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Death of Gerry Ryan

October 20, 2023

RTÉ broadcaster Gerry Ryan died on 30 April 2010, aged 53. Ryan had been presenting The Gerry Ryan Show since 1988 and at the time of his death had the largest audience on RTÉ 2fm.[1][2] Ryan also hosted several television series, including Secrets, Gerry Ryan Tonight, Ryantown, Gerry Ryan's Hitlist and Operation Transformation and Ryan Confidential, as well as one edition of The Late Late Show in 2008. Ryan co-presented the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú. He died sixteen years later at his Upper Leeson Street apartment in Dublin, with his body found by his partner Melanie Verwoerd. The broadcaster had split from his wife Morah in 2008; the couple had five children together.

Gerry Ryan at the opening of the Grand Canal Theatre in March 2010

Ryan's death provoked tributes from politicians, colleagues and ordinary people alike, culminating in a mass outpouring of public and private sympathy as thousands of people queued over several days to sign books of condolence at RTÉ's radio centre and the Mansion House. The media and psychotherapists compared this to public reaction following the deaths of Michael Jackson and Diana, Princess of Wales.[3][4][5] His death was spoken in terms such as "practically br[inging] Ireland to a standstill",[6] having "a seismic effect on Irish society"[7] and having "shocked the Irish nation".[8] The Irish Times reported that its website had the biggest traffic spike since its launch following Ryan's death.[9] Google said it was the most searched story of the year in the country.[10]

It subsequently emerged, following an inquest in December 2010, that the broadcaster was a heavy alcohol drinker and cocaine user,[11] and that cocaine was a contributory factor in his death.[12] This led to comparisons, including from broadcaster Marian Finucane[13] and drugs minister Pat Carey,[14] with the 2007 death of model Katy French. According to journalist Kevin Myers, Ryan's usage of cocaine surprised many of those who mourned his sudden death and, he said, this realisation of double standards has upset much of the public.[15] RTÉ admitted that it had censored coverage of Ryan's cocaine habit.[16]

A media debate on the ethics of both journalism and Twitter, through which many people discovered Ryan had died, ensued after his death.[9][17][18][19] The manner in which some RTÉ personalities reported the death led to RTÉ bringing in new rules on how its stars should use Twitter.[20][21] Ryan's funeral on 6 May 2010 was broadcast live online and to his listeners on RTÉ 2fm, marking the first time in its history that the predominantly musical station aired a Mass. The ceremony included performances from both U2 and Westlife. Ryan was buried privately at Dardistown Cemetery in Cloghran. Several posthumous lifetime achievement awards have since been collected by the Ryan family on behalf of Gerry.[22][23]

Death Edit

On the night prior to his death Ryan telephoned his radio producer, Alice O'Sullivan, to tell her he would not be able to broadcast The Gerry Ryan Show the following morning.[24][25] He said he was "feeling drained" but insisted that he did not require a doctor.[26]

On the morning of his death Ryan did not present his radio show.[25][27][28] Fiona Looney presented instead,[24] making the ironic comment to Colm Hayes when asked if she was ready: "Not really because I got a call at ten to seven this morning, and I always presume somebody's died... and then I presumed Gerry had died because the phone call was from his producer. But he isn't totally dead, he's hanging on".[29] Meanwhile, musician Jerry Fish travelled to Dublin from his County Carlow home to rehearse the song "All the Time in the World" which he and Ryan were scheduled to perform at the National Concert Hall on 5 May as part of a Mooney special.[24] He noticed Ryan's absence and Looney's presence on the radio show and was concerned at his inability to contact the former.[24]

Ryan's partner, Melanie Verwoerd, also noticed his absence from the radio and found herself unable to get through to him via telephone.[25] She went to his flat in Leeson Street Upper, Dublin 4, arriving at 12:30 to break and enter with the assistance of a builder located nearby.[25] They found Ryan dead on the bedroom floor of his Leeson Street flat.[27][28][30][31] There was no visible indication that a crime had been committed or that Ryan had deliberately killed himself.[25] Emergency services were called and the flat was sealed off as the media gathered outside.[25] A doctor entered the flat at approximately 15:00 and spent 20 minutes inside before leaving, with Ryan's body being taken away at a later stage.[25]

RTÉ delayed announcing the death until Ryan's family were told.[32] The death was already being discussed on Twitter and had been announced on Newstalk.[32] Rumours about Ryan's death spread online, though the news remained unconfirmed for a time.[33] Rick O'Shea posted several Twitter messages, including "Am attempting to verify the Gerry Ryan story doing the rounds... Calm heads lads...", followed by "Can anyone tell me where the Gerry Ryan story is coming from?" then, finally, "Jesus".[33] Miriam O'Callaghan tweeted the previous hour — "Tragically it is true. So terribly shocking and sad. Life is just too cruel sometimes. RIP." — before deleting it but not before TV3 picked up on it for their News@5:30 bulletin.[32][33] They also noted a message from Today FM's Ian Dempsey, formerly a colleague of Ryan at RTÉ 2fm, which stated: "Gerry Ryan RIP – shocking news just breaking – a big loss to radio and Ireland".[33] An online war was also breaking out during the afternoon between rival journalists, including Matt Cooper, Frank Fitzgibbon and Adrian Weckler.[33] Rival radio station Dublin's 98 placed a video on YouTube of Ryan's corpse being taken from his apartment and driven away in an ambulance.[33]

The Ryan family issued the following statement through RTÉ: "Gerry Ryan died today. Morah and his children are in complete shock. Please respect their privacy at this time".[27] RTÉ informed Fish that Ryan had died, with the musician promising to perform the song anyway as a tribute.[24]

Response Edit

Politicians Edit

Ryan's death attracted tributes from politicians, including the President and several taoisigh. Mary McAleese said Ryan "was an extraordinarily talented broadcaster whose unique communication skills and larger than life persona entertained and enlivened a national audience over many years. His untimely death will be widely mourned, by his colleagues at RTÉ and his many fans, but most especially by his family and friends who are in my thoughts and prayers".[34][35] Taoiseach Brian Cowen issued a statement saying he was "deeply saddened" at the death of an "informed and intelligent, forthright and articulate" broadcaster, that "Gerry was a household name and a broadcaster of immense talent and popularity", and describing Ryan as "one of the greats of modern Irish broadcasting on radio and television".[34][35]

Minister for Culture Mary Hanafin said Ryan had "stretched and extended boundaries of radio broadcasting in Ireland" with his "legendary" existence and "comfortable personal style with interviewees".[34] She later queued with members of the public to sign her name in a book of condolence at RTÉ's radio centre.[36] Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley paid tribute. "Gerry's ability as a broadcaster to take both the serious and light hearted stories was second to none. His good humour concealed a keen intellect and a commitment to straight journalism – he was a fair and accurate commentator".[34] Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan was "very saddened".[34]

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny spoke of his "deep shock and regret" and "recognise[d] the enormous contribution Gerry Ryan has made to broadcasting in Ireland and to the development of Irish society as a whole over the last 25 years".[34] Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern expressed his regret at the loss of "a giant of Irish broadcasting".[34] There were other tributes from the Labour Party communications spokesman Liz McManus, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, Seán Haughey and Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello.[34][37]

Media Edit

 
Newsflash on RTÉ 2fm (30 April 2010)
Gerry Ryan's sudden death was officially announced during Larry Gogan's show on RTÉ 2fm.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

International media across several continents reported on Ryan's death, including BBC News, The Boston Globe, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Herald Sun, The New Zealand Herald, Sky News, Thaindian News, The Times of Malta, The Vancouver Sun and The Washington Post among others.[38]

Many of Ryan's RTÉ colleagues "struggled to hold back their tears on air" as they learned of his sudden death.[37]

Gay Byrne, describing Ryan's death as a "terribly frightening thing", said he would remember the broadcaster as being "full of fun and hilarity and pure bloody devilment".[39] Larry Gogan described Ryan as "the rock of 2fm" on Drivetime.[39] Dave Fanning said that Ryan "revolutionised broadcasting in Ireland would be a very small way of putting it".[39] Liveline presenter Joe Duffy was reported by The Irish Times to have "choked back tears live on air" on the afternoon of Ryan's death.[39]

UK broadcaster Chris Evans said Ryan was "absolutely one of the best broadcasters in the world. Fabulous, fabulous communicator. Very sad to hear he has left us. He really was the cream of our radio crop".[28][39] The presenter had written about Ryan in his autobiography after being converted to him whilst in Killarney and was inspired to return to radio.[40] Evans expressed his gratitude on Eamon Dunphy's Newstalk radio show.[41]

The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland said "A great voice has been lost to Irish radio and the entire industry is deeply saddened to lose one of Ireland's most professional broadcasters".[34]

On RTÉ Radio 1, The Marian Finucane Show's presenter opened her Saturday radio show by reminiscing on how Ryan used to discuss the morning newspapers.[42] Today with Pat Kenny opened the following Monday with the presenter describing "an ache at the heart of everything we do" and expressing his "happ[iness] for my part to canonise him in the hierarchy of broadcasting greats".[43]

Quentin Fottrell, radio reviewer with The Irish Times, said "The tributes on all radio stations to Gerry Ryan were a testament to his 20-plus years presenting the morning show on RTÉ 2FM and the powerful presence this most unassuming of mediums has in the lives of ordinary people. Whether or not you knew him personally or were a regular listener, it was difficult not be moved by the thousands of messages".[42]

RTÉ delayed the launch of their new season schedule by 24 hours as it clashed with the date of Ryan's funeral.[44] Among the changes was the axing of long-running holiday programme No Frontiers, which presenter Kathryn Thomas knew about for several days but did not speak of in public.[45]

Hot Press featured Ryan on the cover of the issue published after his death.[46]

The Late Late Show Edit

See also: The Late Late Show (season 48)

"There was such sorrow that I had to go home after I found out. I knew I couldn't do The Late Late Show straight away and that I had to go home to cry myself out in case I did something silly like breaking down on live telly".

