Ronan Keating says he 'hasn't unboxed' the grief of losing his brother and 'still struggles' with loss as BBC travel series Wild Atlantic takes tear-jerking turn
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Ronan Keating revealed he 'hasn't unboxed' the grief of tragically losing his brother - and 'still struggles' with the loss.
The Boyzone star's brother Ciaran passed away in a car crash in July 2023, while travelling with his wife to watch their son play football.
Almost three years on, the 49-year-old is fronting a series called Wild Atlantic, chronicling a journey which holds great personal meaning.
Speaking to Bella Magazine, Ronan discussed speaking openly about Ciaran throughout the show.
He said: 'I actually found it quite natural.
'I've had a lot of therapy since losing him because I struggled - and I still struggle.
Boyzone star Ronan Keating told how he hasn't 'hasn't unboxed' the grief of tragically losing his brother Ciaran in 2023
The 49-year-old is fronting a series called Wild Atlantic, chronicling a journey which holds great personal meaning
'I don't think grief ever fully goes away. I don't think I've unboxed all of it yet, to be honest.
'But when we were travelling and talking, it just came out.'
Ronan continued: 'There was no big plan to pour my heart out.
'We'd be standing on a cliff edge or walking a beach and something would hit me and I'd talk about him.
'It felt honest rather than performative.'
Meanwhile, Ronan also revealed his inspiration for embarking on Wild Atlantic as a project.
He explained how Ciaran had 'chosen to live on the west coast', but there had been another meaningful reason behind the journey.
Ronan said: 'It started as a celebration of the west coast of Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way, the cliffs, the beaches, the people.
'I spent so many summers there, so it already meant a lot to me.
'But as we began filming, it naturally evolved into something more personal.'
Referencing Ciaran's choice to live on the west coast, the singer added: 'So the journey became about understanding that decision, what drew him there, what he found there.
'It turned into a very emotional and very beautiful exploration of his love for that part of Ireland mine too.'
And the show was ultimately a family affair - as Ronan revealed how some of his loved ones came along for the journey.
He said: 'My brother Gary joins me, my nephews are there and even one of my best mates comes along in Donegal.
'It was important that it didn't feel like a lonely pilgrimage.
Ronan's older brother Ciaran (pictured furthest left) died in a car accident back in 2023 - and the singer has opened up about this loss
Ronan is well-known as co-lead singer of Boyzone (pictured in 2019 with bandmates Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch)
'Grief can be so isolating, but this reminded me that we're in it together.
'There's warmth and laughter in the series, as well as tears. That balance felt true to life.'
In August 2025, Ronan called for stronger sentences for fatal road traffic offences in the Republic of Ireland following Ciaran's death.
The singer voiced his 'disappointment over Ireland's broken system' after a man escaped a prison sentence for causing his older brother's passing.
Dean Harte, 22, was given a 17-month suspended sentence for a period of two years at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
Ronan told RTÉ's Drivetime: 'What happened to Ciaran, the injustice, the heartbreak, the devastating impact it has, and not just on Ciaran's siblings, but on his children, his grandchildren, his wife.'
In relation to the suspended sentence handed to Harte, Ronan added: 'All of the pain and the hurt is in losing somebody. This is just disgusting. It's awful - this situation.
'You can't get angry. You're floored. You're disappointed. The system is broken.
'As a family, we don't want to send some 22-year-old kid to jail. We don't want to see some kid go to jail whose life is going to be thrown away. That's not what we're looking for.
'But what we're looking for is to make sure somebody else doesn't die because of careless driving. That some other family's life is not going to be ripped apart.'
