It is sad the passing of anyone you may know and respect, but even so when they are just young and in the case of Stephen Gately a member of the Irish Band Boyzone just aged 33, but yesterday's Funeral in his home city of Dublin was most fitting to share grief but also celebrate the life of this young guy and what he loved so much music.
The Service was full of Music and also real words of comfort some from readings but also in the Eulogy from band member Ronan Keating, though his voice broke several times it was easy to see his words came from the heart and showed the love and respect they had for each other, describing Stephen as "a man, a friend, a brother, a son, a hero".
What is sad is the personal intrusion at such a time of grief from the media and one UK daily newspapers and a named regular columnist, who chose the day before the funeral to draw her own conclusions and to dissect Stephen's life and make judgements, even differing from the official post mortem which took place on the island of Majorca were he died, stating death was due to "natural causes". If anyone is going to Judge I accept that will only be One Person!
Having managed a Boy Band at the same time as Boyzone I also identify strongly even as a manager how you become Family and Brothers, that was shown with Stephen's mangers Louis Walsh and the four remaining band members, Ronan, Mikey, Shane and Keith yesterday. Boyzone featured in a TV documentary with the band I managed and we appeared with them in concert dates several times, two normal group of lads from similar backgrounds of Dublin and Liverpool. 
Stephen clearly enjoyed life, in the latter years he seemed to also find the happiness that he searched for, may he now find an even deeper Peace and Joy, may he now Rest in Peace