– Ryan Tubridy temporarily walked out of RTÉ amid his grief for his friend and colleague.[47]

The Late Late Show was due to be broadcast on RTÉ One on the night of Ryan's death, a Friday. A tribute sequence was arranged between the news breaking of Ryan's death and the programme's broadcast.[48] Presenter Ryan Tubridy expressed his grief on air by saying the "country has lost a great broadcaster and I have lost a great friend" and compared the RTÉ radio centre to "Hamlet without the prince".[39][49] Tributes on the show came from, among others, Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny, Joe Duffy, Dave Fanning, Brenda Donohue and David Blake Knox.[39][47] Kenny expressed his belief that Ryan "with Mr Wogan and Mr Byrne, you are the holy trinity as far as I'm concerned".[50] Duffy wondered about a comment Ryan had made during an interview with Heather Mills which had been broadcast the night before, in which he had said he had "two artic truckloads full of regrets".[51]

The tribute led to The Late Late Show's highest audience ratings of 2010.[47]

Grease actress Stockard Channing, a guest on that night's edition of The Late Late Show, spoke of feeling like she had interrupted "a stranger's funeral" as audience members were still in tears when she arrived. Channing alleged that no death in her native United States would receive such an emotional reaction.[52]

Tribute shows Edit

Two tribute shows were broadcast by RTÉ 2fm on the Saturday and the Tuesday following Ryan's death. Evelyn O'Rourke, who worked on The Gerry Ryan Show for eight years, presented what was her first broadcast since the birth of her baby.[53] It was titled A Special Programme: Remembering Gerry Ryan.[42] On the first show Bono and The Edge said Ryan was the "nation's weather vane" and a "great analyst of the country's affairs".[37] There were contributions from Philip Boucher-Hayes and Brenda Donohue and 16 July 1992 interview with rape victim Lavinia Kerwick, considered an important moment in the show's history.[42] The public requested another programme so RTÉ duly obliged and O'Rourke presented again on 4 May in Ryan's old morning slot.[43] The second show featured contributions from, among others, Marty Whelan, who said Ryan still had some vinyl albums belonging to him.[54]

A television documentary on the life of Ryan was also announced.[55]

Other public figures Edit

U2 manager Paul McGuinness appeared on The Marian Finucane Show on 1 May to say "The whole country is in mourning now. The country was in love with him".[37]

Writer John Banville said he was "very much like an 18th century wit. He was very funny, but he was also very witty and there's a difference. His humour, which really appealed to me was very much language-based, he was alive to the comic possibilities of language, and the ambiguity of language".[37]

Comedian Dara Ó Briain said: "Very sad news about Gerry Ryan. How long did he do that show? Twenty, 25 years? That is some achievement. Condolences to his family".[56]

Chef Richard Corrigan said: "He was a natural and incredibly entertaining bon viveur. My wife Maria and I listen to him every day and we are both terribly saddened with this news".[56]

Hollywood actor Colin Farrell described Ryan's death as a "great loss to the Irish people".[54]

British publicist Max Clifford said Ryan would have been as famous as Terry Wogan or Graham Norton if he had worked in the UK.[57]

Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole missed a party to comfort Louis Walsh in the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin.[58]

Heather Mills emailed the following message to David Blake Knox on 1 May: "I only had the honour of meeting Gerry once, but I felt as if I had known him longer. He put you at ease immediately and opened up about himself – very rare in an interviewer. My heart goes out to his family, whom he obviously adored, and did not stop talking about. I'm sure he will be sorely missed, remembered, cherished and honoured".[59]

Public Edit

1,300 people honoured Ryan with a minute of silence after his death was announced during a talent contest in Ibiza, with a TG4 TV crew who were filming the event also capturing this moment.[60]

Nearly 20,000 people visited a Facebook tribute page in the first hours of the news.[61] By the end of the weekend at least 40,000 people had signed the Facebook page and thousands of e-mails and texts were delivered to RTÉ 2fm.[51]

RTÉ announced its radio centre at its headquarters at Montrose in Donnybrook would open on 1 May from 12:00 until 18:00, to give people an opportunity to sign a book of condolence in Ryan's memory.[61] Hundreds of people of all ages and from all backgrounds queued in extreme weather conditions to sign the book, located on a table beside a black-and-white photograph of the broadcaster inside a black frame and a card from RTÉ broadcaster Joe Duffy with the message: "You are the best and the brightest".[37][53][62][63] The Irish Times suggested 2,000 people signed their name that day.[36] The public queued again at the radio centre for the same time period the following day, with The Irish Times saying 1,000 had signed their names on this day.[36][37] The newspaper later said more than 4,000 people had signed books of condolence at the RTÉ radio centre.[64] More than 7,000 texts and Twitter messages sent in by the public were later left beside the books by RTÉ.[65]

More books of condolence was then opened by Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello at the Mansion House from noon on 3 May for a three-day period, with people queuing as early as one hour before the building opened.[51][64] Signatories included comedian Brendan O'Carroll, Fianna Fáil politician Seán Haughey, social activist Stanislaus Kennedy (Sister Stan), Ryan's agent Noel Kelly and broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, who queued "as a listener and a friend".[64][66] O'Carroll compared the death to his discovery as a child that Nelson's Pillar had been blown up.[67] There were addresses from across the island, including Northern Ireland.[4] Many left in tears.[4]

By the day of the funeral, the number of people to have signed books of condolence for Ryan had reached 10,000, according to The Irish Times.[68]

Ryan's family requested that any member of the public wishing to send flowers might make a charitable donation in his memory instead.[69]

Post-mortem and wake Edit

The media gathered outside the Ryan family home even before the body had been released to the family. The gathering was good-natured in tone; journalists were even fed by Ryan's family.[70]

An autopsy on Ryan's body took place on 4 May at Dublin City Morgue in Marino.[36][43] It was delayed by one day as Ryan's death clashed with a bank holiday weekend and there was no desire to take advantage of his high-profile status, according to a family spokesperson.[51] She also said the family believed Ryan had undergone "a massive heart attack".[51]

Later that day the funeral arrangements were announced, with RTÉ confirming the funeral would be broadcast on RTÉ 2fm.[71][72] This marked the first occasion on which Mass was broadcast on the predominantly music station in its history, with Head of 2fm John McMahon calling it "an unprecedented situation".[73] RTÉ.ie and a webcam on the parish's website also broadcast the funeral.[73]

Ryan's body received a traditional Irish wake,[74][75] reposing at the family home on Castle Avenue in Clontarf on the night of 4 May.[71][73] Bouquets were donated by the public and some neighbours came along.[76] The Irish Independent's front page on 5 May featured Ryan's return to his family home inside his coffin,[77] while the funeral also made the front page of the newspaper.[78] A private wake was held at Castle Avenue on the afternoon of 5 May.[71][73] Notable attendees included former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Pat Kenny, who landed on his motorcycle, and Dave Fanning, who brought along some of Ryan's favourite music.[79]

Funeral Edit

Those attending the funeral queued from 10:00 on 6 May, whilst hundreds of ordinary people gathered several hours ahead of the hearse's arrival to weep, talk and clutch sympathetic banners and photographs of the broadcaster.[1][80] The staff of RTÉ were ferried in buses to the scene.[80] Politicians present included President McAleese,[1] former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds,[81] Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello,[81] Minister for Health Mary Harney and Brian Geoghegan,[80] Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan,[80] Conor Haughey and Seán Haughey,[80] Richard Bruton,[81] and Senator David Norris.[80] Other dignitaries present included the Acting Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Major-General David Ashe, and the chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland, John Delaney.[81] Famous personalities present included broadcasters Mark Cagney,[82] Joe Duffy,[81] Marian Finucane,[80] Larry Gogan,[80] John Kelly,[81] Pat Kenny,[80] Fiona Looney,[81] Aonghus MacAnally,[80] Hector Ó hEochagáin,[80] Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh,[81] Gráinne and Síle Seoige,[80] Ryan Tubridy,[80] Marty Whelan,[81] and Director-General of RTÉ Cathal Goan and former RTÉ director-general Bob Collins,[80] as well as designer John Rocha,[80] promoter John Reynolds,[80] Hot Press editor Niall Stokes,[80] celebrity solicitor Gerald Kean, developer Harry Crosbie,[81] comedian Brendan Grace, chef Derry Clarke,[81] singer Linda Martin,[81] TV presenter Craig Doyle,[81] The Afternoon Show's Maura Derrane and Sheana Keane,[82] music manager and TV talent judge Louis Walsh,[1] Boyzone member Keith Duffy,[81] musician Sharon Corr,[83] entertainer Twink[81] model Glenda Gilson,[82] and Riverdance founders Moya Doherty and John McColgan.[81] Rival Today FM broadcasters Ray D'Arcy (whose radio show aired during the same hours as Ryan's), Ian Dempsey and Tony Fenton were also present.[80][82] One notable absentee was veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne who was abroad on "a long-standing arrangement to leave Ireland on Monday morning which I couldn't break".[84] A man who resembled Elvis Presley stood outside the church, posing for photographs and holding a photograph of Ryan.[85]

