RONAN Keating “dropped everything” as soon as he was told in a bombshell phone call his brother had been killed in a car crash.
The heartbroken singer, 46, rushed back to his native Ireland on Saturday evening to support his close-knit family after the sudden death of married father-of-three Ciaran.
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A source said: “It’s the phone call no one wants to take about their loved ones. Ronan dropped everything as soon as he heard the devastating news.
“He is trying to stay strong for the sake of the family and is doing everything he can to support his sister-in-law and his nephews.”
They added: “Ronan is just absolutely devastated.
“He lives for his family. This is a cruel bolt from the blue.”
Ciaran, a car salesman who was in his 50s, had been driving to watch his son Ruairi, 28, play football for Cork City on Saturday afternoon when he collided with another car at Ballymiles, Co Mayo.
Also in the vehicle was his teacher wife Ann Marie, who was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the second car is in a serious condition, while their passenger was also injured.
Former Boyzone star Ronan, a dad of five, had earlier been playing golf on Saturday with wife Storm, 41, in St Albans, Herts.
He left her and their kids at their Hertfordshire mansion and dropped TV commitments after being informed of the tragedy, The Sun understands.
The news came after he appeared as a coach on the pre-recorded final of The Voice Kids.
Ciaran died on the N5, at a stretch of road known as an accident black spot.
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Dublin-born Ronan is the youngest of five children — with one sister, Linda, and three brothers, Ciaran, Gerard and Gary.
Ciaran, who lived in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, helped to set up the Marie Keating Foundation, after the death of their mother from breast cancer in 1998.
The foundation said it was devastated at the news, adding: “Ciaran was such a great supporter of our work and often acted as relief driver of our Mobile Information Unit in the West when time allowed
“He joined us recently to celebrate 25 years of the foundation at our annual celebrity golf classic.”
Cork City FC said: “We extend our deepest sympathies to Ruairi and the entire Keating family.”
Local councillor John O’Malley said of Ciaran: “Everyone is shocked and saddened by the awful news.
“He was highly regarded by all who knew him here and we are thinking of his wife and children.”
Boyzone, formed in 1993, had six No 1 UK singles including Words and No Matter What.
They sold more than 25 million records before splitting for good in 2019.
Ronan’s bandmate Stephen Gately died from a heart defect in 2009, aged 33.
Ronan, who in March announced he was a grandad, had three solo No 1s — When You Say Nothing At All, If Tomorrow Never Comes and Life Is A Rollercoaster.
He is now a presenter on The One Show as well as the breakfast show on Magic FM.
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