Editorial: It's alright to feel a little sad today

IT will be a very difficult day for many people as Gerry Ryan is laid to rest, not least for his family and close friends, but also for a nation that felt they knew him through the larger-than-life character voiced through radios in cars and homes all over the country.

Already this week we have seen an extraordinary outpouring of grief from many who never actually met the broadcaster but who nevertheless felt he was a friend.

For those many thousands of people it will be difficult to watch this day unfold. Many others who may not have been listeners or fans may find it difficult to understand this depth of feeling.

But it's important that people express these emotions and equally important that the rest of us recognise how genuine those emotions are. People can experience profound loss for many reasons and surely there is no better one than a mischievous man, with a twinkle in his voice, who actually touched more lives during his broadcast career than most.