The funeral commenced at 11:30 at the small St John the Baptist on Clontarf Road, located approximately 750 metres from Castle Avenue and where his marriage and the funeral of his mother had both taken place.[71][73] Hundreds of people were present.[80] Chief mourners were Ryan's wife Morah Ryan, from whom he was estranged, and her children Lottie, Rex, Bonnie, Elliot and Babette, whilst Verwoerd was also seated prominently.[86] Babette clutched a teddy bear.[87] Father Michael Collins, who often appeared as a religious correspondent – "the Gerry Ryan padre and friend of this parish" – on The Gerry Ryan Show, was the chief celebrant.[73] Speakers were erected to allow outsiders to hear proceedings and traffic diversions had to be initiated.[68][71]

The coffin was carried into the church by Ryan's sons Rex and Elliott, Ryan's brothers Michael and Vincent, David Blake-Knox and Michael O'Connor, as hundreds of onlookers looked on.[80] Father Brian D'Arcy gave the Homily.[80] Much of the music was provided by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra's String Quartet and the Dublin Gospel Choir.[80] Westlife, who flew in from the UK dressed in black and white, and the Dublin Gospel Choir duetted on a tearful a cappella rendition of "You Raise Me Up" after Holy Communion.[80][83] U2 performed "With or Without You", adding the additional lines "Calling from New York on the Ryan Line, Ryan Line still open" / "Goodbye Gerry, see you down the road".[80][83] Towards the end Rex, Lottie, Vincent and Morah spoke about Ryan.[80] Lottie quoted Blade Runner and Morah gave thanks to the listeners who were "the reason he got up each morning".[80] Businessman Robbie Wootton, a "close friend" of the family, recorded the Mass with a camcorder at their request but the footage was not made available for public consumption.[88]

Ryan was buried privately at Dardistown Cemetery in Cloghran.[68] "Open the pod bay doors Hal" taken from 2001: A Space Odyssey is etched into the coffin.[81]

Aftermath Edit

After the funeral, Morah Ryan received a letter expressing sympathy for her loss from former President of the United States Bill Clinton; the Clintons and Ryans are on first-name terms with each other.[89] She did not appear in public until 7 September 2010.[90] A posthumous lifetime achievement award was collected by the Ryan family some weeks after the funeral during the TV Now Awards.[22]

In June RTÉ 2fm was reported to be "haemorrhaging" 10,000 listeners every week since the death of Gerry Ryan as RTÉ struggled to confirm a successor.[91] Melanie Verwoerd later spoke of the difficulties she had listening to Gerry Ryan's eventual RTÉ 2fm successor Ryan Tubridy.[92] Tubridy took over the role on 20 August 2010, paying tribute to Gerry and having Bono as a guest on his opening show.[93]

Lottie and Rex Ryan received a posthumous accolade on behalf of their father, presented to them by Dave Fanning at the People of the Year Awards on 11 September 2010. Gerry Ryan was given the award for his "unrivalled broadcasting skills which ranged effortlessly from the utterly sensitive and intimate to the fantastically flamboyant and theatrical".[23]

Ryan Tubridy requested a round of applause for Gerry at the launch of his book JFK in Ireland at the Mansion House, Dublin on 27 October 2010.[94]

In 2011, the board of UNICEF Ireland terminated Verwoerd's employment due to the publicity surrounding her relationship with Ryan and the fallout from his death.[95]

Inquest, cocaine controversy and RTÉ censorship Edit

An inquest was held at Dublin City Coroner's Court on 10 December 2010. It heard that traces of cocaine were the "likely trigger" of Ryan's death.[96][97] Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said the cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia, with the use of cocaine as a significant risk factor. He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure with a number of risk factors leading to Mr Ryan's death.[98]

Ryan's friends and RTÉ received criticism for their lack of comment since the emergence into the public arena of his cocaine usage at the inquest, despite having eulogised him after his death.[99][100][101] Entrepreneur Ben Dunne said those who spoke positively of Ryan when he died were "weak people if they don't now" [speak out after the inquest].[13] Liveline presenter Joe Duffy, a former neighbour of Ryan, said he "knew nothing" about the broadcaster's cocaine habit and described himself as being "naive" and "taken aback by the revelation at the inquest".[13] Today FM broadcaster Ian Dempsey also denied having any knowledge of Ryan's cocaine use, saying: "I didn't know about it and I worked beside Gerry every day. I'm either stupid or I was protected from the whole thing".[99] Marian Finucane briefly commented on the revelations during The Marian Finucane Show:

It's all very tragic. I just hope none of his children go to a petrol station, or to a shop today, so they can avoid having to see the coverage in the newspapers, I remember when Katy French died thinking the same thing about her family. I also remember Gerry going on and on about the folly and the wrongness of drugs; and of cocaine in particular at that time.[13]

On his RTÉ lyric fm show Gay Byrne referred to "a little do" which had been organised for Morah Ryan but did not directly mention cocaine.[13] Ryan Tubridy broke his silence on his radio show (in Gerry Ryan's former slot) on 13 December 2010, saying:

You all know that Gerry was my friend and that I loved him. I have said it before and I will say it again today. To be truthful this hasn't changed and while I cannot, and will not, condone cocaine and cocaine use but equally I cannot and will not abandon my friend, who, like the rest of us, had flaws. [...] Without going on about it, there is an expression used when someone dies and that expression is "rest in peace", and these are the words that have been echoing in my mind this weekend. And with that I would urge all of you listening this morning to let Gerry quite simply rest in peace.[102]

Music journalist Joe Jackson alleged on RTÉ News at One that Ryan's cocaine habit was an "open secret" in RTÉ.[102] 4fm broadcaster Gareth O'Callaghan, who worked with Ryan for many years and filled in for him on his radio show in the past, spoke of being offered cocaine by the broadcaster at the 2003 Gerry Ryan Show Christmas party in Four Seasons Hotel Dublin. O'Callaghan was criticised and intimidated after commenting on the matter in public,[100] while Michael O'Doherty, writing in the Evening Herald, posed the question: "Gareth, why the 16-year silence on Gerry?"[103]

On 19 December 2010, the Sunday Independent issued an "Apology to Dr Tony Crosby" (Ryan's doctor) after suggesting in a previous article that he had been complicit in Ryan's death, an allegation the newspaper recognised as being "wholly unfounded".[104]

Drugs minister Pat Carey said he was "a bit taken aback, first of all, by the whole attitude of RTÉ over the last while" [concerning the circumstances of Ryan's death] and, comparing Ryan's cocaine use to the 2007 death of model Katy French, said the media were "very judgmental" when French died but had now "come home to roost in their own case".[14] RTÉ said Carey's comments were "disappointing",[14] though it admitted to having censored coverage of Ryan's cocaine habit.[16] Alan Shatter of Fine Gael advised authorities to "wage all out war" on Ryan's cocaine supplier, while Pat Rabbitte of the Labour Party said allegations of corruption were "very serious from a reputable journalist".[16]

Posthumous awards Edit

References Edit

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  4. ^ a b c Healy, Alison (4 May 2010). . The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
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  12. ^ Jackson, Joe (12 December 2010). "I knew he had issues with coke 16 years ago". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  13. ^ a b c d e . Evening Herald. 13 December 2010. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010. Marian Finucane also declined to make any substantial comment on her late friend's drug use during her Sunday radio show, but compared his cocaine use to that of model Katy French whose death was also caused by the drug three years ago.
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  21. ^ Hogan, Louise (10 May 2010). "Loose-lipped RTÉ stars to get 'guidelines' on tweeting". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
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Further reading Edit

