Grieving Boyzone star Ronan Keating has performed a heartbreaking rendition of This Is Your Song in a moving tribute at his brother Ciaran’s funeral, before being consoled by his wife Storm.
Ronan, 46, was held tightly by Storm, 41, and hugged by loved-ones outside St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh, County Mayo, after they gathered to remember Ciaran who died in a horror car crash on Saturday.
During an emotional service and after helping to carry his brother’s coffin into the church, Ronan sang This Is Your Song during the mass after telling mourners: ‘I shouldn’t be singing it in these circumstances but we are and we will.’
The Irish singer said the ballad was written after their mother, Marie, died of cancer in 1998. The touching song includes the lyrics: ‘You were our friend, walk with you till the end, and one day we’ll all sing along, ’cause this is your song.’
Earlier, Ronan had appeared overcome with emotion as he carried Ciaran’s coffin into the church alongside his family while wearing a black suit and dark glasses.
Ciaran, who was 57 and has been described as ‘hero’ by his grieving family, died in a car crash in the rural county at the weekend while he was travelling with his wife Annemarie to watch their 28-year-old son Ruairí play football.
The father-of-three, from Louisburgh, suffered fatal injuries as he was travelling with Annemarie on the N5 near Swinford, County Mayo, on a stretch of road known as a black-spot for accidents. His wife was injured in the crash.
Ronan Keating made a moving tribute to his late brother Ciaran as he performed This Is Your Song at his funeral
Grieving Ronan Keating was consoled by his wife Storm outside St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, after the funeral of his brother Ciaran
Ronan Keating (centre middle right) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating out of St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh after his funeral today. Ciaran’s son Ruairí (behind Ronan) was also among the pallbearers
Ronan Keating (centre middle left) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating towards St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh,
The pallbearers were followed by a crowd of mourners, including members of Cork City FC, which Ciaran’s son Ruairi plays for, as well as representatives of the Marie Keating Foundation cancer charity
Ciaran Keating (left), was 57 and from Louisburgh, Ireland. Pictured: The Keating family including Ronan (right), his father Gerry (second from right) and sister Linda (second from left)
Ronan Keating is pictured with his older brother Ciaran
Ronan Keating is hugged by a loved one while his wife Storm (right) looks on outside St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh following the funeral service
Ronan’s Boyzone bandmate Keith Duffy outside St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh after Ciaran’s funeral on Thursday
Before singing, Ronan paid a tearful tribute to Ciaran’s three children – Conall, Ruairi and Aisling – and said they had made their father ‘very proud’.
He told mourners: ‘As a parent all you want to do is raise your children as best you can, Ciaran and Annemarie have done a spectacular job – three incredible human beings. Your strength over the past few days has been incredible and you’ve done your dad very proud.’
Ciaran’s grieving son Ruari, 28, said during the service that his father was the family’s ‘hero’ and their ‘rock and leader’.
Ronan was joined at the funeral mass by his wife Storm and his three children, Jack, Missy and Ali.
He supported his heartbroken father Gerry, who paid tribute to his late son and described how hearing that he had died in a car crash ‘was the worst news I got in my life’.
Gerry Keating told those gathered about Ciaran’s childhood, his time playing football in his teenage years, and his love for his wife Annemarie. Ronan came to the altar to console his father as he became overcome with emotion.
‘On the Saturday (that Ciaran died) I was waiting for the text or the message. I got the message at quarter past eight, I got the bad news, and it was the worst news I got in my life,’ Gerry said, his voice cracking with emotion.
Ciaran’s heartbroken son, Conall, who appeared in the Irish soap opera Fair City, began his eulogy by stating that his grandmother was watching from heaven.
‘My dad gave his most difficult speech 25 years ago when he spoke about his beloved mother, and now I must give the most difficult speech about my beloved dad,’ he said.
Ciaran, who was a grandfather to Bobbie May, Reggie, Archie T and Sonnie, will be missed by all who knew him, Conall said.
Conall said: ‘He has been taken from us far too soon, our lives have been changed forever and our hearts are broken.’
‘The kids deserved to have him in their lives much, much longer and he was looking forward to it.
‘We wanted to go to an F1 with him, I wanted him to show me how to build a deck, Ruairi asked him to be best man at his wedding because he was his best friend and he had so much golf left to play.
‘This is not what we expected, we are heartbroken. We’ll miss his laugh. I wish we had more time. I love you, we love you.’
He concluded the eulogy: ‘He was a great man and I am honoured to call him my dad.
‘He will be remembered forever and carried with us or the rest of our lives.’
The funeral service was performed by Father Mattie Long at St Patrick’s Church, Louisburgh in Mayo.
Fr Long said the single rose laid on the coffin was from the rose bush planted by Ciaran and his wife on the birth of their first grand-child.
He also extended the community’s sympathy to the family at the ‘void’ left by Ciaran’s death.
Boyzone star Ronan Keating (second left) was among the pallbearers who carried the coffin of his older brother Ciaran to his funeral service in Ireland after he died in a horror car crash
Ronan Keating (centre middle left) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating towards St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh for his funeral on Thursday
Earlier, Ronan had appeared overcome with emotion as he carried Ciaran’s coffin into the church alongside his family while wearing a black suit and dark glasses
Ronan Keating (centre middle left) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating towards St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh for his funeral on Thursday
An emotional Ronan carried his brother Ciaran’s coffin through Louisburgh towards the church ahead of his funeral service on Thursday
Former Ireland rugby player Shane Byrne (right) outside St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, after the funeral of Ciaran Keating
Ronan Keating and his brother Ciaran (left) pictured at a charity event earlier in July
The crash came 24 hours before Ruairí’s 28th birthday. The forward has played for Irish teams Sligo Rovers and Galway United as well as English side Torquay United
‘Today we are struggling to make sense of an accident that has suddenly taken Ciaran from his wife Annemarie, from you, his family and friends,’ he said.
