A spokesperson for Gerry Ryan’s family said that he would be laid to rest on Thursday in a private ceremony at St John the Baptist Church in Ryan's native Clontarf.

Ryan had five children with his separated wife Morah, and he family is currently making funeral arrangements for broadcaster.

Family spokeswoman Joanne Byrne said, "Ultimately they want to try and keep it (the funeral) private, as much as they can."

When asked if Ryan's partner Melanie Verwoerd was involved in organizing the funeral she said, "My understanding is that the family are taking care of the arrangements."

The family is very much aware of the fact that the general public may wish to attend the funeral and the family is looking towards "feasible" arrangements.

St John the Baptist Church parish priest, Fr Cormac McIlraith, said the funeral could not take place until a post mortem on the body had finished.

Ryan's body was discovered at lunchtime on Friday in his Leeson street apartment in Dublin city center.

When Ryan moved out of the family home two years ago, he arranged to meet his family every Sunday for lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Morah and her family had lunch on Sunday in the Four Seasons in memory of Ryan.

Ryan's partner Verwoerd is understood to have invited friends to her home on Sunday to celebrate the life of Ryan.