An outdoor fire using wood, termed a bonfire.

The ignition and extinguishing of a pile of wood shavings.

Slow motion fire sequence 1000 frame/s

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.^[1] Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition.

The flame is the visible portion of the fire. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.^[2] Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the color of the flame and the fire's intensity will be different.

Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems across the globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological systems. Fire has been used by humans for cooking, generating heat, signaling, and propulsion purposes. The negative effects of fire include water contamination, soil erosion, atmospheric pollution and hazard to human and animal life.^[3]

Physical properties[link]

Chemistry[link]

The fire tetrahedron

Fires start when a flammable and/or a combustible material, in combination with a sufficient quantity of an oxidizer such as oxygen gas or another oxygen-rich compound (though non-oxygen oxidizers exist that can replace oxygen), is exposed to a source of heat or ambient temperature above the flash point for the fuel/oxidizer mix, and is able to sustain a rate of rapid oxidation that produces a chain reaction. This is commonly called the fire tetrahedron. Fire cannot exist without all of these elements in place and in the right proportions. For example, a flammable liquid will start burning only if the fuel and oxygen are in the right proportions. Some fuel-oxygen mixes may require a catalyst, a substance that is not directly involved in any chemical reaction during combustion, but which enables the reactants to combust more readily.

Once ignited, a chain reaction must take place whereby fires can sustain their own heat by the further release of heat energy in the process of combustion and may propagate, provided there is a continuous supply of an oxidizer and fuel.

Fire can be extinguished by removing any one of the elements of the fire tetrahedron. Consider a natural gas flame, such as from a stovetop burner. The fire can be extinguished by any of the following:

• turning off the gas supply, which removes the fuel source;
• covering the flame completely, which smothers the flame as the combustion both uses the available oxidizer (the oxygen in the air) and displaces it from the area around the flame with CO₂;
• application of water, which removes heat from the fire faster than the fire can produce it (similarly, blowing hard on a flame will displace the heat of the currently burning gas from its fuel source, to the same end), or
• application of a retardant chemical such as Halon to the flame, which retards the chemical reaction itself until the rate of combustion is too slow to maintain the chain reaction.

In contrast, fire is intensified by increasing the overall rate of combustion. Methods to do this include balancing the input of fuel and oxidizer to stoichiometric proportions, increasing fuel and oxidizer input in this balanced mix, increasing the ambient temperature so the fire's own heat is better able to sustain combustion, or providing a catalyst; a non-reactant medium in which the fuel and oxidizer can more readily react.

Flame[link]

A candle's flame

Photo of a fire taken with a 1/4000th of a second exposure

A flame is a mixture of reacting gases and solids emitting visible, infrared, and sometimes ultraviolet light, the frequency spectrum of which depends on the chemical composition of the burning material and intermediate reaction products. In many cases, such as the burning of organic matter, for example wood, or the incomplete combustion of gas, incandescent solid particles called soot produce the familiar red-orange glow of 'fire'. This light has a continuous spectrum. Complete combustion of gas has a dim blue color due to the emission of single-wavelength radiation from various electron transitions in the excited molecules formed in the flame. Usually oxygen is involved, but hydrogen burning in chlorine also produces a flame, producing hydrogen chloride (HCl). Other possible combinations producing flames, amongst many, are fluorine and hydrogen, and hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.

