Ronan's brother killed on way to see son play football

Ciaran, 57, dies in smash, Wife and 2 others injured

- MICHAEL O'TOOLE and TOM SHIEL

TRIBUTES have been paid to a brother of Ronan Keating who died in a road smash – as he drove to watch his footballer son play a game.

And, in a bitter twist, it has also emerged that Ciaran Keating, 57, died just hours before his son Ruairi - who plays for Cork City FC - was due to celebrate his 28th birthday yesterday.

Mr Keating, who is an older brother of the former Boyzone singer, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision between his car and another vehicle in Swinford, Co Mayo, on Saturday afternoon.

The businessman, who has been living in the Westport and Louisburgh areas of Mayo for more than 20 years, had been travelling with his wife Ann Marie to watch Ruairi play for Cork City against Sligo Rovers in a League of Ireland Premier Division game.

Ruairi, a talented striker, played the first half of the game, which Cork lost 3-0, before being substituted after 46 minutes.

A spokesman for Ronan who was in South Africa with his wife Storm when the tragedy happened declined to comment last night.