Ronan read this statement from Majorca today:
"Last Saturday, our world changed forever when we lost our friend and brother Stephen. We have come to Majorca today to accompany our pal on his final journey back to Dublin, where we know he will be given an unforgettable send off tomorrow. We'd like to thank the authorities here for their help and for the respect they have shown to our friend. Stephen and Andrew had chosen to make Majorca their second home and we know that Stephen loved the times they spent together here... The countless messages of love and support we have received this week have truly overwhelmed ourselves and the Gately family. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for each and every one of them. We would also like to thank the media for respecting our privacy this week and ask that you continue to do so tomorrow. Stephen lived to perform and truly loved being centre stage. You can be sure he's looking down on us now wishing we'd move over so he could flash his smile for the cameras one more time. What the future holds for the four of us now is too hard to even think about. But we know that nothing will ever be the same without our dearest friend, Stephen... rest in peace, brother."
According to reports, a number of people clocked a tattoo on Ronan's arm, which reads '76 09'. A source said: "Each of the band members - Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy and Mikey Graham - is understood to have had a memorial tattoo to their former colleague... The tattoos were done as a mark of respect for Stephen." It's anyone's guess as to where Shane's managed to fit his one.
Louis Walsh has confirmed that the foursome will stay in Dublin's St Laurence O'Toole church with his body overnight; according to Stephen's mother, "her son would not want to be alone." Walsh said: "They were like his four fathers and they are going to look after him and they're going to stay with him and we're going to give him the best send off ever on Saturday... I don't want to think he's actually gone. I still think he's going to walk in smiling."
