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    Shane MacGowan’s heartbroken Pogues bandmate pays tribute to ‘captain’ and says ‘our fearful trip is done’

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    POGUES star Peter “Spider” Stacy has lead tributes to lead singer Shane MacGowan after his death aged 65.English musician Stacy co-founded The Pogues along with MacGowan, Jem Finer and James Fearnley back in the 1980s.
    Shane with Spider Stacy in hospital in recent weeks
    Stacy and MacGowan in their Pogues heydayCredit: Alamy
    Frontman Shane, who had been battling viral encephalitis, died at 3am this morning, his devastated family confirmed.
    Sharing an image of MacGowan performing on stage, Stacy wrote: “‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..'”
    Replying to fans extending their condolences, Stacy added: “It’s s***, isn’t it.”
    Spider had visited MacGowan several times at St Vincent’s Hospital in recent weeks.

    MacGowan’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke had earlier this month thanked Spider and Terry Woods for coming to see Shane, posting: “Just wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone who has been messaging me and ⁦Shane MacGowan and thank you ⁦Spider Stacy and Terry Woods for coming to visit him love and prayers for everyone who is struggling right now. Hang in there!”
    MacGowan died “peacefully” at 3am this morning with his wife and family by his side after being discharged from Dublin’s Vincent’s Hospital last week.
    MacGowan, best known worldwide for The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s hit Christmas song Fairytale Of New York, had been due to celebrate his 66th birthday on Christmas Day.
    A statement shared on behalf of his wife, his sister Siobhan and father, Maurice, on The Pogues’ official Instagram said: “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan.
    Most read in Celebrity
    “Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning with his wife Victoria and family by his side.
    “Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family.
    “He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father, Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.
    “Further details will be announced shortly but the family ask for privacy at this very sad time.”
    It comes as..

    Irish President Michael D Higgins said there was “particular poignancy” that the death of MacGowan had followed closely after that of Sinead O’Connor.
    He said: “Born on Christmas Day, there was perhaps some form of destiny which led Shane to writing Fairytale Of New York, the timeless quality of which will surely mean that it will be listened to every Christmas for the next century or more.
    “Likewise songs like Rainy Night In Soho, A Pair Of Brown Eyes, If I Should Fall From Grace With God and so many others will live on far into the years and decades to come.
    “I think too of Haunted, and the particular poignancy that both Shane and Sinead O’Connor have left us in such quick succession.”
    President Higgins added that it was a “great honour” for him to present the singer with a lifetime achievement award at the National Concert Hall in January 2018 to mark MacGowan’s 60th birthday.
    Folk legends The Wolfe Tones paid tribute to a “lyricist supreme”.
    The musicians said: “Shane MacGowan RIP, lyricist supreme, unbelievable talent, sincerest condolences to Victoria and Shane’s family and friends, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”
    Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney said: “Shane was the voice of London for us Irish.
    “When I was scared about moving here he lured me over with songs about chancers, drinkers, lovers, poets and scoundrels. That’s the place for me, I thought!
    “He also taught me how to miss home, whatever that may be. Damn shame, Shane.”
    Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “He was an amazing musician and artist. His songs beautifully captured the Irish experience, especially the experience of being Irish abroad.”
    Tanaiste Micheal Martin said MacGowan was an “iconic musician”.
    The Fianna Fail leader said: “Devastated by the passing of Shane MacGowan.
    “An iconic musician talented in many genres, particularly influenced by his time in Tipperary.
    “His passing is particularly poignant at this time of year as we listen to Fairytale Of New York – a song that resonates with all of us.
    “My deepest sympathies to his wife Victoria Mary and all the MacGowan family.”
    Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald described MacGowan as “a poet” who was unique in how he told “the Irish story”.
    She said that Ireland “has lost one of its most beloved icons and the world one of its greatest songwriters”.
    “Shane was a poet, a dreamer and a champion of social justice. He was a dedicated Republican and a proud Irishman.
    “Nobody told the Irish story like Shane – stories of emigration, heartache, dislocation, redemption, love and joy.
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    “Shane brought his musical unique style to all corners of the world, and his music will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
    “Today we mourn his passing. He was one of the best of us.” More

