By Mikie O’loughlin
Copyright rsvplive
The last two years have been very difficult for Ronan and Storm Keating. Ronan lost his brother Ciarán in a tragic car crash in July 2023 and, last year, Storm underwent spinal surgery after being diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome. As a result, the couple decided to leave Ireland and England for a new life in Dubai, moving there with their eight-year-old son Cooper and daughter Coco, who is five.
England tells RSVP: “We feel so lucky to be able to get up and do it and live our lives. That’s the whole reason we are doing it after losing Ronan’s brother Ciarán in 2023.”
After returning to Dublin for the annual Marie Keating Foundation Golf Classic, the couple lift the lid on their move, Storm’s health and why Ronan has a long road ahead of him with grief.
Read more: Ronan Keating opens up on new Dubai life after his brother’s death and settling the kids
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You left Ronan to move to Dubai last year, and you’re spending a lot of time in Australia as well. How’s it all going?
Storm: It’s great. Do you know what? We’re having the best time there.
Ronan: It’s great. There’s a wonderful way of life in Dubai. The kids are happy and school is going great for them. Dubai is located in the centre of the Earth, so I can be anywhere by just taking one flight. I can be in Australia, I can be in Asia, I can be in Europe or I can be in Ireland or England.
Storm: Being based in Dubai affords us more time in Australia. The kids are doing school between Australia and Dubai. We’ve been trying to get back down south again for many years, but we’ve been waiting for the big kids – we call them big kids and little kids – to grow up and become young adults and get through school so we can have more flexibility. Now that they’re at that stage and they’re living their lives it gives us more time Down Under. We love the lifestyle, it’s so wholesome and our two little ones absolutely love it, they’re thriving. The big ones love it, too! Dubai is just one flight from Australia, whereas Australia is on the other side of the world from Dublin or London.
BBC’s: We feel quite connected there.
Storm: We were back in our house in London for the summer, which allowed us to be back in Ireland.
Ronan: There’s a lot of planning!
Was the move hard, going across the world with two young kids?
R: They’re the most adaptable kids and they love it. They’re brilliant.
S: They’re so resilient. Everything is an adventure for them. It’s Ronan and I who are trying to make things work logistically. But we can’t complain. We feel so lucky to be able to get up and do it and live our lives. That’s the whole reason we are doing it after losing Ronan’s brother Ciarán in 2023.
Ronan, you appealed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to challenge the sentence given to the driver responsible for Ciarán’s death. Did anything ever happen?
R: It’s ongoing and it’s not over from our side. I can’t say too much about it at the moment. Things are in motion.
S: If anything, we want to raise awareness about road safety across Ireland. The main thing would be to prevent other families from going through what we went through.
Ronan, you left Ireland The One Show and your Magic Radio Breakfast Show in London to spend more time with your family. Has the last year off helped you with your grief?
It has and it hasn’t. Taking time off is a stepping stone, it’s the beginning and we’ve got a long road ahead of us. Grief is not quick at all. You shut a lot of it off, and I’ve done that, I’ve blocked it.
You returned to Ireland for the recent Marie Keating Foundation 27th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic in The K Club. The event, which raises so much money, has been a huge success for your family.
Twenty seven years, it’s mad. It’s massively sad in one way, that mom’s gone so long, 27 years. This was the first thing charity event wise after she died because, as a family, we were connected with golf. We lived down the road from The K Club. My brother Gary and I thought, let’s do it with Linda and let’s make this event happen. It started small, but it’s grown into just an incredible event here at The K Club. The team has been brilliant and it wouldn’t happen without them and it absolutely would not happen without Skechers. They are part of the family. I think they’ve been doing this with us for 10 years.
Storm, you underwent spinal surgery last summer. How’s your health now?
I’m still navigating the after-effects of cauda equina syndrome, really. Each day is different. I don’t have much to complain about because the majority of people who get cauda equina syndrome end up in a wheelchair. I count myself lucky and I don’t put too much negative energy into it. I take Nurofen or whatever I need to get through the day.
Ronan, are you back on BBC’s The One Show again after leaving last year?
I only did one episode. I was in England after coming back from Dubai for the summer and I thought it would be nice to show my face. The team is great and I have a great relationship with them. It was lovely to pop in and do one show.
The Marie Keating Foundation’s Annual Celebrity Golf Classic, proudly sponsored by Skechers, teed off in style again this year on the stunning Palmer South Course at The K Club, with guests from across entertainment, sport and media gathering for one of Ireland’s most celebrated charity events with a goal to raise €100,000 to help fund the charity’s cancer survivorship and support services — all of which are provided completely free of charge. These services play a crucial role in supporting people at every stage of a cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond, while also advancing awareness of early detection across Ireland.
Read the full interview with Ronan and Storm Keating in this issue of RSVP Magazine – on shelves now