  • Boland, John. "Not just a voice, Gerry was daily friend to loyal listeners". Irish Independent. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • Hand, Lise. "Bold, naughty and charming, he was loved by nation's women". Irish Independent. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • Harrison, Bernice. "Gerry's skill lay in his empathy and ability to instantly befriend callers". The Irish Times. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • O'Doherty, Ian. "He was behind the greatest prank ever played on me". Irish Independent. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • Smyth, Sam. "Mighty broadcaster who won't easily be replaced". Irish Independent. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • Sweeney, Ken. "Bon viveur inspired fans with his own battle of bulge". Irish Independent. Saturday, 1 May 2010.
  • . Sunday Tribune. Sunday, 2 May 2010.
  • Blake Knox, David. "Gerry's passion for life was his gift to the nation". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 2 May 2010.
  • Corcoran, Jody. "Home alone, the loss of certainty would have been very difficult for this family man to bear". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 2 May 2010.
  • Horan, Niamh. "The women who shared in a remarkable life journey: It wasn't only the housewives who loved Ryan". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 2 May 2010.
  • Murray, Marie. "Public wake for broadcaster who tuned in to our personal lives". The Irish Times. Monday, 3 May 2010.
  • Holmquist, Kate. "When public persona has private costs". The Irish Times. Tuesday, 4 May 2010.
  • O'Toole, Fintan. "A brilliant chancer who earned our trust". The Irish Times. Tuesday, 4 May 2010.
  • Ruane, Medb. "Gerry's radio style was years ahead of his time". Irish Independent. Wednesday, 5 May 2010.
  • Fanning, Dave. "I know there'll never be another like Gerry Ryan". Irish Independent. Thursday, 6 May 2010.
  • Smyth, Sam. "Gerry's greatest gift was his emotional intelligence". Irish Independent. Friday, 7 May 2010.
  • Fish, Gerry. "The duet I never got to sing with Gerry Ryan". Irish Independent. Saturday, 8 May 2010.
  • Duffy, Gavin. "How King Gerry beat local radio pretenders". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 9 May 2010.
  • O'Connor, Brendan. "What's good for us is bad for the Government". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 9 May 2010.
  • Quinlan, Ronald. "Ryan's financial health was under stress". Sunday Independent. Sunday, 9 May 2010.

External links Edit

  • at RTÉ.ie
  • Gerry Ryan – In Pictures at RTÉ.ie
  • RTÉ Television announces Ryan's death
  • Photo gallery in the Irish Independent
  • at RTÉ.ie
Death notice
  • Irish Independent
Tributes
  • Colleagues / Politicians / Other
  • Tributes to Gerry Ryan at BBC News
Obituaries
  • BBC obituary
  • The Daily Telegraph obituary
  • The Guardian obituary
  • "Gerry Ryan R.I.P." – Hot Press
  • "A broadcasting legend who lived life to the full" – Irish Independent
Funeral
  • In Pictures: Gerry Ryan funeral at BBC News
  • "Family's farewell to their superdad" – a selection of family dedications published by the Irish Independent

