Dublin funeral for Boyzone's Gately
Updated on 17 October 2009
Celebrities, family and hundreds of fans of Boyzone star Stephen Gately gather in Dublin for his funeral.
His former bandmates kept a vigil beside his coffin overnight and sang at the service, which was attended by members of Westlife, Elton John's partner David Furnish and former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern.
Gately, who was 33, died of natural causes at his Majorca holiday home last week.
The remaining Boyzone members paid tribute to their friend during an emotional service, with Ronan Keating breaking down during his eulogy. The service was relayed on loudspeakers outside.
Gately's grief-stricken bandmates, Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy, last night carried his coffin into St Laurence O'Toole church near the star's family home in the capital's North Inner City, before spending the night at the church.
Hundreds lined the street outside the church, lighting candles on the chapel railings and leaving single red and white roses in memory of their hero.
Gately's parents Margaret and Martin, brothers Mark, Alan and Tony and devoted sister Michelle, his partner Andrew Cowles and Boyzone manager Louis Walsh supported each other during a short private prayer vigil at the chapel.
Gately was found dead on the sofa in his apartment in Port Andratx after a night out with Mr Cowles and friend Georgi Dochev.
A post mortem examination found he died from natural causes, the medical report recording pulmonary oedema or fluid on the lungs.
His body was flown home on a private plane with Mr Cowles and the remaining Boyzone members, who have had tattoos in honour of Gately with the letter "S" and dates "76 09" etched on their skin.
Timeline: Stephen Gately
1976: Stephen Patrick David Gately born on St Patrick's Day, 17 March, in Dublin and raised in the Sheriff Street area of the north inner city.
1993: Joins Boyzone after auditioning with 400 other hopefuls and makes an unforgettable television debut on Ireland's Late, Late Show. Over the next seven years they sell 11 million albums with hits including covers of the Osmonds' Love Me For A Reason, Tracy Chapman's Baby Can I Hold You and Cat Stevens' Father And Son.
1999: Gately, who lived in fear of being outed, reveals he is gay in an interview with The Sun.
2000: Boyzone break up and Gately goes solo. His album and single, A New Beginning, go into the top 10, with a version of Bright Eyes, recorded for a TV version of Watership Down (he also voices Blackavar in the film), and I Believe, for the soundtrack of Billy Elliot.
2001: Gately is dropped by his label Polydor.
2003: The West End beckons as he dons the dreamcoat in Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
2004: He plays the Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.
2005: Gately makes his pantomime debut as Dandini in Cinderella at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, south east London.
2006: Marries his partner Andrew Cowles in a civil ceremony in London.
2007: Boyzone reunite with an album planned for 2010.
2008: The band confirm plans for a full reunion tour and the first dates since they played Dublin's Point Depot in January 2000. The band also release compilation album Back Again... No Matter What.
2009: Gately is found dead on 10 October in the Majorca apartment he shared with husband Andrew Cowles. Thousands of fans and locals turn out in Dublin city for the star's funeral in St Laurence O'Toole's Church.
