Post mortem due on Gerry Ryan's body
A post mortem will be carried out today on the body of Irish broadcaster Gerry Ryan who died suddenly last Friday.
Funeral arrangements can be finalised for the popular presenter after authorities establish the cause of the father of five’s death, which gardaí are not treating as suspicious.
Ryan, 53, died of a suspected heart attack on Friday in the Dublin flat he moved into after splitting with his wife Morah.
A post mortem was delayed because of the Bank Holiday weekend.
A wake is likely to be held for the often controversial DJ in his family home in Clontarf, north Dublin, ahead of a funeral service on Thursday morning.
Ryan – who split from his wife after 26 years of marriage in March 2008 – was found dead on the floor of his bedroom by his partner, Melanie Verwoerd.
Thousands of shocked fans signed books of condolence at the capital’s RTÉ Radio studios and at the Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello.
RTÉ revealed more than 6,000 texts were also received during a special tribute programme on 2fm on Saturday morning.
Another three-hour tribute show will be aired from 9am today featuring calls from listeners, contributors in the studio and clips of Ryan over the years.
“RTÉ wishes to acknowledge the scale and depth of this support from all around the country – all correspondence, including the books of condolence, will be passed to Gerry’s family,” said a spokesman.
Ryan’s colleague Pat Kenny said there was an ache at the heart of RTÉ after the sudden loss of his friend.
“It’s an emptiness which will be impossible to fill,” he said.
Ryan was given his popular eponymous chat show on 2FM in 1988 and went on to become a household name, attracting a daily audience of more than 300,000 listeners.
Over the years he also hosted several television series including 'Secrets', 'Ryantown', 'Gerry Ryan Tonight', 'Gerry Ryan’s Hitlist', 'Ryan Confidential' and 'Operation Transformation'.
2fm presenter Ruth Scott will fill the 'Gerry Ryan Show' slot with a music programme for the remainder of the week.
The book of condolences for Ryan is to be opened again today at the Mansion House in Dublin.
