audience, saying the dedication was for a mother and her entire family.

“Please sing it for Danielle O’Keane tonight,” he told the crowd.

Later, before You Raise Me Up, Shane Filan dedicated the song to Danielle and to everyone who had lost someone they loved.

The emotional gesture brought a personal connection between the music Danielle had enjoyed that evening and the people now grieving her loss.

For her family and those who heard the tribute, the songs became a reminder of a life taken far too soon.

A wave of support for her grieving family

Following Danielle’s passing, tributes poured in from friends, relatives, colleagues and members of the public.

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

Messages of sympathy also highlighted the devastating impact on Danielle’s parents and brothers, as well as her husband and two young sons.

An online fundraising appeal was launched to help support the family during the difficult period. The campaign attracted significant support, with reports on October 4 putting donations above £129,000.

The response reflected how deeply Danielle’s story had affected people across Ireland and beyond.

Funeral details announced

Danielle’s family confirmed that she would be laid to rest on Friday, October 9, 2026.

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 remembered her as a much-loved wife, a dear mother, a beloved daughter and a cherished sister.

It also named the wider circle of relatives and friends mourning her loss.

For those who knew Danielle, she was much more than the woman at the centre of a tragic news story. She was a mother whose life revolved around her children, a wife who had been looking forward to a family holiday, and a friend whose warmth and energy left a lasting impression.

Danielle had gone out to enjoy a night of music with friends. She was supposed to return home and continue building memories with her family.

Instead, her husband and two young sons are facing life without her.

At just 37, Danielle O’Keane leaves behind a family who loved her deeply and a community united in grief. As Westlife’s songs echoed in her memory, one message remained clear: she will not be forgotten.