Beverley O'Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Beverley O'Sullivan was an Irish
singer and actress from Dublin, Ireland
. She was killed in a traffic collision in India
in 2009.
O'Sullivan was born in the Donaghmede
district of Dublin. As a child she had glue ear and began to wear a hearing aid
. With her fellow members of Fifth Avenue she toured with Westlife
for three consecutive years before they split. She did not inform her fellow members of Fifth Avenue that she had hearing difficulties when she auditioned to be in the group. They found out when she developed a sore ear during a Westlife performance. She lost a further ten per cent of her hearing whilst flying to Spain
to appear in the music video of the group's first single "Spanish Eyes", released in 2004, despite being warned beforehand that her hearing was at risk if she flew. O'Sullivan spoke of her deafness in an article in the British newspaper, The Guardian
, shortly before her demise. The newspaper compared her with other deaf musicians, such as Phil Collins
, Ozzy Osbourne
, Fatboy Slim
and Pete Townshend
, although noted that their deafness developed due to their careers. She continued performing for fans at weddings and in other areas throughout her career even when Fifth Avenue split. Her vocals appeared on the tracks "Through the Light" and "Don't Look Back" on John O'Callaghan
's 2009 album Never Fade Away
.
In January 2008 her little cousin, the then 15 year old Amy Fitzpatrick, disappeared while walking home from a friend's house in Malaga, Spain.
on 2 November 2009. She was a passenger in the car. Her boyfriend, 32-year-old Stephen Reeves, was also in the car at the time. He was injured and hospitalised in RBM Bharatpur General Hospital. The couple had been holidaying in India for a few days and had hired the car. Westlife singers Mark Feehily
and Nicky Byrne
paid tributes: "I am so sad to hear the news of Beverley O'Sullivan's death. I sung alongside her at my cousin's wedding this summer. She was gorgeous and talented", said Feehily. "My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. I am in shock", said Byrne.
O'Sullivan played a cabaret singer in Happy Ever Afters
, a film which is scheduled to be released on 25 December 2009. Her voice appears on six songs on the film's soundtrack.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
singer and actress from Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. She was killed in a traffic collision in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 2009.
O'Sullivan was born in the Donaghmede
Donaghmede
Donaghmede is a residential suburb of Dublin, in the province of Leinster, Ireland.-Location:Donaghmede is situated approximately to the north east of the Dublin city centre, and is in the constituency of Dublin North East...
district of Dublin. As a child she had glue ear and began to wear a hearing aid
Hearing aid
A hearing aid is an electroacoustic device which typically fits in or behind the wearer's ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sound for the wearer. Earlier devices, known as "ear trumpets" or "ear horns", were passive funnel-like amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and...
. With her fellow members of Fifth Avenue she toured with Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
for three consecutive years before they split. She did not inform her fellow members of Fifth Avenue that she had hearing difficulties when she auditioned to be in the group. They found out when she developed a sore ear during a Westlife performance. She lost a further ten per cent of her hearing whilst flying to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to appear in the music video of the group's first single "Spanish Eyes", released in 2004, despite being warned beforehand that her hearing was at risk if she flew. O'Sullivan spoke of her deafness in an article in the British newspaper, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, shortly before her demise. The newspaper compared her with other deaf musicians, such as Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
and Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, although noted that their deafness developed due to their careers. She continued performing for fans at weddings and in other areas throughout her career even when Fifth Avenue split. Her vocals appeared on the tracks "Through the Light" and "Don't Look Back" on John O'Callaghan
John O'Callaghan (DJ)
John O'Callaghan is an Irish DJ, mainly producing electronic dance music. He also produces music under the alias of Joint Operations Centre, Mannix and Stenna. He has also collaborated with fellow Discover artists such as Bryan Kearney, Neal Scarborough , Thomas Bronzwaer and Greg Downey as well...
's 2009 album Never Fade Away
Never Fade Away
-Credits:*Track 1: Vocals by Sarah Howells.*Track 2: Vocals by Jaren Cerf.*Track 3: Engineered by Timmy Gibson & Tommy Conway. Vocals by Audrey Gallagher.*Track 5: Lyrics by Jaren Cerf. Vocals by Josie. Backing vocals by Jaren.*Track 6: Lyrics by Cathy Courtney...
.
In January 2008 her little cousin, the then 15 year old Amy Fitzpatrick, disappeared while walking home from a friend's house in Malaga, Spain.
Death
O'Sullivan's death occurred in Bharatpur, IndiaBharatpur, India
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
on 2 November 2009. She was a passenger in the car. Her boyfriend, 32-year-old Stephen Reeves, was also in the car at the time. He was injured and hospitalised in RBM Bharatpur General Hospital. The couple had been holidaying in India for a few days and had hired the car. Westlife singers Mark Feehily
Mark Feehily
Markus Michael Patrick Feehily is one of the lead singers of the Irish boyband Westlife.-Early life:Feehily was born in Sligo, Ireland, to Marie Verdon and Oliver Feehily. He has two younger brothers, Barry and Colin .-Career:Feehily rose to fame as one of the two lead singers of the boyband...
and Nicky Byrne
Nicky Byrne
Nicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne, Jr is a singer-songwriter, radio presenter and former footballer. From 1998 until 2012 he was the oldest member of Irish pop band, Westlife....
paid tributes: "I am so sad to hear the news of Beverley O'Sullivan's death. I sung alongside her at my cousin's wedding this summer. She was gorgeous and talented", said Feehily. "My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. I am in shock", said Byrne.
O'Sullivan played a cabaret singer in Happy Ever Afters
Happy Ever Afters
Happy Ever Afters is an Irish film written and directed by Stephen Burke. The film was first shown at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea on 10 October and released on 21 October 2009 in France.-Plot:...
, a film which is scheduled to be released on 25 December 2009. Her voice appears on six songs on the film's soundtrack.