WARM TRIBUTES have been paid to the Boyzone singer Stephen Gately who died in Majorca on Saturday.
Investigators examining the death were pointing to it being the result of natural causes yesterday.
The 33-year-old Dubliner was found dead at a holiday apartment he shared with his partner Andy Cowles near Port Andratx in Majorca at around lunchtime.
A source close to the inquiry said foul play and suicide had virtually been ruled out and there was no evidence of drug use at the apartment where he was found dead. Police said they were keen to speak to a man who had been in the company of Mr Gately and Mr Cowles on Friday night, to help build up a picture of the singer’s final hours.
The postmortem will be held tomorrow, as today is a bank holiday in Spain.
“Mr Gately was found dead on a sofa in the living room and there were no signs of violence on his body or in the property or any evidence pointing to the death being the result of suicide or drug abuse,” the source said. “The most likely scenario being considered at the moment is that he died of natural causes.”
The singer had been socialising on Friday night and it appeared he had fell asleep on the living room sofa when he returned home.
“Many people, even young people, have died suddenly because of things like undetected heart problems so it’s obviously not something that can be ruled out in a case like this,” the source said.
Solicitor Gerald Kean, who is a friend of the Gately family, said they believed there was no foul play involved. “They’re devastated and they asked me to take calls for the moment. They’re just trying to come to terms with it,” he said.
He said the family hoped to have the body returned to Ireland by the end of the week, for the funeral in Dublin. “I believe that would be the case. That was Stephen’s wishes as well,” he said.
The official Boyzone website announced the death yesterday saying: “We are truly sorry to confirm that Stephen tragically died yesterday whilst on holiday, with his partner Andrew, in Majorca.”
In a statement, Boyzone members Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch said: “We are completely devastated by the loss of our friend and brother, Stephen. We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and were all looking forward to sharing many more.
“Stephen was a beautiful person in both body and spirit. He lit up our lives and those of the many friends he had all over the world. Our love and sympathy go out to Andrew and Stephen’s family. We love you and will miss you forever, ‘Steo’. ”
One of his last appearances in Ireland was when he attended former taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s book launch in Dublin on Thursday night. Speaking to the BBC Mr Ahern said Stephen Gately’s death was “a huge, huge tragedy”. He said the Gately family was in his constituency and he knew them. “Boyzone and Stephen have all been part of Irish life, and far wider than that, [for] the last 15 years . . . It’s so sad.”
Originally from Dublin’s Sheriff Street, he was born on March 17th, 1976. He joined Boyzone in 1993 after answering a newspaper advert. The band enjoyed massive success with six UK number one singles before splitting up in 2000. They came together last year for a reunion tour.
Gately enjoyed some success with a solo career before being dropped by his label in 2001. He went on to appear in various West End productions.
He announced that he was gay in 1999 and in 2006 he married his long-term partner Andrew Cowles in a civil partnership ceremony.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen said he was very sorry to hear of the death of the singer.
“Stephen Gately was a gifted young man with a talent for singing . . . his death at such a young age is both a personal and professional loss,” Mr Cullen said.
Boyzone manager Louis Walsh pulled out of last night’s X Factor live finals as a mark of respect.
Sir Elton John, who was friends with the singer, said he and his partner David Furnish were “stunned” by the death.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Emer Costello said Gately’s international success had lifted the entire north inner city community and described him as “an excellent role model and an idol for young people from the area”. Prayers were said for the singer’s family at St Laurence O’Toole church, near the family home in Dublin.