If you had seen the four lads sipping pints in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bar, you might have thought – if you couldn't see their faces – they were just four Irish lads, abroad for work, catching up over a beer; chatting about going home, about the families, wives, partners and babies they had left behind, about the future.
What you couldn't have known – even if you could see their faces – was that these four fresh-faced young men with pints in their hands had just agreed to break up the most successful boyband in decades.
In doing so, they were waving goodbye to millions of euro; closing the book on a 14-year collaboration that had brought them 14 No.1 singles, 44 million album sales, 10 sellout tours – and riches beyond the dreams of (as their manager once labelled them) 'some cute culchies and a Dub'.

Down the hatch: From left, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Mark Feehily reached their decision to quit in Kuala Lumpur
Down the hatch: From left, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Mark Feehily reached their decision to quit in Kuala Lumpur
 
They were also turning their back on a £5m deal from RCA, the giant record company that also boasts talent such as Alicia Keys and David Bowie. And, of course, they were breaking the hearts of millions of fans worldwide – and none more devoted than those at home in Ireland.
But the truth is that the break-up of Westlife, while a shock to their devotees, had been brewing for more than a year. The group had been torn apart by concerns about their direction; a wedge had been driven between them by Simon Cowell's record label, Syco; and they were finding separation from their families increasingly unbearable. Despite all the money, the adulation and the achievement, Westlife, quite simply, had had enough.
While all bands experience various strains and stresses on the way – U2 recently admitted nearly breaking up during the recording of Achtung Baby in 1991 – Westlife had proved remarkably resilient. They had easily weathered the loss of Bryan McFadden... to the extent that it was he who was begging to rejoin them last week. The fact that three of the members – Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan – were all from Sligo had given them a strong bond, without ever suggesting that the fourth man, Nicky Byrne, was an outsider. They were still selling out Croke Park and their lustre appeared undimmed.
During 2010, however, they began to have serious problems with their longtime label, Syco – owned by Simon Cowell, the most powerful man in pop. Even the fact that they were managed by Louis Walsh, a close friend of Cowell with an unparrallelled track record, didn't help.

Family man: Nicky with wife Georgina and twins Jay and Rocco
Family man: Nicky with wife Georgina and twins Jay and Rocco
   Westlife felt Cowell and his label had lost interest in them and were unwilling to co-operate with the singers' plans. The band felt the last two Westlife albums, Where We Are and Gravity, contained some of their best work, so good they felt that there were three singles on each – but the label seemed unwilling to back them up.
The first release, Safe, limped into the British charts at No.10, their weakest-ever position. Beautiful Tonight had been earmarked as the second single but Cowell pulled the plug on any further releases.
'This was when the cracks started forming within the band,' said a well placed source. All four felt Gravity was an 'incredible' album but Cowell wouldn't release any more singles. Cowell knew Westlife fans would buy the albums anyway so why waste money on videos and promotions for singles? It was February and the British leg of the Gravity tour was under way but only one single had been released.
'Mark was very upset by this, having written on four tracks,' said a source. 'He desperately wanted the group to take control back from the Syco and made it clear to the others that if they didn't leave, the band was doomed. So they phoned Louis and told him the situation. The future of the group and their friendships were in jeopardy.' 

Family affair: Singer Shane Filan with his wife Gillian
Family affair: Singer Shane Filan with his wife Gillian