The glow of a flame is complex. Black-body radiation is emitted from soot, gas, and fuel particles, though the soot particles are too small to behave like perfect blackbodies. There is also photon emission by de-excited atoms and molecules in the gases. Much of the radiation is emitted in the visible and infrared bands. The color depends on temperature for the black-body radiation, and on chemical makeup for the emission spectra. The dominant color in a flame changes with temperature. The photo of the forest fire is an excellent example of this variation. Near the ground, where most burning is occurring, the fire is white, the hottest color possible for organic material in general, or yellow. Above the yellow region, the color changes to orange, which is cooler, then red, which is cooler still. Above the red region, combustion no longer occurs, and the uncombusted carbon particles are visible as black smoke.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States has recently found that gravity also plays a role in flame formation. Modifying the gravity causes different flame types.^[4] The common distribution of a flame under normal gravity conditions depends on convection, as soot tends to rise to the top of a general flame, as in a candle in normal gravity conditions, making it yellow. In micro gravity or zero gravity, such as an environment in outer space, convection no longer occurs, and the flame becomes spherical, with a tendency to become more blue and more efficient (although it may go out if not moved steadily, as the CO₂ from combustion does not disperse as readily in micro gravity, and tends to smother the flame). There are several possible explanations for this difference, of which the most likely is that the temperature is sufficiently evenly distributed that soot is not formed and complete combustion occurs.^[5] Experiments by NASA reveal that diffusion flames in micro gravity allow more soot to be completely oxidized after they are produced than diffusion flames on Earth, because of a series of mechanisms that behave differently in micro gravity when compared to normal gravity conditions.^[6] These discoveries have potential applications in applied science and industry, especially concerning fuel efficiency.

In combustion engines, various steps are taken to eliminate a flame. The method depends mainly on whether the fuel is oil, wood, or a high-energy fuel such as jet fuel.

Heat[link]

Fires give off heat, or the process of energy transfer from one body or system due to thermal contact.

Typical temperatures of fires and flames[link]

• Oxyhydrogen flame: 2000 °C or above (3600 °F)^[7]
• Bunsen burner flame: 1,300 to 1,600 °C (2,400 to 2,900 °F)^[8]
• Blowtorch flame: 1,300 °C (2,400 °F)^[9]
• Candle flame: 1,000 °C (1,800 °F)
• Smoldering cigarette:
  • Temperature without drawing: side of the lit portion; 400 °C (750 °F); middle of the lit portion: 585 °C (1,100 °F)
  • Temperature during drawing: middle of the lit portion: 700 °C (1,300 °F)
  • Always hotter in the middle.

Temperatures of flames by appearance[link]

The temperature of flames with carbon particles emitting light can be assessed by their color:^[10]

• Red
  • Just visible: 525 °C (980 °F)
  • Dull: 700 °C (1,300 °F)
  • Cherry, dull: 800 °C (1,500 °F)
  • Cherry, full: 900 °C (1,700 °F)
  • Cherry, clear: 1,000 °C (1,800 °F)
• Orange
  • Deep: 1,100 °C (2,000 °F)
  • Clear: 1,200 °C (2,200 °F)
• White
  • Whitish: 1,300 °C (2,400 °F)
  • Bright: 1,400 °C (2,600 °F)
  • Dazzling: 1,500 °C (2,700 °F)

Fire ecology[link]

Every natural ecosystem has its own fire regime, and the organisms in those ecosystems are adapted to or dependent upon that fire regime. Fire creates a mosaic of different habitat patches, each at a different stage of succession.^[11] Different species of plants, animals, and microbes specialize in exploiting a particular stage, and by creating these different types of patches, fire allows a greater number of species to exist within a landscape.

Fossil record[link]

The fossil record of fire first appears with the establishment of a land-based flora in the Middle Ordovician period, 470 million years ago,^[12] permitting the accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere as never before, as the new hordes of land plants pumped it out as a waste product. When this concentration rose above 13%, it permitted the possibility of wildfire.^[13] Wildfire is first recorded in the Late Silurian fossil record, 420 million years ago, by fossils of charcoalified plants.^[14][15] Apart from a controversial gap in the Late Devonian, charcoal is present ever since.^[15] The level of atmospheric oxygen is closely related to the prevalence of charcoal: clearly oxygen is the key factor in the abundance of wildfire.^[16] Fire also became more abundant when grasses radiated and became the dominant component of many ecosystems, around 6 to 7 million years ago;^[17] this kindling provided tinder which allowed for the more rapid spread of fire.^[16] These widespread fires may have initiated a positive feedback process, whereby they produced a warmer, drier climate more conducive to fire.^[16]

Human control[link]

The fire miracle of Saint Peter Martyr by Antonio Vivarini.

