Stephen Gately's mum 'so proud' at plan for inner city park to be named after son

Gately tragically died aged 33 in Spain

Sarah Slater

Plans are under way to name a park after the late Boyzone member Stephen Gately, who died almost 11 years ago.

Pending council approval, the six-hectare Royal Canal Linear Park, which opened 10 years ago, and runs alongside Spencer Dock, is to be renamed after the 33-year-old as he hailed from the area.

Gately died on October 10, 2009, at his holiday home in Majorca and was at the height of his fame with the chart-topping boyband.

His mother, Margaret, still lives in Sheriff Street where he grew-up.

Stephen's father Martin died three years ago.

The name change is to be proposed by Independent councillors Christy Burke and Anthony Flynn at today's Central Area Committee.

Gately with Boyzone bandmate Ronan Keating in 2000

"Stephen's mother Margaret has given her blessing for the park to be renamed after her son. She said she would love if that happened and would be so proud," Cllr Burke said.

Talent

"It's a move that shows the area never forgets all the talented people from here, past, present and future, such as singer/songwriter Luke Kelly and the [filmmaker] Sheridan brothers.

"I've absolutely no doubt my fellow councillors will back the name change as Stephen had a huge influence on the area," he added.

Gately and his partner Andrew Cowles had just arrived at their €1.2m apartment in the upmarket Majorca resort of Port d'Andratx, for a month-long working holiday when he died suddenly.

A post mortem examination found the singer died from natural causes and suffered acute pulmonary oedema - or fluid on the lungs - caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.

The Sheriff Street native was also an actor, children's writer and dancer, who, with Ronan Keating, was co-lead singer of the band.

All of Boyzone's studio albums during Gately's lifetime hit number one in the UK, their third being their most successful internationally.

With Boyzone, Gately had a record-breaking 16 consecutive singles enter the top five of the UK Singles Chart.

He performed for millions of fans globally.

He released a solo album in 2000, after the group's initial break-up, which charted in the UK top 10 and yielded three UK hit singles.

In 2008, he rejoined his colleagues as Boyzone reformed for a series of concerts as part of their Back Again... No Matter What Tour, as work on their fourth studio album, Brother, was under way.