Boyzone’s requests to have a statue erected in memory of the late Stephen Gately have been rejected by Dublin City Council despite help from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
According to The Irish Sun, the politician wrote a letter to the council asking them to consider erecting a memorial to the late star.
Boyzone hoped to erect a statue on Stephen’s native Sheriff Street in Dublin’s north inner city but these plans have been put to bed.
Bertie Ahern has been lobbying for a Stephen Gately memorial
Dublin City Council’s public art manager Ruairi O Cuiv said: “It’s a new city council policy that the council will not support proposals for statues until 20 years after the event or the death of the proposed person,” he said
“Perhaps the band members would instead consider using the funds to establish a scheme in Stephen Gately’s memory which would focus on giving people in the local Sheriff Street area an opportunity to develop an interest in music.”
Stephen died tragically from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 33.
Boyzone want to erect a statue in memory of Stephen
Stephen’s sister Michelle said: “It was too soon for us to be able to do anything, we were still in shock, but we knew how much effort other people put in to try to get some sort of tribute.”
Members of the public suggested that Dublin City Council name the new Liffey Bridge after loved novelist Maeve Binchy but it seems she will fall under Dublin City Council’s new policy also.