The ability to control fire was a dramatic change in the habits of early humans. Making fire to generate heat and light made it possible for people to cook food, increasing the variety and availability of nutrients. The heat produced would also help people stay warm in cold weather, enabling them to live in cooler climates. Fire also kept nocturnal predators at bay. Evidence of cooked food is found from 1.9 million years ago, although fire was probably not used in a controlled fashion until 1,000,000 years ago.^[16] Early Human fire Evidence becomes widespread around 50 to 100 thousand years ago, suggesting regular use from this time; interestingly, resistance to air pollution started to evolve in human populations at a similar point in time.^[16] The use of fire became progressively more sophisticated, with its being used to create charcoal and to control wildlife from tens of thousands of years ago.^[16]

Fire has also been used for centuries as a method of torture and execution, as evidenced by death by burning as well as torture devices such as the iron boot, which could be filled with water, oil, or even lead and then heated over an open fire to the agony of the wearer.

By the Neolithic Revolution,^{[citation needed]} during the introduction of grain-based agriculture, people all over the world used fire as a tool in landscape management. These fires were typically controlled burns or "cool fires",^{[citation needed]} as opposed to uncontrolled "hot fires", which damage the soil. Hot fires destroy plants and animals, and endanger communities. This is especially a problem in the forests of today where traditional burning is prevented in order to encourage the growth of timber crops. Cool fires are generally conducted in the spring and autumn. They clear undergrowth, burning up biomass that could trigger a hot fire should it get too dense. They provide a greater variety of environments, which encourages game and plant diversity. For humans, they make dense, impassable forests traversable. Another human use for fire in regards to landscape management is its use to clear land for agriculture. Slash-and-burn agriculture is still common across much of tropical Africa, Asia and South America. "For small farmers, it is a convenient way to clear overgrown areas and release nutrients from standing vegetation back into the soil," said Miguel Pinedo-Vasquez, an ecologist at the Earth Institute’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.^[18] However this useful strategy is also problematic. Growing population, fragmentation of forests and warming climate are making the earth's surface more prone to ever-larger escaped fires. These harm ecosystems and human infrastructure, cause health problems, and send up spirals of carbon and soot that may encourage even more warming of the atmosphere–and thus feed back into more fires. Globally today, as much as 5 million square kilometers–an area more than half the size of the United States–burns in a given year.^[18]

There are numerous modern applications of fire. In its broadest sense, fire is used by nearly every human being on earth in a controlled setting every day. Users of internal combustion vehicles employ fire every time they drive. Thermal power stations provide electricity for a large percentage of humanity.

Hamburg after four fire-bombing raids in July, 1943, which killed an estimated 50,000 people.^[19]

The use of fire in warfare has a long history. Fire was the basis of all early thermal weapons. Homer detailed the use of fire by Greek soldiers who hid in a wooden horse to burn Troy during the Trojan war. Later the Byzantine fleet used Greek fire to attack ships and men. In the First World War, the first modern flamethrowers were used by infantry, and were successfully mounted on armoured vehicles in the Second World War. In the latter war, incendiary bombs were used by Axis and Allies alike, notably on Tokyo, Rotterdam, London, Hamburg and, notoriously, at Dresden, in the latter two cases firestorms were deliberately caused in which a ring of fire surrounding each city^{[citation needed]} was drawn inward by an updraft caused by a central cluster of fires. The United States Army Air Force also extensively used incendiaries against Japanese targets in the latter months of the war, devastating entire cities constructed primarily of wood and paper houses. The use of napalm was employed in July 1944, towards the end of the Second World War;^[20] although its use did not gain public attention until the Vietnam War.^[20] Molotov cocktails were also used.

Use as fuel[link]

Disability-adjusted life year for fires per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004.^[21]

  no data

  less than 50

  50-100

  100-150

  150-200

  200-250

  250-300

  300-350

  350-400

  400-450

  450-500

  500-600

  more than 600

Setting fuel aflame releases usable energy. Wood was a prehistoric fuel, and is still viable today. The use of fossil fuels, such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal, in power plants supplies the vast majority of the world's electricity today; the International Energy Agency states that nearly 80% of the world's power comes from these sources.^[22] The fire in a power station is used to heat water, creating steam that drives turbines. The turbines then spin an electric generator to produce electricity. Fire is also used to provide mechanical work directly, in both external and internal combustion engines.