October 20, 2023
death, gerry, ryan, rtÉ, broadcaster, gerry, ryan, died, april, 2010, aged, ryan, been, presenting, gerry, ryan, show, since, 1988, time, death, largest, audience, rtÉ, ryan, also, hosted, several, television, series, including, secrets, gerry, ryan, tonight, . RTE broadcaster Gerry Ryan died on 30 April 2010 aged 53 Ryan had been presenting The Gerry Ryan Show since 1988 and at the time of his death had the largest audience on RTE 2fm 1 2 Ryan also hosted several television series including Secrets Gerry Ryan Tonight Ryantown Gerry Ryan s Hitlist and Operation Transformation and Ryan Confidential as well as one edition of The Late Late Show in 2008 Ryan co presented the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 with Cynthia Ni Mhurchu He died sixteen years later at his Upper Leeson Street apartment in Dublin with his body found by his partner Melanie Verwoerd The broadcaster had split from his wife Morah in 2008 the couple had five children together Gerry Ryan at the opening of the Grand Canal Theatre in March 2010Ryan s death provoked tributes from politicians colleagues and ordinary people alike culminating in a mass outpouring of public and private sympathy as thousands of people queued over several days to sign books of condolence at RTE s radio centre and the Mansion House The media and psychotherapists compared this to public reaction following the deaths of Michael Jackson and Diana Princess of Wales 3 4 5 His death was spoken in terms such as practically br inging Ireland to a standstill 6 having a seismic effect on Irish society 7 and having shocked the Irish nation 8 The Irish Times reported that its website had the biggest traffic spike since its launch following Ryan s death 9 Google said it was the most searched story of the year in the country 10 It subsequently emerged following an inquest in December 2010 that the broadcaster was a heavy alcohol drinker and cocaine user 11 and that cocaine was a contributory factor in his death 12 This led to comparisons including from broadcaster Marian Finucane 13 and drugs minister Pat Carey 14 with the 2007 death of model Katy French According to journalist Kevin Myers Ryan s usage of cocaine surprised many of those who mourned his sudden death and he said this realisation of double standards has upset much of the public 15 RTE admitted that it had censored coverage of Ryan s cocaine habit 16 A media debate on the ethics of both journalism and Twitter through which many people discovered Ryan had died ensued after his death 9 17 18 19 The manner in which some RTE personalities reported the death led to RTE bringing in new rules on how its stars should use Twitter 20 21 Ryan s funeral on 6 May 2010 was broadcast live online and to his listeners on RTE 2fm marking the first time in its history that the predominantly musical station aired a Mass The ceremony included performances from both U2 and Westlife Ryan was buried privately at Dardistown Cemetery in Cloghran Several posthumous lifetime achievement awards have since been collected by the Ryan family on behalf of Gerry 22 23 Contents 1 Death 2 Response 2 1 Politicians 2 2 Media 2 2 1 The Late Late Show 2 2 2 Tribute shows 2 3 Other public figures 2 4 Public 3 Post mortem and wake 4 Funeral 5 Aftermath 5 1 Inquest cocaine controversy and RTE censorship 6 Posthumous awards 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksDeath EditOn the night prior to his death Ryan telephoned his radio producer Alice O Sullivan to tell her he would not be able to broadcast The Gerry Ryan Show the following morning 24 25 He said he was feeling drained but insisted that he did not require a doctor 26 On the morning of his death Ryan did not present his radio show 25 27 28 Fiona Looney presented instead 24 making the ironic comment to Colm Hayes when asked if she was ready Not really because I got a call at ten to seven this morning and I always presume somebody s died and then I presumed Gerry had died because the phone call was from his producer But he isn t totally dead he s hanging on 29 Meanwhile musician Jerry Fish travelled to Dublin from his County Carlow home to rehearse the song All the Time in the World which he and Ryan were scheduled to perform at the National Concert Hall on 5 May as part of a Mooney special 24 He noticed Ryan s absence and Looney s presence on the radio show and was concerned at his inability to contact the former 24 Ryan s partner Melanie Verwoerd also noticed his absence from the radio and found herself unable to get through to him via telephone 25 She went to his flat in Leeson Street Upper Dublin 4 arriving at 12 30 to break and enter with the assistance of a builder located nearby 25 They found Ryan dead on the bedroom floor of his Leeson Street flat 27 28 30 31 There was no visible indication that a crime had been committed or that Ryan had deliberately killed himself 25 Emergency services were called and the flat was sealed off as the media gathered outside 25 A doctor entered the flat at approximately 15 00 and spent 20 minutes inside before leaving with Ryan s body being taken away at a later stage 25 RTE delayed announcing the death until Ryan s family were told 32 The death was already being discussed on Twitter and had been announced on Newstalk 32 Rumours about Ryan s death spread online though the news remained unconfirmed for a time 33 Rick O Shea posted several Twitter messages including Am attempting to verify the Gerry Ryan story doing the rounds Calm heads lads followed by Can anyone tell me where the Gerry Ryan story is coming from then finally Jesus 33 Miriam O Callaghan tweeted the previous hour Tragically it is true So terribly shocking and sad Life is just too cruel sometimes RIP before deleting it but not before TV3 picked up on it for their News 5 30 bulletin 32 33 They also noted a message from Today FM s Ian Dempsey formerly a colleague of Ryan at RTE 2fm which stated Gerry Ryan RIP shocking news just breaking a big loss to radio and Ireland 33 An online war was also breaking out during the afternoon between rival journalists including Matt Cooper Frank Fitzgibbon and Adrian Weckler 33 Rival radio station Dublin s 98 placed a video on YouTube of Ryan s corpse being taken from his apartment and driven away in an ambulance 33 The Ryan family issued the following statement through RTE Gerry Ryan died today Morah and his children are in complete shock Please respect their privacy at this time 27 RTE informed Fish that Ryan had died with the musician promising to perform the song anyway as a tribute 24 Response EditPoliticians Edit Ryan s death attracted tributes from politicians including the President and several taoisigh Mary McAleese said Ryan was an extraordinarily talented broadcaster whose unique communication skills and larger than life persona entertained and enlivened a national audience over many years His untimely death will be widely mourned by his colleagues at RTE and his many fans but most especially by his family and friends who are in my thoughts and prayers 34 35 Taoiseach Brian Cowen issued a statement saying he was deeply saddened at the death of an informed and intelligent forthright and articulate broadcaster that Gerry was a household name and a broadcaster of immense talent and popularity and describing Ryan as one of the greats of modern Irish broadcasting on radio and television 34 35 Minister for Culture Mary Hanafin said Ryan had stretched and extended boundaries of radio broadcasting in Ireland with his legendary existence and comfortable personal style with interviewees 34 She later queued with members of the public to sign her name in a book of condolence at RTE s radio centre 36 Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley paid tribute Gerry s ability as a broadcaster to take both the serious and light hearted stories was second to none His good humour concealed a keen intellect and a commitment to straight journalism he was a fair and accurate commentator 34 Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan was very saddened 34 Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny spoke of his deep shock and regret and recognise d the enormous contribution Gerry Ryan has made to broadcasting in Ireland and to the development of Irish society as a whole over the last 25 years 34 Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern expressed his regret at the loss of a giant of Irish broadcasting 34 There were other tributes from the Labour Party communications spokesman Liz McManus Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams Sean Haughey and Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello 34 37 Media Edit nbsp Newsflash on RTE 2fm 30 April 2010 source source Gerry Ryan s sudden death was officially announced during Larry Gogan s show on RTE 2fm Problems playing this file See media help International media across several continents reported on Ryan s death including BBC News The Boston Globe The Daily Telegraph The Guardian Herald Sun The New Zealand Herald Sky News Thaindian News The Times of Malta The Vancouver Sun and The Washington Post among others 38 Many of Ryan s RTE colleagues struggled to hold back their tears on air as they learned of his sudden death 37 Gay Byrne describing Ryan s death as a terribly frightening thing said he would remember the broadcaster as being full of fun and hilarity and pure bloody devilment 39 Larry Gogan described Ryan as the rock of 2fm on Drivetime 39 Dave Fanning said that Ryan revolutionised broadcasting in Ireland would be a very small way of putting it 39 Liveline presenter Joe Duffy was reported by The Irish Times to have choked back tears live on air on the afternoon of Ryan s death 39 UK broadcaster Chris Evans said Ryan was absolutely one of the best broadcasters in the world Fabulous fabulous communicator Very sad to hear he has left us He really was the cream of our radio crop 28 39 The presenter had written about Ryan in his autobiography after being converted to him whilst in Killarney and was inspired to return to radio 40 Evans expressed his gratitude on Eamon Dunphy s Newstalk radio show 41 The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland said A great voice has been lost to Irish radio and the entire industry is deeply saddened to lose one of Ireland s most professional broadcasters 34 On RTE Radio 1 The Marian Finucane Show s presenter opened her Saturday radio show by reminiscing on how Ryan used to discuss the morning newspapers 42 Today with Pat Kenny opened the following Monday with the presenter describing an ache at the heart of everything we do and expressing his happ iness for my part to canonise him in the hierarchy of broadcasting greats 43 Quentin Fottrell radio reviewer with The Irish Times said The tributes on all radio stations to Gerry Ryan were a testament to his 20 plus years presenting the morning show on RTE 2FM and the powerful presence this most unassuming of mediums has in the lives of ordinary people Whether or not you knew him personally or were a regular listener it was difficult not be moved by the thousands of messages 42 RTE delayed the launch of their new season schedule by 24 hours as it clashed with the date of Ryan s funeral 44 Among the changes was the axing of long running holiday programme No Frontiers which presenter Kathryn Thomas knew about for several days but did not speak of in public 45 Hot Press featured Ryan on the cover of the issue published after his death 46 The Late Late Show Edit See also The Late Late Show season 48 There was such sorrow that I had to go home after I found out I knew I couldn t do The Late Late Show straight away and that I had to go home to cry myself out in case I did something silly like breaking down on live telly Ryan Tubridy temporarily walked out of RTE amid his grief for his friend and colleague 47 The Late Late Show was due to be broadcast on RTE One on the night of Ryan s death a Friday