Maura, mother of Niall Horan, arriving at the baptism of her grandson Theo in Westmeath last month. Photo: Tony Gavin

One Direction star Niall Horan is young, single and not ready for a serious girlfriend, according to his mother.

The Mullingar man has been linked to everybody from Demi Lovato to Ellie Goulding - but his mum Maura says it’s all just speculation.

“I don’t think Niall is ready yet for a serious girlfriend. He’s a real happy-go-lucky lad. He wants to enjoy life and isn’t ready to settle into a steady relationship as far as I know just yet,” she said.

Although she admits that “what goes on in London, stays in London”, Maura said: “ When he has something to tell me, he’ll tell me.

“He’s a good gentle character himself. There are in that position where they’ll meet lots of people and girls. A girl he’ll go for dinner with here and to the pictures with there - but I’m not sure they are all girlfriends.”

And she told the millions of girls wanting to date the popstar that they need to be “a good laugh and a good personality. Someone that he can sit and chat and have a laugh with.”

Maura revealed that Niall will be get a few days off from the band to return home from Christmas.

“I’m not sure when and for how long but he’ll definitely be here for the main days over Christmas,” she said.

Maura told RTE Radio’s John Murray that she misses Niall while he’s away. She moved to London last year in order to be close to her son, but she soon felt homesick and returned home in February.

“I moved over thinking that I’d like a change myself… and that Niall would like some family support.”

But she said: “He wasn’t there too often… and it was a big change for me.”

“I realised, ‘I want to go home’…and I came back last February.”

She also expressed concerns about the longevity of a boyband career, especially when she watched JLS perform during their farewell tour last night.

She said she sometimes thinks: “That could be us in time. I don’t know when. But I always say, wouldn’t it be great if they have a long career like Westlife.”

The down-to-earth mother said she keeps her two feet on the ground, despite Niall’s worldwide fame, and life is quite “normal” for Niall’s family at home.

“Life for me is quite normal to be honest… There are times when it gets exciting, when the boys are doing concerts and they’re in Mullingar and Ireland.

“It’s a fantastic journey that they’re on. You’re watching his journey all the time with One Direction.”

One year ago today, Niall played the Madison Gardens with his bandmates, an event which Maura describes as one of the highlights in his career.

“That was so unreal and overwhelming to be honest… Here was my little boy up on the stage.

“There were queues of girls and traffic and all these neon signs lit up on Times Square with all their faces on it.”

Online Editors