The unburnable solid remains of a combustible material left after a fire is called clinker if its melting point is below the flame temperature, so that it fuses and then solidifies as it cools, and ash if its melting point is above the flame temperature.

Protection and prevention[link]

Wildfire prevention programs around the world may employ techniques such as wildland fire use and prescribed or controlled burns.^[23][24][25] Wildland fire use refers to any fire of natural causes that is monitored but allowed to burn. Controlled burns are fires ignited by government agencies under less dangerous weather conditions.^[26]

Fire fighting services are provided in most developed areas to extinguish or contain uncontrolled fires. Trained firefighters use fire apparatus, water supply resources such as water mains and fire hydrants or they might use A and B class foam depending on what is feeding the fire.

Fire prevention is intended to reduce sources of ignition. Fire prevention also includes education to teach people how to avoid causing fires.^[27] Buildings, especially schools and tall buildings, often conduct fire drills to inform and prepare citizens on how to react to a building fire. Purposely starting destructive fires constitutes arson and is a crime in most jurisdictions.

Model building codes require passive fire protection and active fire protection systems to minimize damage resulting from a fire. The most common form of active fire protection is fire sprinklers. To maximize passive fire protection of buildings, building materials and furnishings in most developed countries are tested for fire-resistance, combustibility and flammability. Upholstery, carpeting and plastics used in vehicles and vessels are also tested.

Where fire prevention and fire protection have failed to prevent damage, fire insurance can mitigate the financial impact.

Restoration[link]

Different restoration methods and measures are used depending on the type of fire damage that occurred. Fire damage can be performed by property management teams, building maintenance personnel, or by the homeowners themselves; however, contacting a certified professional fire damage restoration specialist is often regarded as the safest way to restore fire damaged property due to their training and extensive experience.^[28] Most are usually listed under "Fire and Water Restoration" and they can help speed repairs, whether for individual homeowners or for the largest of institutions.^[29]

Fire and Water Restoration companies are regulated by the appropriate state's Department of Consumer Affairs - usually the state contractors license board. In California, all Fire and Water Restoration companies must register with the California Contractors State License Board.^[30] Presently, the California Contractors State License Board has no specific classification for "water and fire damage restoration." Hence, the Contractor's State License Board requires both an asbestos certification (ASB) as well as a demolition classification (C-21) in order to perform Fire and Water Restoration work.^[31]

See also[link]

Fire portal

Additional images[link]

• 

  Wildfire

• 

  Kuwaiti oil wells on fire, during the Gulf War.

• 

  School fire in Aberdeen, Washington

• 

  Bonfire in Lappeenranta, Finland

• 

  A structure fire

• 

  Structure fire in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

• 

  Fire generated by a burning weed

• 

  A controlled wildfire in Canada

• 

  Making fire by rubbing two pieces of firewood together.

• 

  Fire from a match.

• 

  How a match gets ignited.

• 

  

  A match being ignited

• 

  Fire is affected by gravity. Left: Flame on Earth; Right: Flame on ISS (microgravity)

• 

  Fire breathing

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Karki, Sameer (2002) (PDF). Community Involvement in and Management of Forest Fires in South East Asia. Project FireFight South East Asia. http://www.asiaforests.org/doc/resources/fire/pffsea/Report_Community.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-13 ^{[dead link]}
• Haung, Kai. 2009. Population and Building Factors That Impact Residential Fire Rates in Large U.S. Cities. Applied Research Project. Texas State University. TXstate.edu
• Lentile, Leigh B.; Holden, Zachary A.; Smith, Alistair M. S.; Falkowski, Michael J.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Morgan, Penelope; Lewis, Sarah A.; Gessler, Paul E.; Benson, Nate C.. Remote sensing techniques to assess active fire characteristics and post-fire effects. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 2006;3(15):319-­345.
• Kosman, Admiel: Sacred fire. In: Thu, January 13, 2011.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fire

