Dozens of teenage girls showed that friendship can cross the sectarian divide when they queued in Belfast for tickets for a Boyzone concert. The Protestant and Catholic teenagers yesterday refused re quests by a music store manager to disperse until tickets for the December 27th concert go on sale next Saturday.
Mr Stephen Millings, manager of the Virgin Megastore, said he was concerned for the girls' safety. "It's very worrying that they are left alone in the deserted city centre at night when many of them are only 13 or 14", he said.
But the girls were having none of it. Bernadette Mooney (13), from Ligoniel in north Belfast, said: "My mum didn't want me to come because she was worried, but I begged her to let me. She gave in because she knows how much it means to me and she comes down at night to check on us and bring tea and sandwiches . . . We have all become good friends through going to concerts. There are Protestants and Catholics from all areas, but it doesn't matter a bit. We're all here because we love Boyzone."
A spokesman for the concert promoters announced yesterday that Boyzone would play an extra matinee to help fit in all the band's Belfast fans.