Ireland mourns Boyzone’s Stephen Gately

Many Irish women my age have daughters who were Boyzone fans. Houses around Ireland used to ring out with the voices of those teeny boppers singing “Don’t love me for fun, girl, Let me the one, girl”.  So there is a lot of sadness in Ireland this week about the death in Majorca of Stephen Gately. Today, there have been updates on the radio about arrangements for the funeral and there is tremendous sadness about the loss of a young man who was so well known and liked by so many people. This afternoon his body was brought back to Ireland accompanied by the other members of Boyzone.
Driving back from the handbag shopping trip that I blogged about earlier this afternoon, I listened to the lunchtime news talk to residents of Dublin’s North Inner City and Sheriff Street – where Mr Gately grew up. It is a tough neighbourhood and it’s been quite heartwarming to see its reputation transformed in the media over the last few days by the sheer goodness of ordinary people - friends and neighbour’s of the Gately family – who have been pulling together to clean up the area as a way of showing their respect.

Men and women have cleaned inside and outside the church (St Lawrence O’Toole) where the funeral is to take place tomorrow. Doors and railings were being painted today. The other members of Boyzone are to hold a vigil in the church tonight. You can’t help but be touched by the sadness and loss and by the honest, down-to-earth goodness of people who take on these simple and practical tasks to support their friends and neighbours. Death has the uncanny knack of bringing out the best in humanity. May Stephen rest in peace.