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Fire

• How Fire Works at HowStuffWorks
• What exactly is fire? from The Straight Dope
• On Fire, an Adobe Flash-based science tutorial from the NOVA (TV series)
• Early human fire mastery revealed BBC article on archaeological discoveries
• Flames in microgravity^{[dead link]}
• Spiral flames in microgravity
• moebuildingcontrol.co.uk - UK Guidance on fire safety codes and fire engineering
• Smokey Bear - Prevent Wildfires
• Fun Uses with Fire with a Rubens' Tube

lez:ЦӀайvep:Lämoi

This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (January 2012)

Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Background information
Birth name	Ronan Patrick John Keating[1]
Born	(1977-03-03) 3 March 1977 (age 35) Swords, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Genres	Pop, dance pop, folk rock, electropop
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, television/radio personality, actor, composer
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Polydor
Associated acts	Boyzone
Website	www.ronankeating.com

Ronan Patrick John Keating^[1] (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and resulted in 9 albums. Keating gained worldwide attention when his single "When You Say Nothing at All" was featured in the film Notting Hill and peaked at number one in several countries. As a solo artist, Keating has sold over 22 million records worldwide,^[2] and in Australia he is best known as a judge on The X Factor.^[3]

Keating has worked as a charity campaigner most notably for the Marie Keating Foundation, a foundation that raises awareness for breast cancer. It is named after his mother, who died of the disease in 1998. Keating's fortune is around €15 million.^[4][5]

Life and career[link]

Early life, marriage and Boyzone: 1994–99[link]

Boyzone performing at the tour with Ronan Keating as the lead singer.

Ronan Keating was born on 3 March 1977, the youngest of five children. He grew up on the Northside of Dublin and Co Meath. His father Gerry Keating was a lorry driver; his mother Marie was a hairdresser and had her own salon in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath. He has one sister: Linda, and three brothers: Ciaran, Gerard and Gary.^[6] He was a track and field athlete and represented Ireland in several tournaments, winning the All Ireland under-13 200m title. He also worked as an assistant in a shoe shop just as his siblings emigrated to the United States.^[7]

Keating is also godfather to Mackenzie Bannatyne. Keating joined the band Boyzone on 1993. Keating, Keith Duffy, Richard Rock, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately were chosen as Boyzone members. Rock would later leave the group before being replaced by Mikey Graham. The group performed in various clubs and pubs before being signed by PolyGram in 1994 and released a cover version of "Working My Way Back to You" by The Four Seasons. The group also released a cover version of "Love Me for a Reason" which would peak on several charts. In 1998, his mother died at the age of 54^[8] from breast cancer,^[9][10] resulting in the establishment of the Marie Keating Foundation. Keating married Yvonne Connolly in April 1998 and together, the couple have three children: Jack (born 15 March 1999), Marie (born 18 February 2001) and Ali (born 7 September 2005).

From 1994–1999, Boyzone released 3 studio albums and 1 compilation album before disbanding in 2000.

[edit] Ronan and When You Say Nothing At All: 1999–2000

In 1999, while still a member of Boyzone, Keating recorded a version of "When You Say Nothing At All" for the motion picture Notting Hill. The single peaked at number one in the UK charts, leading to a successful solo career.^[11] Keating released his debut solo album entitled Ronan in 2000, peaking at number one in the UK Albums Chart. The album was given several negative reviews, however, it sold over 750,000 copies and became one of the top selling albums of the year in the United Kingdom. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and have been certified four-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of 1.2 million copies. In the singer's native Ireland, the album debuted at number two. The album also became a commercial success in other European countries, where it charted within the top ten of eight countries. In 2001, Ronan was certified two-times platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for shipments of two million copies inside Europe.^[12]

The album produced four UK and Irish top-ten singles: "When You Say Nothing at All" (originally recorded for the soundtrack of the 1999 film Notting Hill), "Life Is a Rollercoaster", "The Way You Make Me Feel", and "Lovin' Each Day", the latter of which was featured on the re-release edition of the album, and later on Keating's second album, Destination (2002).Also the song "Lovin each day" is from a movie "Summer catch".