‘Today as a community, we offer our sympathy, we offer our prayers.
‘But we know that for now and for a long time to come they won’t really ease your pain.
‘A person who was so full of life and humour and fun and energy, energy for living is gone from us.
‘And there is now a void, an emptiness that only pain and tears seem to fill.’
The entrance song, Amazing Grace, was performed by Ronan’s nephew Josh Keating, whose dad is Gary, another of Ronan’s brothers.
A tanker, a golf club, a Leeds United jersey, a barbecue spatula and a family picture were among the items brought to the altar to signify Ciaran’s life.
Earlier, Ronan had carried his brother’s coffin while being followed by a crowd of mourners, including members of Cork City FC, which Ciaran’s son Ruairi plays for.
Representatives of the Marie Keating Foundation cancer charity, which the Keating family set up in tribute to their late mother, also attended the service to pay their respects.
The Irish singer had ‘dropped everything’ to rush back to comfort his family in Ireland as soon as he had heard Ciaran had been killed in the car crash at the weekend – just a day before his son Ruairi’s 28th birthday.
A friend of the Boyzone and The One Show star said he is ‘absolutely devastated’ but ‘trying to stay strong for the sake of his family’, while his former bandmate Keith Duffy and other stars have paid personal tributes to his late brother.
Ciaran, a car salesman, and his wife had been driving to watch their son play for Cork City in a League of Ireland match with Sligo Rovers, when their car collided with another vehicle on Sunday afternoon.
Ronan Keating (centre middle left) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating towards St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh on Thursday
Ronan Keating was seen carrying his brother’s coffin ahead of the funeral service in Louisburgh on Thursday
Ronan Keating (centre middle left) helps carry the coffin of his brother Ciaran Keating today
Ronan helps carry his brother’s coffin while being followed by mourners in Louisburgh on Thursday
The driver of the other vehicle is said to be receiving treatment for serious injuries while Annemarie, a secondary school teacher, was treated for injuries which are understood to be non-life threatening at Mayo University Hospital.
Ciaran and Ronan, who have three other siblings, lost their mother Marie to cancer in 1998. The family went on to set up the Marie Keating foundation in her honour.
As news emerged of the crash, Ronan’s Boyzone bandmate Keith Duffy shared a heartfelt tribute to Ciaran.
The former Coronation Street actor said: ‘I can’t comprehend the loss and devastation of My brother @rokeating and all the Keating family. All my family are praying and thinking of our Keating family right now.
‘Ciaran from the early days you toured with us, you were a great guide on our journey in the early days. You helped and supported us young innocent kids.
‘Take your place in heaven buddy with your Mam Marie.’
Former EastEnders actor Sean Maguire was one of the many to comment of Keith’s moving post, writing: ‘Oh no. How awful. Ciaran was a sweetheart. He was such fun… loved the guy. Sending love to you & the Keating’s.’
Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova and BBC presenter Gethin Jones also shared their condolences to the Keating family.
According to The Sun, a friend of Ronan’s said: ‘It’s the phone call no one wants to take about their loved ones. Ronan dropped everything as soon as he heard the devastating news.
‘He is trying to stay strong for the sake of the family and is doing everything he can to support his sister-in-law and his nephews.’
The pallbearers were followed by a crowd of mourners, including members of Cork City FC, which Ciaran’s son Ruairi plays for, as well as representatives of the Marie Keating Foundation cancer charity
Hundreds of mourners waited outside the church to pay their respects today
Mourners watch as Ciaran’s coffin is taken into the church
Ciaran Keating (left) is pictured with Ronan (right) and Ronan’s son Jack (middle)
Ciaran suffered fatal injuries as he was travelling at around 3.35pm with his wife in County Mayo
The crash came just days before soccer player Ruairí’s 28th birthday. The footballer started the match for Cork against Sligo Rovers, but was taken off at halftime.
The forward has played for Sligo Rovers and Galway United, as well as English side Torquay United.
Ciarán was involved in the licensed pub trade in the village of Lecanvey, a seaside village, about six kilometres from Westport.
Ronan Keating rose to stardom in the 1990s as a member of boyband Boyzone, which became one of the best-selling acts of its era.
He later embarked on a successful solo music career and has presented numerous radio and TV programmes.
Keating guest-presented BBC’s The One Show before becoming a main presenter, in May 2021.
It was announced last month that the star has been booked as a coach on the 13th series of The Voice of Germany.
Ronan’s group Boyzone have had nine No 1 singles in Ireland and six in the UK. Of the 24 singles they released in the UK, 21 entered the top 40. Ronan has had three solo No 1 singles and four No 1 albums in the UK charts.
Boyzone star Ronan, 46, is believed to have rushed to Ireland to be with the family following the tragedy concerning his brother (fourth from the left). Pictured: A family photo shared by Ronan to celebrate his dad’s 80th birthday in 2020
Ronan Keating and Storm Keating attend the Grand Reveal Weekend for Atlantis The Royal, Dubai’s new ultra-luxury hotel on January 21
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