A tribute sequence was arranged between the news breaking of Ryan s death and the programme s broadcast 48 Presenter Ryan Tubridy expressed his grief on air by saying the country has lost a great broadcaster and I have lost a great friend and compared the RTE radio centre to Hamlet without the prince 39 49 Tributes on the show came from among others Gay Byrne Pat Kenny Joe Duffy Dave Fanning Brenda Donohue and David Blake Knox 39 47 Kenny expressed his belief that Ryan with Mr Wogan and Mr Byrne you are the holy trinity as far as I m concerned 50 Duffy wondered about a comment Ryan had made during an interview with Heather Mills which had been broadcast the night before in which he had said he had two artic truckloads full of regrets 51 The tribute led to The Late Late Show s highest audience ratings of 2010 47 Grease actress Stockard Channing a guest on that night s edition of The Late Late Show spoke of feeling like she had interrupted a stranger s funeral as audience members were still in tears when she arrived Channing alleged that no death in her native United States would receive such an emotional reaction 52 Tribute shows Edit Two tribute shows were broadcast by RTE 2fm on the Saturday and the Tuesday following Ryan s death Evelyn O Rourke who worked on The Gerry Ryan Show for eight years presented what was her first broadcast since the birth of her baby 53 It was titled A Special Programme Remembering Gerry Ryan 42 On the first show Bono and The Edge said Ryan was the nation s weather vane and a great analyst of the country s affairs 37 There were contributions from Philip Boucher Hayes and Brenda Donohue and 16 July 1992 interview with rape victim Lavinia Kerwick considered an important moment in the show s history 42 The public requested another programme so RTE duly obliged and O Rourke presented again on 4 May in Ryan s old morning slot 43 The second show featured contributions from among others Marty Whelan who said Ryan still had some vinyl albums belonging to him 54 A television documentary on the life of Ryan was also announced 55 Other public figures Edit U2 manager Paul McGuinness appeared on The Marian Finucane Show on 1 May to say The whole country is in mourning now The country was in love with him 37 Writer John Banville said he was very much like an 18th century wit He was very funny but he was also very witty and there s a difference His humour which really appealed to me was very much language based he was alive to the comic possibilities of language and the ambiguity of language 37 Comedian Dara o Briain said Very sad news about Gerry Ryan How long did he do that show Twenty 25 years That is some achievement Condolences to his family 56 Chef Richard Corrigan said He was a natural and incredibly entertaining bon viveur My wife Maria and I listen to him every day and we are both terribly saddened with this news 56 Hollywood actor Colin Farrell described Ryan s death as a great loss to the Irish people 54 British publicist Max Clifford said Ryan would have been as famous as Terry Wogan or Graham Norton if he had worked in the UK 57 Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole missed a party to comfort Louis Walsh in the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin 58 Heather Mills emailed the following message to David Blake Knox on 1 May I only had the honour of meeting Gerry once but I felt as if I had known him longer He put you at ease immediately and opened up about himself very rare in an interviewer My heart goes out to his family whom he obviously adored and did not stop talking about I m sure he will be sorely missed remembered cherished and honoured 59 Public Edit 1 300 people honoured Ryan with a minute of silence after his death was announced during a talent contest in Ibiza with a TG4 TV crew who were filming the event also capturing this moment 60 Nearly 20 000 people visited a Facebook tribute page in the first hours of the news 61 By the end of the weekend at least 40 000 people had signed the Facebook page and thousands of e mails and texts were delivered to RTE 2fm 51 RTE announced its radio centre at its headquarters at Montrose in Donnybrook would open on 1 May from 12 00 until 18 00 to give people an opportunity to sign a book of condolence in Ryan s memory 61 Hundreds of people of all ages and from all backgrounds queued in extreme weather conditions to sign the book located on a table beside a black and white photograph of the broadcaster inside a black frame and a card from RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy with the message You are the best and the brightest 37 53 62 63 The Irish Times suggested 2 000 people signed their name that day 36 The public queued again at the radio centre for the same time period the following day with The Irish Times saying 1 000 had signed their names on this day 36 37 The newspaper later said more than 4 000 people had signed books of condolence at the RTE radio centre 64 More than 7 000 texts and Twitter messages sent in by the public were later left beside the books by RTE 65 More books of condolence was then opened by Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello at the Mansion House from noon on 3 May for a three day period with people queuing as early as one hour before the building opened 51 64 Signatories included comedian Brendan O Carroll Fianna Fail politician Sean Haughey social activist Stanislaus Kennedy Sister Stan Ryan s agent Noel Kelly and broadcaster Ryan Tubridy who queued as a listener and a friend 64 66 O Carroll compared the death to his discovery as a child that Nelson s Pillar had been blown up 67 There were addresses from across the island including Northern Ireland 4 Many left in tears 4 By the day of the funeral the number of people to have signed books of condolence for Ryan had reached 10 000 according to The Irish Times 68 Ryan s family requested that any member of the public wishing to send flowers might make a charitable donation in his memory instead 69 Post mortem and wake EditThe media gathered outside the Ryan family home even before the body had been released to the family The gathering was good natured in tone journalists were even fed by Ryan s family 70 An autopsy on Ryan s body took place on 4 May at Dublin City Morgue in Marino 36 43 It was delayed by one day as Ryan s death clashed with a bank holiday weekend and there was no desire to take advantage of his high profile status according to a family spokesperson 51 She also said the family believed Ryan had undergone a massive heart attack 51 Later that day the funeral arrangements were announced with RTE confirming the funeral would be broadcast on RTE 2fm 71 72 This marked the first occasion on which Mass was broadcast on the predominantly music station in its history with Head of 2fm John McMahon calling it an unprecedented situation 73 RTE ie and a webcam on the parish s website also broadcast the funeral 73 Ryan s body received a traditional Irish wake 74 75 reposing at the family home on Castle Avenue in Clontarf on the night of 4 May 71 73 Bouquets were donated by the public and some neighbours came along 76 The Irish Independent s front page on 5 May featured Ryan s return to his family home inside his coffin 77 while the funeral also made the front page of the newspaper 78 A private wake was held at Castle Avenue on the afternoon of 5 May 71 73 Notable attendees included former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Pat Kenny who landed on his motorcycle and Dave Fanning who brought along some of Ryan s favourite music 79 Funeral EditThose attending the funeral queued from 10 00 on 6 May whilst hundreds of ordinary people gathered several hours ahead of the hearse s arrival to weep talk and clutch sympathetic banners and photographs of the broadcaster 1 80 The staff of RTE were ferried in buses to the scene 80 Politicians present included President McAleese 1 former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds 81 Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello 81 Minister for Health Mary Harney and Brian Geoghegan 80 Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan 80 Conor Haughey and Sean Haughey 80 Richard Bruton 81 and Senator David Norris 80 Other dignitaries present included the Acting Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Major General David Ashe and the chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland John Delaney 81 Famous personalities present included broadcasters Mark Cagney 82 Joe Duffy 81 Marian Finucane 80 Larry Gogan 80 John Kelly 81 Pat Kenny 80 Fiona Looney 81 Aonghus MacAnally 80 Hector o hEochagain 80 Micheal o Muircheartaigh 81 Grainne and Sile Seoige 80 Ryan Tubridy 80 Marty Whelan 81 and Director General of RTE Cathal Goan and former RTE director general Bob Collins 80 as well as designer John Rocha 80 promoter John Reynolds 80 Hot Press editor Niall Stokes 80 celebrity solicitor Gerald Kean developer Harry Crosbie 81 comedian Brendan Grace chef Derry Clarke 81 singer Linda Martin 81 TV presenter Craig Doyle 81 The Afternoon Show s Maura Derrane and Sheana Keane 82 music manager and TV talent judge Louis Walsh 1 Boyzone member Keith Duffy 81 musician Sharon Corr 83 entertainer Twink 81 model Glenda Gilson 82 and Riverdance founders Moya Doherty and John McColgan 81 Rival Today FM broadcasters Ray D Arcy whose radio show aired during the same hours as Ryan s Ian Dempsey and Tony Fenton were also present 80 82 One notable absentee was veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne who was abroad on a long standing arrangement to leave Ireland on Monday morning which I couldn t break 84 A man who resembled Elvis Presley stood outside the church posing for photographs and holding a photograph of Ryan 85 The funeral commenced at 11 30 at the small St John the Baptist on Clontarf Road located approximately 750 metres from Castle Avenue and where his marriage and the funeral of his mother had both taken place 71 73 Hundreds of people were present 80 Chief mourners were Ryan s wife Morah Ryan from whom he was estranged and her children Lottie Rex Bonnie Elliot and Babette whilst Verwoerd was also seated prominently 86 Babette clutched a teddy bear 87 Father Michael Collins who often appeared as a religious correspondent the Gerry Ryan padre and friend of this parish on The Gerry Ryan Show was the chief celebrant 73 Speakers were erected to allow outsiders to hear proceedings and traffic diversions had to be initiated 68 71 The coffin was carried into the church by Ryan s sons Rex and Elliott Ryan s brothers Michael and Vincent David Blake Knox and Michael O Connor as hundreds of onlookers looked on 80 Father Brian D Arcy gave the Homily 80 Much of the music was provided by the RTE National Symphony Orchestra s String Quartet and the Dublin Gospel Choir 80 Westlife who flew in from the UK dressed in black and white and the Dublin Gospel Choir duetted on a tearful a cappella rendition of You Raise Me Up after Holy Communion 80 83 U2 performed With or Without You adding the additional lines Calling from New York on the Ryan Line Ryan Line still open Goodbye Gerry see you down the road 80 83 Towards the end Rex Lottie Vincent and Morah spoke about Ryan 80 Lottie quoted Blade Runner and Morah gave thanks to the listeners who were the reason he got up each morning 80 Businessman Robbie Wootton a close friend of the family recorded the Mass with a camcorder at their request but the footage was not made available for public consumption 88 Ryan was buried privately at Dardistown Cemetery in Cloghran 68 Open the pod bay doors Hal taken from 2001 A Space Odyssey is etched into the coffin 81 Aftermath EditAfter the funeral Morah Ryan received a letter expressing sympathy for her loss from former President of the United States Bill Clinton the Clintons and Ryans are on first name terms with each other 89 She did not appear in public until 7 September 2010 90 A posthumous