Mark Scullion from Bellaghy has been a superfan of Philomena Begley since he was a child – here, he tells us all about the queen of country and why she's stood the test of time
Mark Scullion was just a young boy when he first heard Philomena’s unique voice. Throughout the years, he’s seen her in concert many times and has passed down his love for her music to his children – including his famous daughter Brooke Scullion.
Read more: Mike Denver on balancing country music and life with wife Liz and daughter Mia: 'It’s routine for us'A family friend, who played in a showband and had worked with Philomena, heard Mark was a huge fan. He rang Philomena from Mark’s house and she chatted to the youngster, giving him her number and telling him to ring anytime he wanted. “I rang a couple of times a year.
Mark finally got to meet his idol one night in Cookstown after his siblings brought him along to a dance. “I was the only child in the place, but I was very grateful I got to meet her in person.” Philomena asked Mark to pick out the outfit she would wear on stage, as well as taking a picture with him and signing it.
“Philomena has always been so supportive of Brooke with regards to everything she’s done,” Mark adds. “When Brooke was chosen for the Eurovision, Philomena was the first person to ring me and she told Brooke how proud she was, wishing her every success and telling her to let her know if there was anything she could do for her.”
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