(Bass and second vocal)

Date of birth 28 April 1968

Mark Plunkett, otherwise known as Tartan Blanket is a native of Skipton, North Yorkshire.  Born April 28, 1968 his family moved to the Scarborough area when Mark was aged seven.

Living in the tiny village of Hunmanby one of young Mark's first new friends was Toby Jepson, a boy with delusions of grandeur about rock music, they were both eight years old.

Mark clearly inherited his teacher mother Nancy's academic abilities and seemed destined towards a successful business career, however by the time he was fourteen Toby had roped him into his first band, named "Zeus".  Their debut gig was in the Filey Comprehensive School Greenhouse!

By the time Mark was at Scarborough Sixth Form College, he and Toby met Bruce Dickinson via the college Jazz Band, in which Mark played trumpet.  This band "The Easy Band" was popular enough to play the famous Albert Hall in London.  However, Mark was realising the potential of "Mr Thrud" as they were now known, and soon all of his efforts were concentrated on rock bass playing, however he did manage to pass 3 A-Levels.

Mark is a practical person and consequently involved himself with the management of the band more than the others.  His ambitions are to live in a beach house "somewhere warm" and to headline Wembley Arena in London.  His favourite possessions are his Ray Bans and his leather jacket and he loves to drive (everyone else mad), eat, tour, sleep and watch movies.  His favourite bands are Aerosmith and the original Bad Company.  His most satisfying gig was at Cardiff St. David's Hall in March '91 on the Road Gods World Tour.

Since 1994...

The last I heard, Mark Plunkett continues to tour manage Boyzone and is Ronan Keating's manager.

He is married and has two little ones - a boy and a girl.