Solo career: 2000–07[link]

After the successful debut album Ronan, Keating continued on with his solo career and since has released four more studio albums: Destination (2002), Turn It On (2003), 10 Years of Hits (2004) and Bring You Home (2006), four of which peaked at number one in the UK Albums Chart. Keating collaborated with several major stars, including Elton John, Lulu, LeAnn Rimes and the Bee Gees, for these albums.

Keating and Paul Brady co-wrote the 2001 hit single "The Long Goodbye",^[13] one of Keating's most loved hits amongst fans and a huge hit for Brooks & Dunn in the United States. Keating and Brady won the "BMI European song-writing award" for the single. In 2003, Keating was named Rear of the Year – an award given to celebrities with a notable posterior.^[14] In October 2007, Keating was listed in the Guinness Book of Records for being the only artist ever to have 30 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK chart, beating the likes of Elvis Presley. Keating also embarked on two world tours, won the Ivor Novello and BMI songwriting awards, released an autobiography, had a role as ambassador for Christian Aid and earnt sales in excess of 22 million albums worldwide. In 2007 he released 2 fragrances,the range consists of a female fragrance, Hope By Ronan, which is based upon musk and amber scents and a male scent, Believe by Ronan, based on Sicilian Lemon, Lavender and Clary Sage smells. All proceeds go to the Marie Keating foundation.

Keating performed at the 2006 FIFA World Cup opening party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, in front of an audience of nearly 250,000 people, and posed nude for Cosmopolitan magazine's 10 Years of Naked Centrefolds. On 9 May 2007, Keating became the first international number-one selling foreign artist to perform a concert in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Keating also performed at the Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena. Keating has dueted with Elton John at Madison Garden in New York and has sung for the Pope twice and performed for Prince Charles at the Prince's Trust 30th birthday, which took place at the Tower of London. He performed on stage for the Swedish Royal family at Crown Princess Victoria's birthday celebrations, and at the opening ceremony of the 19th European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

[edit] Back Again... No Matter What and Stephen Gately's death: 2007–10

On 5 November 2007, Keating confirmed that Boyzone would reunite for a special appearance on the BBC's annual fundraiser, Children in Need, performing a medley of hits, although had not yet commented on the possibility of a new tour or album. Soon, the Boyzone went on a 29-date tour. The tour, taking in cities such as Cardiff, Newcastle, Liverpool, London at the O2 Arena and Wembley, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Edinburgh Castle and the RDS in Dublin. Stephen Gately, close friend and bandmate of Keating, died on 10 October 2009 of a pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs. This left Keating devastated.

In 2009 Keating co-wrote the song "Believe Again" sung by Niels Brinck, who won the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow where it qualified for the final from the second semi-final and finished in 13th place with 74 points.^[15] Following the success of Ronan Keating's album Songs For My Mother,^[16] he has recorded another entitled Winter Songs. Teaming up again with Songs For My Mother producer Steve Lipson, Keating pulled together eleven songs that evoked memories of winter and Christmas for him. Winter Songs is a mix of traditional and modern festive classics, including tracks from artists such as Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and Sugarland along with perennials "Silent Night" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". The album also includes two brand new songs, "Its Only Christmas" and "Scars".^[17] In March 2010 the new Boyzone album "Brother" was released and went to number one in UK and Ireland.

