The last of five children, Keating grew up in both Westmeath and Dublin. His father Gerry was a lorry driver while mother Marie worked as a hairdresser. On February 2 1998, when Keating was twenty, Marie died of breast cancer. Keating and his three brothers Ciaran, Gerard and Gary, and sister Linda set up a charity, the Marie Keating Foundation; its aim is to "beat cancer through awareness, education and support services".

.Keating joined the band Boyzone after auditioning for Louis Walsh when he was sixteen, and later briefly co-managed fellow Irish boy band Westlife. Although Boyzone never officially disbanded, they had not released a single since 1999 but re-formed in 2007. He has continued with his own solo career, clocking up a total of 14 UK top 10 singles as well as four UK Number One albums in addition to nearly two and a half million copies worldwide.

In 2008 Keating rejoined his Boyzone bandmates and completed a 29-date reunion tour. Boyzone released their comeback single on 29 September 2008, 'Love You Anyway', which was followed by a Greatest Hit album released on 13 October 2008.

On 11 October 2009 Keating learnt the news that bandmate and friend Stephen Gately had died while on holiday in Majorca. The remaining members of the band flew out to the island later that day. On 17 October 2009 at Gately's funeral, he read out an emotional speech: " I'm gonna really miss you, brother. We've loved you...and we always will. We know you've found peace. Perfect peace." He later acted as pallbearer alongside the remaining members of Boyzone.In 1999, while still a member of Boyzone, Keating was asked to record a new version of the song "When You Say Nothing At All" for the motion picture 'Notting Hill'. The single rose to number One in the UK charts, and was the begining of a successful solo career.

Keating has released five solo albums, four of which went straight to number one in the UK, and he has collaborated with major stars including Elton John, Lulu, Le Ann Rimes and the Bee Gees. Keating and Paul Brady co-wrote the hit single 'The Long Goodbye', one of Ronan's most loved hits amongst fans and a huge hit for Brooks and Dunn in America. In October 2007, he was listed in the 'Guinness Book of Records' for being the only artist ever to have 30 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK chart, having beaten the likes of Elvis. He also has two sell-out world tours, an Ivor Novello and BMI songwriting awards, an autobiography, a role as ambassador for Christian Aid and sales in excess of 22 million albums worldwide.

On June 6, 2006 Keating sang at the World Cup opening party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, in front of an audience of nearly 250,000 people, and posed naked for Cosmopolitan magazine's 10 Years of Naked Centrefolds. On May 9 the following year, Keating became the first international number-one selling foreign artist to perform a concert in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. He performed at the Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena. Keating has dueted with Elton John at Madison Garden in New York and has sung for the Pope twice. He performed for Prince Charles at the Prince's Trust 30th birthday, which took place at the Tower of London. He performed on stage for the Swedish Royal family at Crown Princess Victoria's birthday celebrations, and at the opening ceremony of the 19th European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

In 2009 Keating co-wrote the song "Believe Again" sung by Niels Brinck, who won the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow where it qualified for the final from the second semi-final and finished in 13th place with 74 points. Following the success of Ronan Keating's album 'Songs For My Mother', he has recorded another entitled 'Winter Songs'. Teaming up again with 'Songs For My Mother' producer Steve Lipson, Keating pulled together eleven songs that evoked memories of winter and Christmas for him. 'Winter Songs' is a mix of traditional and modern festive classics, including tracks from artists such as Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and Sugarland. Along with these, he has also included the poignant Christmas Hymn 'Silent Night' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'. The album also includes two brand new songs: 'Its Only Christmas' and 'Scars'.In October 2005, shortly after joining Christian Aid and the Trade Justice Campaign in 2004, Keating went to Rome where he was appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador via the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

Keating ran in the London Marathon on 13 April 2008 to raise money for Cancer Research, with a personal best time of 3hr 59min. He has also walked the length of Ireland twice, each time raising money for the Marie Keating Foundation, now linked to Cancer Research in the UK. Each year the foundation holds charity balls and various events, raising funds to keep their mobile units on the road. In 2009 Keating climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Comic Relief; joining him were Gary Barlow, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Kimberley Walsh, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Alesha Dixon and Cheryl Cole.

In June 2009 Ronan received a Special Achievement Award from Cancer Research UK - he was singled out for his work with them since 2006. Ronan along with The Marie Keating Charity has helped to raise over £1.7 million for the UK charity. This money is used to fund three special mobile units which raise awareness throughout the UK.

In October 2009, he pulled out of the Chicago Marathon due to the sudden death of his bandmate Stephen Gately; he had intended to run in memory of his mother.Over the years he has won Smash Hits Best Solo Male. He was given a tree in London's Hyde Park for performing for the Prince's Trust. He also has a World Music Award for the best selling Irish artist. In 2003 he was named Rear of the Year - an award given to celebrities with a notable derriere - and the prestigious "BMI European song-writing award" in 2003, for the song 'The Long Goodbye'.On the 3rd May 1997 Keating presented the Eurovision Song Contest along with Carrie Crowley. He presented the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1997 and 1999, and co-presented the MTV Asia Awards in 2002 with Mandy Moore. He also hosted Miss World 1998.

On April 20, 2009 Keating guest co-hosted The Morning Show in Australia alongside Kylie Gillies, while the show's regular male co-host Larry Emdur was on holiday.

In addition, he is the regular stand-in for Steve Wrighton his Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2. He currently presents an Sunday request show on Magic 105.4 FM.

In a section for the Jeremy Clarkson 2009 DVD "Duel", Keating was invited to take part in an off-road race to find "the fastest off-road celebrity", along with newsreader Kate Silverton, Rugby player Matt Dawson, and Clarkson. He came third overall, after being forced to abandon the car with only 20 seconds left to complete the course to disarm the on-board time bomb.When Keating announced he wanted to take a break from 'Boyzone' Louis Walsh continued to manage his career. Keating achieved a Number 1 hit with 'Life is a Rollercoaster' in 2000 while his album sold 4.4 million copies. Keating and Walsh later agreed to part company and then had a bitter falling out. Walsh told the press: "He Keating wasn't the most talented one - he's not a great singer and he's got no personality." Keating later told 'Closer' magazine:" That man absolutely tried to ruin me and if he thinks we can ever hug and make up he can forget it. I haven't heard from him in three years and I wouldn't have a problem if I never saw him again. He's not a nice character."

The feud between the two men had apparently ended by March 2008 and they helped in selecting the finalists in the Groups category in the current series of The X Factor.

Keating has criticised Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke several times in the press throughout late 2008 and early 2009, calling him a "muppet" and an "idiot" due to Yorke's allegedly negative attitude towards him and members of Boyzone. Shortly after Keating's remarks, Kanye West and Miley Cyrus also complained about Yorke's alleged rudeness. In response to the accusations, Yorke sarcastically left a blog on Radiohead's official site for those who weren't among " those people I have managed to offend by doing nothing."Keating married Irish model Yvonne Connolly (born 1974) on April 30, 1998 in Nevis. They have three children together - son Jack (born March 15th 1999), daughter Marie (born February 18th 2001) and second daughter Ali (born September 7th 2005).