As a child, he lived in Seville Place, one of the rougher parts of Dublin's Northside.
(Click here for a map of Dublin)
Steve was a timid and quiet little boy. Steve was noticed by a drama teacher called Mrs Higgins. She could see Steve's natural talent for improvisation and creativity. Soon, he was taking on the leading roles in school plays, and his wonderful singing voice began to be noticed.
Older, Stephen joined the Gaiety Theatre group in Dublin. He also taught drama to other kids at the local youth centre and made some experiments in the modelling career. Stephen appeared in The Commitments (an Irish movie) when he was sixteen.You can spot both his mother and him in the beginning of the movie, in a market scene.
Some quotes
' We used to play games out in the back garden, climb the walls, fall off the walls, loads of games that kids play. '
' I was 13 or 14 years of age and I used to sign my autograph all the time.( ...) I remember saying to two of my classmates, Keith and Wesley, "In a few years, this will be worth money". And they looked at me as if I was mad....'
' When we were kids years ago we used to go down on The Point and gatecrash concerts there. One of our mates would have a ticket for a concert, he'd go in and we'd be outside, then he'd push open the doors and we'd all run in and the security would run for us. Three or four might get away and the rest would be caught...'
Earliest childhood memory : 'a sweet shop that my friend's mother owned. I was there all the time When I was really young!'
First record bought : If Only I Could (Sidney Youngblood)