FAMILY & FRIENDSFather : Gerry KeatingMother : Marie Keating Siblings : Linda, Ciaran, Gerard and Gary Keating Wife : Yvonne Connelly Children : Jack Ronan Keating and Marie Yvonne Keating GERRY KEATING : Wedding date : 10th February Profession : Ronan's father Gerry's jobs included that of a salesman for a bottling company. Other details : Ronan has vowed to be a more sensitive parent than his own tough father. MARIE KEATING : Wedding date : 10th February Date of death : 2nd February, 1998 Profession : A hair-dresser by profession, Marie opened up her own hair dressing salon when the family moved from the northside of Dublin to Dunshaughlin, a small town about 30 miled north of Dublin, in County Meath when Ronan was 13. Ronan worked in the salon doing odd jobs and cleaning on Saturdays for some pocket money. Other details : Being the youngest in the family, Ronan had always been very close to his 'mam'. It was big blow to him when she sadly passed away at the age of 51 on the 2nd of February, 1998 after a long battle with breast cancer . He took to drinking and it was the love and support of his wife which got him out of the hellish time. The Keating family has set up the Marie Keating Cancer Awareness Fund to help others suffering from the disease. Ronan on his mother : His blue eyes filled with tears as he talked about her : "She was my best friend and as time goes by it's not getting any easier to be without her. I keep my head up and work away and that's what keeps me going. I still feel she is close to me, every step of the way. Every move I make she's with me. I still talk to her and go down to the grave a lot to spend time with her." Ronan adds : "I was graced with her presence for 21 years of my life and anyone who met her, who had the honour to meet her, would say she was a wonderful woman. Words cannot express what she was to me, her warmth, her caring, her love, her laughter, her joy, her tears, her smiles - everything she did. I can't even begin to say I miss her terribly. I hope I can take from her and move on. Give back some of what she gave to me through helping others. That's very important - I think that's why we're here, really. To enjoy our lives the best we can and pass the message on. If I can be to people just a little bit of what she was to me, in some way I will feel that my life has been worthwhile." LINDA KEATING : Like brothers Gary and Gerard, Linda also lives in New York. If it wasn't for her, Ronan may never have been in the music business. When joining Boyzone meant quitting school, Ronan's parents were dead against the idea. It was Linda who convinced Ro to go for it, saying if things went horribly wrong he could always go back to night-school and study later. Joining the band was a once in a lifetime chance which he may later regret not taking. CIARAN KEATING : Birthday : 1st December GERARD KEATING : The athlete : Gerard won countless school and county competitions and went on to become the All Ireland Champion and European Junior Champion at 800 metres. He even won a scholarship to a university in New York. GARY KEATING : Birthday : 21st June, 1973 Other details : From amongst all his siblings, Gary was the closest to Ronan's age -- just 4 years older to him. They ended up sharing a room through their childhood years and musically Gary was a big influence on Ronan, even teaching him how to play the guitar. The two seemed to have a lot of brotherly fights, Ronan always ending up on the losing side. But it was these fights which toughened him up beyond his years and tought him to look after himself. YVONNE KEATING : Ronan married beautiful Irish model Yvonne Connelly on the Carribean island of Nevis in April, 1998, just a few monhs after his mother's sad demise. Yvonne has now given up modelling. JACK RONAN KEATING : Birthday : 15th March, 1999 Ronan and Yvonne's first born child, Jack has been names after Yvonne's grandfather. MARIE YVONNE KEATING : Birthday : 18th February, 2001 Ronan's second-born has been named after his mother. If you have any more information about Ronan's friends or family please send it in to [email protected] |