Francis Donnelly, one of Ireland's most popular country music stars, dies from brain cancer aged 50

ONE of Ireland's most popular country music stars Francis Donnelly has died after losing his battle with brain cancer at the age of just 50.

Mr Donnelly died at home on Thursday, with his wife Edel holding his hand as he passed away.

He was buried in the family plot in Lavey, Co Derry, yesterday following Requiem Mass in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Magherafelt.

The singer and keyboard player had a number of hit singles including Within My Father's Arms and the Last Great Love Song.

Within the past year he was presented with awards for his contribution to country music by both the Northern Ireland Country Music Awards and the Red Carpet Award Show.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer in January last year, just four months after getting married.

Music colleagues had rallied around the singer, organising a series of fundraising concerts.

He said: "Edel has to do all the driving and I can't even fill out a form because I can't see the thing. All I have left is music," he told the Donegal Daily in March 2019.

In a tribute on Facebook, his wife Edel wrote that her "beautiful Francis" is "at peace now".

"I didn't think it was possible to love someone as much as we loved each other. My soulmate, beautiful inside and out, you fly high with the angels now, my darling, to we meet again."