On 12 November 2010, Keating released his seventh studio album entitled, Duet in Australia and New Zealand.^[18] "Believe Again" was released as the lead single from the album and features guest vocals from Australian singer, Paulini

[edit] Brother tour and When Ronan Met Burt: 2011–present

He joined Boyzone on their tour of the UK and Ireland during February and March 2011 with a 21 date tour of the Ireland and UK with their arena-based Brother Tour.^[19] Bringing some Antipodean sunshine to proceedings were the soulful vocals of singer/songwriter Guy Sebastian, support act from Australia.^[20] On 21 March 2011 a new album from Ronan Keating was released worldwide named When Ronan Met Burt.^[21] In April he will make his film debut in Australia to shoot scenes for the top secret project.^[22]

He performed at the Westfalenhallen in Dortmund, Germany in front of a 16,500 crowd.^[23]

2012 Tour and studio album[link]

Ronan Keating toured Australia and New Zealand in the beginning of 2012 at the state theatre in Sydney, Brisbane convention centre, Melbourne Regent Theatre, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Canberra Royal Theatre, Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Adelaide festival theatre and at Perth Kings Park in front of 29,000 in all making 1.6 million pounds.^[24]

A new fifth studio album will be released on the 3rd September 2012 and a tour in the UK and Ireland later in the year will follow.^[25] Ronan said: "Now I have a new lease of life and I'm ready to write and record, i'm working on a new studio album, which I hope to release later this year, it will feature brand new songs".^[26] "It's not folk. It's a mix! It's a pop album. Gregg Alexander and I are working together again. It's got that 'Life is a Rollercoaster' feel again. I'm having fun with it again, it's been five years since I've done a studio album. I'm a little bit nervous, I just want to make a great record, for me, rather than for anyone else."

He will also be reuniting with his Boyzone bandmates Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch in 2013 to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a group, "Next year Boyzone will be 20 years gone, so we'll be doing something."^[27]

Charity work[link]

In October 2005, shortly after joining Christian Aid and the Trade Justice Campaign in 2004, Keating went to Rome where he was appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador via the Food and Agricultural Organisation.^[28]

Keating ran in the London Marathon on 13 April 2008 to raise money for Cancer Research, with a personal best time of 3hr 59min.^[29] He has also walked the length of Ireland twice, each time raising money for the Marie Keating Foundation, now linked to Cancer Research in the UK. Each year the foundation holds charity balls and various events, raising funds to keep their mobile units on the road.

In 2009, Keating climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Comic Relief; joining him were Gary Barlow, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Kimberley Walsh, Denise van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Alesha Dixon and Cheryl Cole.^[30]

In June 2009, Keating received a Special Achievement Award from Cancer Research UK – he was singled out for his work with them since 2006. He, along with the Marie Keating Charity, has helped to raise over £1.7 million for the UK charity. This money is used to fund three special mobile units which raise awareness throughout the UK.^[31]

In October 2009, he pulled out of the Chicago Marathon due to the sudden death of his bandmate Stephen Gately; he had intended to run in memory of his mother.^[32]

In September 2011, he swam the Irish sea 90 km stretch from Dublin to Holyhead with a team of celebrities to raise money for cancer charities and set a new Guinness World Record for open water swimming with a 11-member celebrity team. They raised £1 million for Cancer Research Britain and the Marie Keating Foundation.^[33]

Awards[link]

Over the years he has won Smash Hits Best Solo Male. He was given a tree in London's Hyde Park for performing for The Prince's Trust.^[34] He also has a World Music Award for the best selling Irish artist.^[35]

Other work[link]

Presenting[link]

On 3 May 1997, Keating presented the Eurovision Song Contest along with Carrie Crowley.^[36] He presented the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1997 and 1999, and co-presented the MTV Asia Awards in 2002 with Mandy Moore. He also hosted Miss World 1998.^[37]

In 1999 Keating presented BBC1 talent show "Get Your Act Together" for the full 9 episodes.

On 20 April 2009, Keating guest co-hosted The Morning Show in Australia alongside Kylie Gillies, while the show's regular male co-host Larry Emdur was on holiday.^[38] In addition, he has stood in for Steve Wright on his Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2.^[39] He currently presents a Sunday request show on Magic 105.4 FM.^[40]

In a section for the Jeremy Clarkson 2009 DVD Duel, Keating was invited to take part in an off-road race to find "the fastest off-road celebrity", along with newsreader Kate Silverton, Rugby player Matt Dawson, and Clarkson.^[41] He came third overall, after being forced to abandon the car with only 20 seconds left to complete the course to disarm the on-board time bomb.

