Gately family to hold private Mass in Sheriff Street church

STEPHEN GATELY’S Boyzone bandmates will today accompany the singer’s body back to Ireland from the Spanish island of Majorca where he died last weekend of natural causes.

The Gately family will hold a private Mass at St Laurence O’Toole Church on Sheriff Street in Dublin tonight, which is to be followed by a larger funeral service at noon tomorrow.

Bandmates Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy yesterday visited the church in Dublin’s north inner city to discuss arrangements with local priest Fr Declan Blake ahead of the service.

They will fly to Majorca this morning and later return the body of Gately (33) to his family.

Local volunteers were busy tidying up the grounds of the small church, which seats about 500 people, ahead of a funeral that is expected to attract thousands of Gately’s fans and friends, as well as a number of dignitaries.

After meeting the Boyzone members, their security team and Fr Blake at the church, Garda Chief Supt Pat Leahy said a management plan was being put in place for mourners, fans and the media. He said roads around the church would most likely be closed off for parts of this evening and tomorrow morning.

“We were all just looking at the situation and how we are going to manage it and how we can assist them,” he said. “We are expecting people to observe the sensitivities of the situation . . . We will also engage with people to facilitate whatever is required.”

Gately’s partner Andrew Cowles has asked that, instead of sending flowers, people make a donation to the Caudwell Children charity. – (Additional reporting: PA)