lifetime achievement award was collected by the Ryan family some weeks after the funeral during the TV Now Awards 22 In June RTE 2fm was reported to be haemorrhaging 10 000 listeners every week since the death of Gerry Ryan as RTE struggled to confirm a successor 91 Melanie Verwoerd later spoke of the difficulties she had listening to Gerry Ryan s eventual RTE 2fm successor Ryan Tubridy 92 Tubridy took over the role on 20 August 2010 paying tribute to Gerry and having Bono as a guest on his opening show 93 Lottie and Rex Ryan received a posthumous accolade on behalf of their father presented to them by Dave Fanning at the People of the Year Awards on 11 September 2010 Gerry Ryan was given the award for his unrivalled broadcasting skills which ranged effortlessly from the utterly sensitive and intimate to the fantastically flamboyant and theatrical 23 Ryan Tubridy requested a round of applause for Gerry at the launch of his book JFK in Ireland at the Mansion House Dublin on 27 October 2010 94 In 2011 the board of UNICEF Ireland terminated Verwoerd s employment due to the publicity surrounding her relationship with Ryan and the fallout from his death 95 Inquest cocaine controversy and RTE censorship Edit An inquest was held at Dublin City Coroner s Court on 10 December 2010 It heard that traces of cocaine were the likely trigger of Ryan s death 96 97 Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said the cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia with the use of cocaine as a significant risk factor He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure with a number of risk factors leading to Mr Ryan s death 98 Ryan s friends and RTE received criticism for their lack of comment since the emergence into the public arena of his cocaine usage at the inquest despite having eulogised him after his death 99 100 101 Entrepreneur Ben Dunne said those who spoke positively of Ryan when he died were weak people if they don t now speak out after the inquest 13 Liveline presenter Joe Duffy a former neighbour of Ryan said he knew nothing about the broadcaster s cocaine habit and described himself as being naive and taken aback by the revelation at the inquest 13 Today FM broadcaster Ian Dempsey also denied having any knowledge of Ryan s cocaine use saying I didn t know about it and I worked beside Gerry every day I m either stupid or I was protected from the whole thing 99 Marian Finucane briefly commented on the revelations during The Marian Finucane Show It s all very tragic I just hope none of his children go to a petrol station or to a shop today so they can avoid having to see the coverage in the newspapers I remember when Katy French died thinking the same thing about her family I also remember Gerry going on and on about the folly and the wrongness of drugs and of cocaine in particular at that time 13 On his RTE lyric fm show Gay Byrne referred to a little do which had been organised for Morah Ryan but did not directly mention cocaine 13 Ryan Tubridy broke his silence on his radio show in Gerry Ryan s former slot on 13 December 2010 saying You all know that Gerry was my friend and that I loved him I have said it before and I will say it again today To be truthful this hasn t changed and while I cannot and will not condone cocaine and cocaine use but equally I cannot and will not abandon my friend who like the rest of us had flaws Without going on about it there is an expression used when someone dies and that expression is rest in peace and these are the words that have been echoing in my mind this weekend And with that I would urge all of you listening this morning to let Gerry quite simply rest in peace 102 Music journalist Joe Jackson alleged on RTE News at One that Ryan s cocaine habit was an open secret in RTE 102 4fm broadcaster Gareth O Callaghan who worked with Ryan for many years and filled in for him on his radio show in the past spoke of being offered cocaine by the broadcaster at the 2003 Gerry Ryan Show Christmas party in Four Seasons Hotel Dublin O Callaghan was criticised and intimidated after commenting on the matter in public 100 while Michael O Doherty writing in the Evening Herald posed the question Gareth why the 16 year silence on Gerry 103 On 19 December 2010 the Sunday Independent issued an Apology to Dr Tony Crosby Ryan s doctor after suggesting in a previous article that he had been complicit in Ryan s death an allegation the newspaper recognised as being wholly unfounded 104 Drugs minister Pat Carey said he was a bit taken aback first of all by the whole attitude of RTE over the last while concerning the circumstances of Ryan s death and comparing Ryan s cocaine use to the 2007 death of model Katy French said the media were very judgmental when French died but had now come home to roost in their own case 14 RTE said Carey s comments were disappointing 14 though it admitted to having censored coverage of Ryan s cocaine habit 16 Alan Shatter of Fine Gael advised authorities to wage all out war on Ryan s cocaine supplier while Pat Rabbitte of the Labour Party said allegations of corruption were very serious from a reputable journalist 16 Posthumous awards EditTV Now Awards 22 People of the Year Awards 23 References Edit a b c d Hundreds attend funeral of Irish radio star Gerry Ryan BBC News 6 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 6 May 2010 McGreevy Ronan 8 May 2010 How do you replace the irreplaceable The Irish Times Retrieved 8 May 2010 McDonagh Caroline 6 May 2010 Don t be embarrassed to grieve Gerry s passing Evening Herald Archived from the original on 2 August 2012 Retrieved 6 May 2010 a b c Healy Alison 4 May 2010 Dubliners recall Ryan as part of their daily lives The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 4 May 2010 O Carroll Gerry 5 May 2010 Why Irish life will be poorer without Gerry Evening Herald Archived from the original on 4 August 2012 Retrieved 5 May 2010 Roberts Patrick 30 April 2010 Gerry Ryan changed Irish media forever Irish Central Retrieved 30 April 2010 O Doherty Ian 14 May 2010 We need to get over our competitive grief Irish Independent Retrieved 14 May 2010 Barry Rory 16 May 2010 Gerry Ryan was in meltdown before he died Irish Central Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2010 a b Linehan Hugh 4 May 2010 Journalistic ethics Twitter and the reporting of Gerry Ryan s death The Irish Times Retrieved 4 May 2010 O Dowd Niall 11 December 2010 Gerry Ryan s sad death brought about by dreadful depression more than drugs Irish Central Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 11 December 2010 His death sent shock waves throughout Ireland Google just revealed that his death was the most sought after domestic story all year Sweeney Ken Walsh Anne Marie Brady Tom 13 December 2010 Now Ryan family fear they ll lose their home Drug link puts payout from life assurance policy at risk Irish Independent Archived from the original on 4 September 2012 Retrieved 13 December 2010 Jackson Joe 12 December 2010 I knew he had issues with coke 16 years ago Sunday Independent Retrieved 12 December 2010 a b c d e I was naive about Gerry s coke use admits Duffy as Dunne attacks star s silent pals Evening Herald 13 December 2010 Archived from the original on 16 December 2010 Retrieved 13 December 2010 Marian Finucane also declined to make any substantial comment on her late friend s drug use during her Sunday radio show but compared his cocaine use to that of model Katy French whose death was also caused by the drug three years ago a b c O Keeffe Cormac 21 December 2010 Minister taken aback at RTE s silence over Ryan death Irish Examiner Thomas Crosbie Holdings Archived from the original on 18 October 2017 Retrieved 21 December 2010 The minister said RTE and the media generally were very judgmental about model Katy French who died from cocaine in December 2007 and it had now come home to roost in their own case Myers Kevin 15 December 2010 It is up to those who publicly mourned Gerry to publicly denounce his cocaine consumption Irish Independent Retrieved 15 December 2010 a b c Doyle Kevin 20 December 2010 RTE admits to mistakes in drugs coverage of Gerry Ryan fallout Evening Herald Archived from the original on 17 February 2013 Retrieved 20 December 2010 Doyle Kevin 5 May 2010 His Twitter predictions proved to be spot on Evening Herald Archived from the original on 4 August 2012 Retrieved 5 May 2010 O Mahony Catherine 9 May 2010 Media World The Sunday Business Post Thomas Crosbie Holdings Archived from the original on 12 May 2010 Retrieved 9 May 2010 Cooper Matt 7 May 2010 Breaking news the problem is it can be tweeted so fast that it hurts Irish Examiner Thomas Crosbie Holdings Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 7 May 2010 Tighe Mark 9 May 2010 RTE to set rules for staff who use Twitter The Sunday Times Retrieved 9 May 2010 Hogan Louise 10 May 2010 Loose lipped RTE stars to get guidelines on tweeting Irish Independent Retrieved 10 May 2010 a b c No mystery over Gerry Ryan s shock death Belfast Telegraph 17 May 2010 Archived from the original on 19 April 2013 Retrieved 17 May 2010 a b c Cunningham Grainne 13 September 2010 Ryan honoured for unrivalled broadcasting Irish Independent Retrieved 13 September 2010 a b c d e O Brien Jason Sweeney Ken 1 May 2010 Pulling out of play gave first sign of illness Irish Independent Retrieved 1 May 2010 a b c d e f g Lally Conor 1 May 2010 Ryan s death not being treated as suspicious The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 1 May 2010 McGreevy Ronan Lally Conor 1 May 2010 Shock over death of boldest broadcaster The Irish Times Retrieved 1 May 2010 a b c RTE s Gerry Ryan found dead The Irish Times 30 April 2010 Retrieved 30 April 2010 a b c McDonald Henry 30 April 2010 Irish broadcaster Gerry Ryan found dead at home The Guardian Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 30 April 2010 Bad timing for 2FM hand over Radio Today 3 May 2010 Retrieved 3 May 2010 permanent dead link Gerry Ryan Irish broadcaster found dead The Daily Telegraph 30 April 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 30 April 2010 O Brien Jason Brady Tom 1 May 2010 Tears for Gerry Irish Independent Retrieved 1 May 2010 a b c McGreevy Ronan 30 April 2010 RTE delayed Ryan news out of respect The Irish Times Retrieved 30 April 2010 a b c d e f Mullally Una 2 May 2010 Ryan Confidential Sunday Tribune Tribune Newspapers PLC Archived from the original on 7 May 2010 Retrieved 2 May 2010 a b c d e f g h i Doyle Kilian 30 April 2010 President leads tributes to Ryan The Irish Times Retrieved 30 April 2010 a b Sheahan Fionnan 1 May 2010 President leads tributes to extraordinary talent Irish Independent Archived from the original on 6 May 2010 Retrieved 1 May 2010 a b c d Inquiry continues into Ryan s death The Irish Times 2 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 2 May 2010 a b c d e f g RTE opens book of condolence The Irish Times 1 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 1 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 3 May 2010 Loss of an Irish institution hits headlines around world Irish Independent Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b c d e f g McGreevy Ronan 30 April 2010 Ryan s unconstrained spirit honoured The Irish Times Retrieved 30 April 2010 Sheridan Kathy 1 May 2010 Brightest light on the airwaves is extinguished too soon The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 1 May 2010 McDonagh Patricia 3 May 2010 He rescued my radio career says BBC star Irish Independent Archived from the original on 2 August 2012 Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b c d Fottrell Quentin 8 May 2010 Keeping the Ryan Line open and feeling the full power of radio The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 8 May 2010 a b c Healy Alison 4 May 2010 Gerry Ryan tribute show to air on 2FM The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 4 May 2010 TV3 unveil