Howya! The traditional Dub greeting. I’m in a Dublin state of mind this week because by the time you read this, I’ll be off in Manchester for a long stint of filming. I always miss my hometown when I’m away and I’m proud to tell people that it’s my home, a fantastic place and full of great people. And this week’s column is dedicated solely to Dublin people – some of whom don’t get the praise they should – but more of that later. You might have seen my mug in the papers last week alongside my old sidekicks from Boyzone. There was a lot of speculation among the reporters that we were meeting to discuss a reunion. On that score, I’d just say, don’t believe all you read in the newspapers! The chief reason we got together is because we are still good mates. You’ll know yourselves that sometimes it’s great to get together with friends you haven’t seen for a while and revisit old times, good times. We went to see Stephen Gately perform in the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in London’s West End. Afterwards we went to a Japanese restaurant for a meal and to chill out. And I don’t mind telling you that we got pissed together as well. It was great crack – there are so many good times that you can forget but with a glass of vino or a beer in hand, the memories come flooding back. Those tabloid reports I mentioned said that the years haven’t been kind to Boyzone and that’s the sort of comment that makes you think. You might agree with that verdict but, without being over-defensive, I think that’s way wide of the mark. Shane is still racing cars. When he started off, he had two crashes in two races in his Ford Ka and there was lots of coverage. This year he’s had two podium finishes and he won a race in Belgium last year. That sort of finish doesn’t seem to get the same recognition as the ones that end in trees and ditches.

Mikey has built a big studio at his home in North County Dublin and is busy writing and producing with new performers. Few people realise just how talented a guy he is. I think he was the best songwriter in Boyzone but wasn’t given the chances other members of the band were. And of course Stephen has a really prestigious gig in musicals and is loving it. I think he has found his natural home and Boyzone was only a staging post for his career. He and I have always been close and I was as proud as anyone to see him up on stage. And then there’s me. People can say what they like about me and they probably will. But as long as I have this column, at least I can have the last word! Just why are newspapers and commentators so critical? People sometimes say that the Irish have a habit of knocking people down when they are achieving and then take pleasure when they fall from the peak of success. I think all people can be like that, not just those in this country. But it does annoy me when I see it happening, particularly to Irish people. We are a small country and when we hit international headlines, it’s usually against the odds and it’s always a massive achievement. And many here will knock you down when you get home. I’m going to defend someone now against that sort of criticism. I want you to know it’s not arselicking – I really feel that this guy is being unfairly treated. In recent days, I managed to get myself along to the cinema to check out Colin Farrell’s new film, Phone Booth. Now, a lot has been written about Colin – on both his acting ability and his extra curricular activities over in Hollywood. And people are lining up to knock him. I though he was fantastic in Phone Booth and believe he’s a great actor. He’s Ireland’s biggest export since U2. Just like Bono and the lads, you simply don’t reach those heights unless you’ve got remarkable talent. What about the bad language and the one-night stands? Does this make him a bad person? He’s not married. And you’ve at least got to admire his honesty. Many people in Hollywood live that lifestyle but hide it from view. How many male readers out there could honestly say that, if they were in Colin’s shoes and single, that they wouldn’t do the same? Actions speak louder than words when deciding on someone’s merits. All I know is that when I ran a celebrity charity event for the Irish Autism Alliance and the Irish Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (ISANDS), Colin bought a table. And he came along. And he was incredibly generous at the auction, buying prizes he never claimed so he could have a bit of fun on the night. He’s from Castleknock, he’s massive and he still cares about Dublin and what Dublin people think. As I said, actions speak louder than words, even if those words contain a bit of “effin and blindin”.

I’ll finish off with another remarkable Dubliner. I’m sure that, like me, you were on the edge of the sofa last weekend watching Ken Doherty’s incredible bid for a World Championship in snooker. I’d like to use the column to publicly send my congratulations to the Ranelagh man – Ken, you made your wife, your family, your friends and your country proud. So that’s it guys. I’ll be back next week to tell you about my visit on Saturday night next to the BBC Soap Awards in London. I haven’t been nominated but I’ll be sipping my mineral water and taking notes for my Dublin Daily readers on which celebs got pissed, who made a show of themselves, who puked over who, and who shagged who in the toilets! Chat to you then.