Kian Egan has quite the résumé. After experiencing fame, he took up the role of mentor and coach on The Voice of Ireland and is a dad to two boys, with another child on the way.

 

Entering showbiz at the tender age of 17, Kian found his world turned upside-down. As an avid surfer, one way to cope with the sudden fame was to visit his natural habitat, the beach. 

 

"When I was in the early years of Westlife, it was very busy; very fast. It was stressful to an extent. That freedom of being out in the ocean, where nobody can contact you and nobody can be near you...

 

"You're being kind of tamed by waves. Waves are pushing you down and crashing in your head, and you realise it's an entirely different world from the one you're feeling on land."

 

 

The dad-of-three was speaking ahead of the launch of Coca-Cola's Clean Costs campaign, which is hoping to educate the Irish public about the importance of keeping our shorelines clean and litter-free.

 

Ireland sees eight million annual visitors to its shores. Out of the hefty €7.7 billion the country receives from the tourism trade, €2 billion comes from visitors to our coastline.

 

Egan was a natural fit for the campaign. He spoke to MummyPages about his passion for surfing: "I grew up in Sligo town, which was more of a regular Irish town. I always loved the beach and was a bit of beach bum, but I didn't start surfing until I was in my mid 20s.

 

"I went off and got a surf lesson that evening, and bought a board and a wetsuit the next day. As the years went on, it just got better and better."

 

 

Kian hopes to spread this love of nature and respect for the environment to his children. He and wife Jodi Albert are proud parents to five-year-old Koa and two-year-old Zekey. The Egans chose unorthodox names for their children, but thought a lot about their meanings.

 

"Koa is a Hawaiin name. It means bold, brave and fearless. We were in Hawaii. We weren't even married yet, but we picked up a book of Hawaiian baby names. There's a Koa tree; it's only native to Hawaii, and it's one of the largest trees that grows on the islands. They make surfboards, canoes and ukuleles, and all this kind of stuff from koa wood," he explained.

 

"Zekey is an abbreviation of a Hebrew name, Ezekiel. The name itself means 'God will strengthen'. Jodi's mother was dying and passed before Zekey was born. So, when we saw the name and the meaning, we thought it was perfect. He was going to strengthen Jodi through her mother's death."

 

 

A post shared by Jodi Albert (@jodialbert) on

 

Jodi announced just two months ago that the couple is expecting their third child: "We're having a bit of a problem at the moment. We have a third one on the way, and we have no idea what we'll call them."

 

Is he hoping for a third son or a daughter? "We want happy and healthy, and that's all that matters. We haven't decided on names yet!"

 

Kian told MummyPages how he hopes to pass his love of the ocean and respect for nature to his kids: "If you're given that love of the ocean at a young age, it'll stay with you for life."

 

Surfing is a fast-paced and intense sport. Does Kian ever worry about letting his kids go in the water? "I feel like I have enough knowledge about where the right places to put them are. From that perspective, no I don't worry about them."

 

Kian didn't hesitate when he was asked to front the Coca-Cola Clean Coasts campaign. With his deep appreciation for the environment and the ocean in particular, the former Westlife member was eager to help educate the public about the harmful effects of littering on Ireland's coasts.

 

 

A post shared by Jodi Albert (@jodialbert) on

 

According to Coca-Cola's study, 15 per cent of people admit to littering - quite a low number, but there's still a gap in knowledge for what constitutes as 'littering'. For instance, many people assume that since fruit is bio-degradable, it's not littering if you toss it. But on the sand, it can take a lot longer to break down the skin of the fruit.

 

Kian said families going for picnics and days out on the beach should be vigilant about the rubbish they leave behind: "It's the simplest things. It's straws, plastic spoons, the cap of a bottle. It's small little simple things. It's never larger things, which are usually taken away quite quickly."

 

Kian gets involved with beach cleans at home: "This campaign is about trying to get our families and neighbours about staying vigilant about litter. If you see litter, stick it in the bin! People think, 'Ah, it's grand', and shove it into the sand. They don't realise that when the tide is out, it can drag rubbish into the sea. Animals can eat these small pieces of rubbish and choke."

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