Keating is a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor on the Seven Network in 2010. Season two has him mentoring the over 25's category. His fellow Boyzone bandmembers helped him in the judges' house selection of the contest. He was the winning mentor for the 2010 Season; his over 25 artist Altiyan Childs won the show.

In 2010 the edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant in Vietnam, Keating made a star appearance to sing his solo hits.

He appeared as a guest on episode 7, series 5 of Celebrity Juice along with Kimberley Walsh and Chipmunk.

Acting[link]

Keating has recently stated he would like to break into acting, but does not intend to stop working as a recording artist.^{[citation needed]} He recently auditioned for a role in the upcoming fantasy movie "The Hobbit" and was unsuccessful. The film is based on the J. R. R. Tolkien novel of the same name.^[42]

April 2011 Ronan will start shooting his first movie in Australia. It is a romantic musical comedy called Goddess, his co-star is British Actress Laura Michelle Kelly. The film's being directed by Mark Lamprell who wrote 'Babe – Pig in the city' and is due for release in 2012. ^[43]

Controversy[link]

Louis Walsh[link]

When Keating announced he wanted to take a break from Boyzone, Louis Walsh continued to manage his career. Keating achieved a number one hit with "Life is a Rollercoaster" in 2000 while his album sold 4.4 million copies. Keating and Walsh later agreed to part company and then had a bitter falling out.^[44][45] Walsh told the press: "[Keating] wasn't the most talented one – he's not a great singer and he's got no personality."^[46] Keating later told Closer magazine: "That man absolutely tried to ruin me and if he thinks we can ever hug and make up he can forget it. I haven't heard from him in three years and I wouldn't have a problem if I never saw him again. He's not a nice character."^[47]

The feud between the two men had apparently ended by March 2008^[48] and they helped in selecting the finalists in the Groups category in The X Factor, a reality show in the UK.^[49]

Thom Yorke[link]

Keating has criticised Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke several times in the press throughout late 2008 and early 2009, calling him a "muppet" and an "idiot" due to Yorke allegedly ignoring Keating at a hotel.^[50] Shortly after Keating's remarks, Kanye West and Miley Cyrus also complained about Yorke's alleged rudeness. In response to the accusations, Yorke left a blog on Radiohead's official site for those who were not among "those people I have managed to offend by doing nothing."^[51]

Personal life[link]

Keating married model Yvonne Connolly in April 1998 and together, the couple have three children – Jack (born 15 March 1999), Marie (born 18 February 2001) and Ali (born 7 September 2005).^[52] Following the death of his mother Marie in 1998 of breast cancer, the family home, which Keating had bought at the age of eighteen, was sold, rendering his father Gerry homeless and resulting in a bitter feud between father and son – Gerry was not invited to his son's wedding, which took place in Nevis. The two later reconciled after two years without communication.^[7]

Keating and his wife split in late 2011,^[53] after almost 14 years of marriage, and made their decision public in April 2012.^[54][55][56]

Discography[link]

Studio Albums[link]

• Ronan (2000)
• Destination (2002)
• Turn It On (2003)
• Bring You Home (2006)
• Fire's (2012)

Compliation and covers Albums[link]

• 10 Years of Hits (2004)
• Songs for My Mother (2009)
• Winter Songs (2009)
• Duet (2010)
• When Ronan Met Burt (2011)

See also[link]

• List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters

References[link]

External links[link]

• Ronan Keating- The Official Britain and Ireland Website
• Marie Keating Foundation
• Ronan Keating "This is Who I Am" Interview Heat World, June 2009
• FAO Goodwill Ambassador website

Preceded by Robbie Williams Jenny McCarthy	MTV Europe Music Awards host 1997 1999	Succeeded by Jenny McCarthy Wyclef Jean
Preceded by Morten Harket & Ingvild Bryn	Eurovision Song Contest presenter (with Carrie Crowley) 1997	Succeeded by Terry Wogan & Ulrika Jonsson