His bandmates will fly to Majorca on Friday to bring his body home. I am so sad to hear that you are no longer with us. Then he broke down, his voice audibly cracking across the tinniness of the loudspeaker. Stephen Gately funeral. Stephen's … "They could have had the funeral in London or New York or Los Angeles," said Jimmy, a 50-year-old roadie. His parents followed, their faces blurred with grief as they walked numbly out into the afternoon light. The group split suddenly following a string of performances in Dublin's Point Theatrein 2000. Before the hit singles and record deals, before the sell-out tours and worldwide fame, Stephen Gately was an ordinary man from Dublin. "That was so sweet and unexpected," says Lynne, eyes shaded by the rim of a black trilby embroidered with the years of Gately's birth and death, 1976-2009. Yesterday the city gathered to say goodbye to one of its best-loved sons. But it will never be the same.". Stephen-Gately.org is a fansite designed to remember the wonderful and talented artist, performer, songwriter, actor, author and all around amazing human being Stephen Gately. Stephen Edward Gately, 56, of Fort Smith, died September 2, 2015 in Fort Smith. "But they chose to have it here. He was born September 10, 1958 in Fort Smith to Glenn Edward and Thelda Loree Bowman Gately. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images It is a close-knit, working class community and looks after its own: the day before Gately's funeral, a group of residents cleaned the area around the church, weeding, picking up litter and hosing down the streets. : Put new text under old text. If you need help finding the right words, view our, "Stephen,I just learned of your passing and I am so sad to hear this.My prayers for you and the band members that are so loved by me.When I listened to "No matter what"I fell in love with all of you! Thirty-three years later, it seemed far too early for Mrs Dowling to be witnessing his funeral. Gately's death from pulmonary oedema while on holiday in Mallorca with his civil partner, Andrew Cowles, sent ripples of shock through a community that loved him without question. PORT D'ANDRATX, Mallorca (AP) - Stephen Gately, a singer with the Irish boy band Boyzone who made headlines when he came out as gay a decade ago, has … The loudest welcome was reserved for members of the boyband Westlife and Louis Walsh, the Boyzone manager and X-Factor judge, who last week described Gately as his "best friend". We could hear his tears and ragged breaths and could sense the shattered fragments of his grief. City welcomes famous faces to say last goodbye to much-loved son, Band members including Ronan Keating carry the coffin of Stephen Gately in Dublin after the funeral of the Boyzone singer. 17 October 2009 • 15:45 pm . As the 550 mourners filed into the church, people piled into neighbours' houses and hung out of the windows brandishing digital cameras. Youll aways be in my heart and prayers. Stephen Gately’s distraught bandmates broke down today as they paid tribute to the singer, describing him as a giant of a man and now the perfect angel. 14 October 2009 • … But it was the eulogy, delivered by all four remaining bandmates – Keating, Keith Duffy, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham – that delivered the biggest emotional punch. ; New to Wikipedia? By the time Boyzone … A fine farewell: Ireland's send-off to Stephen Gately The famous of the music industry mingled with those who had known him all his life at an emotional funeral service for the Boyzone star You will be in my heart forever and never...", "I am 58yrs old, male, married to a beautiful woman,i just discovered boyzone,and Gately was boyzones life", "Godspeed Stephen, and thank you for sharing a part of your life with us. You will aways be amoung us NO MATTER WHAT", "r.i.p. His parents, Margaret and Martin, a former painter and decorator, still live in the North Strand; when Gately tried to buy his mother a bigger house in a better part of town, she refused to move. Boyzone's first success outside Ireland was when the song "Love Me for a Reason" reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1995. A trickle of famous faces emerged into the unseasonal sunlight, sporting sunglasses and serious expressions to be surreally greeted by cheers and whoops. The group became known in Ireland after an infamous appearance on The Late Late Show that year, which presenter Gay Byrne dismissed—although he later concluded: "They certainly had the last laugh on us". Jason Donovan took a few seconds to read the messages stapled to cellophaned bunches of flowers. Stephen Gately's grieving relatives said they felt ''vindicated'' after a judge ruled the Boyzone singer died of natural causes. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family Again and again, you hear him spoken of as "an ordinary Dub" – the affectionate nickname given to the city's residents – because although Gately travelled the world, he never forgot where he came from. From the early hours of the morning, the mourners appeared. In pictures - Stephen Gately's funeral Family and friends gathered at St Laurence O' Toole Church in Dublin to pay an emotional tribute to former Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, who died last week. At Gately’s funeral, Keating revealed that Stephen gave his bandmates women’s names as nicknames. Her neat, red-brick house overlooks the St Laurence O'Toole Roman Catholic church where Gately was baptised. The tragedy sent shockwaves across Ireland and the UK, leaving Stephen’s bandmates, Ronan, Keith Duffy, Michael Graham and Shane Lynch, who acted as pall bearers at the Dublin man’s funeral, absolutely devastated. Ronan Keating has revealed he and his fellow Boyzone bandmates slept in the church with Stephen Gately the night before the tragic star’s funeral. As the church bells rang, sleek cars with black-tinted windows started to pull up outside. At 1.30pm, the coffin was carried out of St Laurence's on the shoulders of Gately's bandmates and placed in the hearse that would take him on to the Glasnevin cemetery. It was created to help anyone learn about him, his life and career as well as for fans to continue to enjoy and share Stephen… The crowd broke into spontaneous applause, willing him on. There were no smiles, no acknowledgement of the crowd. Sat, 17 Oct, 2009 - 17:12 efore the hit singles and record deals, before the sell-out tours and worldwide fame. Ask questions, get answers. Stephen Edward Gately, 56, of Fort Smith, died September 2, 2015 in Fort Smith. 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