schedule Irish Independent 7 May 2010 Retrieved 7 May 2010 Gleeson Colin 7 May 2010 Kathryn set for new frontiers Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 Huge turnout for Gerry Ryan funeral Hot Press 6 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 6 May 2010 a b c Sweeney Ken 5 May 2010 Record numbers tuned in for the Late Late tribute Irish Independent Retrieved 5 May 2010 Hilliard Mark 2 May 2010 Broadcaster s funeral unlikely to be held before end of week Sunday Tribune Tribune Newspapers PLC Archived from the original on 5 May 2010 Retrieved 2 May 2010 Gleeson Colin 1 May 2010 Radio centre like Hamlet without prince Irish Independent Retrieved 1 May 2010 O Brien Ciara 3 May 2010 Ryan remembered Shared memories of late broadcaster The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b c d e McGreevy Ronan 3 May 2010 Family believes Ryan died from massive heart attack The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 3 May 2010 Hickey Shane 4 May 2010 US actress tells of emotional atmosphere on Late Late set Irish Independent Retrieved 4 May 2010 a b McGreevy Ronan 3 May 2010 Public pay tribute to the man they saw as a friend The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b Sweeney Ken 5 May 2010 He inspired many of us to think for ourselves says Farrell Irish Independent Retrieved 5 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 4 May 2010 Station reveals plans for series of tributes Irish Independent Retrieved 4 May 2010 a b Hickey Shane 1 May 2010 Finally getting a word in Irish Independent Retrieved 1 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 3 May 2010 He could have made it big in Britain says PR guru Irish Independent Archived from the original on 5 September 2012 Retrieved 3 May 2010 Nolan Lorna McBride Caitlin 3 May 2010 Cheryl misses bash to comfort grieving Louis Evening Herald Retrieved 3 May 2010 Sheehan Maeve Horan Niamh 2 May 2010 He was stressed about RTE and things outside Sunday Independent Retrieved 2 May 2010 Commins Michael 3 May 2010 Revellers hold minute s silence in Ibiza Irish Independent Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b McGreevy Ronan 1 May 2010 Colleagues mourn fun loving and larger than life broadcaster The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 1 May 2010 He saved my life I don t know what would have happened to me if I didn t contact his show Irish Independent 3 May 2010 Retrieved 3 May 2010 Book of condolence for Gerry Ryan BBC News 1 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 1 May 2010 a b c Healy Alison 3 May 2010 Book of condolence opens for Ryan The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 3 May 2010 Bray Jennifer 2 May 2010 Monday to Friday will never be the same again Sunday Tribune Tribune Newspapers PLC Archived from the original on 5 May 2010 Retrieved 2 May 2010 McDonagh Patricia 5 May 2010 Tubridy queues with fans as a listener and friend Irish Independent Retrieved 5 May 2010 Hickey Shane 4 May 2010 I never rang in but I always listened he was like a brother Irish Independent Retrieved 4 May 2010 a b c Carbery Genevieve 6 May 2010 Funeral of Gerry Ryan today The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 6 May 2010 Family requests charity donation Irish Independent 5 May 2010 Retrieved 5 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 3 May 2010 Family enduring agonising wait for body to be released Irish Independent Retrieved 3 May 2010 a b c d e Ryan funeral arrangements finalised The Irish Times 4 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 4 May 2010 Gerry Ryan funeral arrangements in Dublin announced BBC News 4 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 4 May 2010 a b c d e f McGreevy Ronan 5 May 2010 Funeral Mass for Ryan to be broadcast on 2fm The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 5 May 2010 Irish wake for TV star Gerry Ryan BBC News 3 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 3 May 2010 Gerry to get a traditional wake in his family home Irish Independent 3 May 2010 Retrieved 3 May 2010 McGreevy Ronan 5 May 2010 Ryan body lies in repose at family home The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 5 May 2010 What the papers say BBC News 5 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 5 May 2010 What the papers say BBC News 7 May 2010 Retrieved 7 May 2010 Black Fergus 6 May 2010 A procession of friends pay their tributes Irish Independent Retrieved 6 May 2010 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Hundreds attend Ryan funeral The Irish Times 6 May 2010 Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 6 May 2010 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Sheridan Kathy 7 May 2010 Fans and familiar faces say goodbye The Irish Times Archived from the original on 2 March 2015 Retrieved 7 May 2010 a b c d Sweeney Ken 7 May 2010 Great and good come out in their droves Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 a b c Sweeney Ken 7 May 2010 Satellite of love as U2 sing from New York Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 5 May 2010 Stars will turn out in force to pay their last respects Irish Independent Retrieved 5 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 7 May 2010 Hundreds of loyal fans line streets for farewell Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 6 May 2010 Partner to sit near family during funeral Irish Independent Retrieved 6 May 2010 Byrne Ciaran 7 May 2010 Tears and laughter at Gerry s last show Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 Sweeney Ken 7 May 2010 Intimate ceremony captured forever Irish Independent Retrieved 7 May 2010 Bill s letter to Morah after Gerry s death Evening Herald 18 September 2010 Archived from the original on 1 August 2012 Retrieved 18 September 2010 Last Jane 8 September 2010 Stylish Morah makes first public appearance since Gerry s death Evening Herald Archived from the original on 3 August 2012 Retrieved 8 September 2010 McBride Caitlin 7 June 2010 Ryan mulls over taking Gerry s slot Evening Herald Archived from the original on 4 August 2012 Retrieved 7 June 2010 Gerry Ryan s lover can t listen to his 2FM successor Belfast Telegraph 16 September 2010 Archived from the original on 19 July 2012 Retrieved 16 September 2010 Sweeney Ken 21 August 2010 Top secret Tubs in 2fm ambush Irish Independent Dublin Retrieved 25 August 2010 Nolan Lorna 28 October 2010 Forget the book do Aoibhinn and Ryan have new chapter Evening Herald Archived from the original on 1 August 2012 Retrieved 14 November 2010 McGreevy Ronan 25 July 2011 Former Unicef chief deeply shocked over dismissal The Irish Times Archived from the original on 4 March 2015 Retrieved 25 July 2011 Cocaine likely trigger in RTE star Gerry Ryan s death BBC News 10 December 2010 Retrieved 10 December 2010 Ryan inquest told of cocaine use The Irish Times 10 December 2010 Retrieved 10 December 2010 Kennedy Edel 11 December 2010 Cocaine was likely trigger of abnormal heart rhythm Irish Independent Archived from the original on 10 September 2012 Retrieved 11 December 2010 a b Gittens Geraldine 15 December 2010 Why won t RTE talk about their star s drug problem Now outrage is growing over state broadcaster s refusal to cover the revelations of late broadcaster s drug use Evening Herald Archived from the original on 3 August 2012 Retrieved 15 December 2010 a b Horan Niamh 19 December 2010 Time to realise we need to talk honestly about Gerry After gushing eulogy in the wake of his death Ryan s friends are now bonded in silence Sunday Independent Archived from the original on 4 September 2012 Retrieved 19 December 2010 If you break through the wall of silence you will be frozen out As radio presenter Gareth O Callaghan discovered when he dared to put his head above the parapet following the inquest Since then he says he has been labelled an idiot by a highly respected RTE presenter become the victim of sinister cold calls from anonymous individuals who have snarled down the phone who the fuck do you think you are and has been dropped by so called friends My phone has been quiet all week I haven t even been asked by friends in the business for the usual drink he tells me I have heard the message has gone out by he names a well respected RTE presenter that they all have to sing from the same hymn sheet and I am seen as the black sheep O Carroll Gerry 15 December 2010 RTE must drop veil of silence around cocaine Evening Herald Archived from the original on 2 August 2012 Retrieved 15 December 2010 a b Sweeney Ken 14 December 2010 Emotional plea to let Gerry Ryan rest in peace Belfast Telegraph Archived from the original on 19 April 2013 Retrieved 14 December 2010 O Doherty Michael 20 December 2010 Gareth why the 16 year silence on Gerry Evening Herald Archived from the original on 4 August 2012 Retrieved 20 December 2010 Apology to Dr Tony Crosby Sunday Independent 19 December 2010 Retrieved 19 December 2010 Further reading EditBoland John Not just a voice Gerry was daily friend to loyal listeners Irish Independent Saturday 1 May 2010 Hand Lise Bold naughty and charming he was loved by nation s women Irish Independent Saturday 1 May 2010 Harrison Bernice Gerry s skill lay in his empathy and ability to instantly befriend callers The Irish Times Saturday 1 May 2010 O Doherty Ian He was behind the greatest prank ever played on me Irish Independent Saturday 1 May 2010 Smyth Sam Mighty broadcaster who won t easily be replaced Irish Independent Saturday 1 May 2010 Sweeney Ken Bon viveur inspired fans with his own battle of bulge Irish Independent Saturday 1 May 2010 Gerry Ryan irrepressible and irreplaceable Sunday Tribune Sunday 2 May 2010 Blake Knox David Gerry s passion for life was his gift to the nation Sunday Independent Sunday 2 May 2010 Corcoran Jody Home alone the loss of certainty would have been very difficult for this family man to bear Sunday Independent Sunday 2 May 2010 Horan Niamh The women who shared in a remarkable life journey It wasn t only the housewives who loved Ryan Sunday Independent Sunday 2 May 2010 Murray Marie Public wake for broadcaster who tuned in to our personal lives The Irish Times Monday 3 May 2010 Holmquist Kate When public persona has private costs The Irish Times Tuesday 4 May 2010 O Toole Fintan A brilliant chancer who earned our trust The Irish Times Tuesday 4 May 2010 Ruane Medb Gerry s radio style was years ahead of his time Irish Independent Wednesday 5 May 2010 Fanning Dave I know there ll never be another like Gerry Ryan Irish Independent Thursday 6 May 2010 Smyth Sam Gerry s greatest gift was his emotional intelligence Irish Independent Friday 7 May 2010 Fish Gerry The duet I never got to sing with Gerry Ryan Irish Independent Saturday 8 May 2010 Duffy Gavin How King Gerry beat local radio pretenders Sunday Independent Sunday 9 May 2010 O Connor Brendan What s good for us is bad for the Government Sunday Independent Sunday 9 May 2010 Quinlan Ronald Ryan s financial health was under stress Sunday Independent Sunday 9 May 2010 External links EditGerry Ryan tribute page at RTE ie archive link Gerry Ryan In Pictures at RTE ie RTE Television announces Ryan s death Photo gallery in the Irish Independent Media Advisory Gerry Ryan 1956 2010 at RTE ieDeath noticeIrish IndependentTributesColleagues Politicians Other Tributes to Gerry Ryan at BBC News archive link ObituariesBBC obituary archive link The Daily Telegraph obituary archive link The Guardian obituary archive link Gerry Ryan R I P Hot Press archive link A broadcasting legend who lived life to the full Irish IndependentFuneralIn Pictures Gerry Ryan funeral at BBC News archive link Family s farewell to their superdad a selection of family dedications published by the Irish Independent Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Death of Gerry Ryan amp oldid 1155542618, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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