onan Keating was left emotional as he dedicated his performance at Uptown Festival to his late brother Ciarán who died earlier this month.
Ciaran Keating, who was the older brother of the former Boyzone singer, died in a car crash in Co Mayo on July 15. His wife Annemarie was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Mayo University Hospital.
They had been travelling to watch son Ruairi play for Cork City Football Club.
Two weeks on, the Boyzone hitmaker returned to the stage for Sunday’s Uptown Festival, which featured an array of Magic radio stars, and told the crowd: “[I] Didn’t know if I was going to be here tonight or not.
Keating pictured with Ciarán weeks before his death
/ Instagram/Marie Keating Foundation“It’s been quite a time for our family, so thank you so much for giving me this moment. We’ll get through this together.”
The singer later performed his classic If Tomorrow Never Comes and ended the song by blowing a kiss towards the sky.
Keating bid an emotional farewell to his older brother as he served as pallbearer and performed a musical tribute at his funeral on July 20.
The Irish singer looked sombre as he helped carry his sibling’s coffin in to St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, Ireland for a funeral mass.
At the funeral service in the days after his brother’s death, Keating sang This Is Your Song, initially penned in memory of his mother Marie, who died of breast cancer in 1998.
Lyrics included: “You were our friend, walk with you till the end, and one day we’ll all sing along, ’cause this is your song.”
“I shouldn’t be singing it in these circumstances but we are and we will,” he told the service.
Keating’s Boyzone bandmate Keith Duffy was among those supporting the family at the funeral, and was one of the first to express his condolences on social media.
He shared fond memories of Keating coming on tour with the band, writing: “Ciaran from the early days you toured with us you were a great guide on our journey in the early days. You helped and supported us young innocent kids.
“Take your place in heaven buddy with your Mam Marie.”