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      Inside Shane MacGowan and Sinead O’Connor’s friendship – famous fallout, lifesaving gesture and death heartache

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      SHANE MacGowan was left heartbroken after the death of close friend Sinead O’Connor back in July and and told her: I hope you’re at peace now.And Irish President Michael D Higgins said there was “particular poignancy” that the death of Pogues legend Shane today had so quickly followed Sinead’s passing.
      Sinead and Shane perform on stage in the early 2000sCredit: PCPhoto
      Irish music icons Sinead and Shane in their heyday
      The duo famously fell out before rekindling their friendshipCredit: PCPhoto
      Fairytale of New York hitmaker Shane, who had been battling viral encephalitis, died at 3am this morning, his devastated family confirmed.
      MacGowan and his beloved wife Victoria Mary Clarke had told of their devastation when Sinead was found dead in London on July 26.
      The Tipperary rocker was firm friends with the Dublin singer, having teamed up on numerous occasions – most memorably for a recording of hit single Haunted in 1995.
      The duo, who go back a long way, also performed on stage together multiple times.

      But over the course of their friendship they also fell out over Shane’s drug use, with Sinead shopping him to the Met Police in London in 1999 for drug possession to try to stop him using heroin.
      He was arrested at his home in north-west London after O’Connor contacted police.
      At the time of Shane’s arrest, O’Connor said she had telephoned the emergency services after she found the singer collapsed on the floor of his home.
      “I love Shane,” Sinead said, “and it makes me angry to see him destroy himself selfishly in front of those who love him.”
      MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN
      O’Connor later confirmed: “I reported him to the police for his own good. I never wanted him put into prison, because drugs are freely available there, but ordered into a rehabilitation programme.”
      But a furious Shane fumed: “She’s got no right. It’s none of her business what I do.”
      He also shrugged off the furore after it hit the headlines and said: “I might as well clear up the fact that she has made out that I was lying on the floor in a coma.
      “In fact I was sitting on the sofa having a G&T and watching the Sam Peckinpah movie Cross of Iron.”
      Police dealt with the matter by way of a formal caution which requires the accused to admit their guilt.
      When the caution was accepted, the case against Shane was discontinued.
      The Crown Prosecution Service had considered there was enough evidence to proceed, but a spokeswoman insisted the incident had been concluded with a “rapping across the knuckles” from the police.
      SAVED HIS LIFE
      The feuding pair eventually made up and Shane later thanked his pal for helping him win his battle with drugs.
      MacGowan’s substance battles were well-documented and during his heyday, he would often perform and give interviews while drunk.
      In later years, Shane admitted he was incredibly grateful to Sinead for saving his life.
      He was asked in an interview: “I understand that your friend Sinead O’Connor got you arrested a couple years back after she saw you snorting heroin in your own flat.”
      Shane replied: “That’s right, yeah.”
      The interview continued: “Did this end your relationship with her?”
      Shane said: “No, but it ended my relationship with heroin.”
      He added: “I’m not recommending to people that they should rat their friends out to the police, you know what I mean?
      “At the time I was furious, obviously, but I’m actually very grateful to her now.”
      BACK ON STAGE
      The pair famously reunited when the Pogues played a sold-out RDS in the 2000s, with O’Connor joining MacGowan for a rendition of Fairytale of New York.
      The pair remained good friends, and Sinead often stayed with Shane and his wife Victoria Mary when she was back in Ireland.
      And after Sinead’s death, Victoria Mary shared a snap of Sinead and Shane in their heyday and expressed their sorrow at the news.
      She wrote: “We don’t really have words for this but we want to thank you Sinead for your love and your friendship and your compassion and your humour and your incredible music.
      “We pray that you are at peace now with your beautiful boy. Love Victoria and Shane.”
      And a source close to the star said: “Shane is absolutely floored by this. He and Sinead were very close.
      “They had their ups and downs over the years but they were the best of friends. Victoria and Shane and Sinead were extremely close.
      “She stayed with them frequently when she was in town. They are absolutely heartbroken at the news.”
      Read More on The Sun
      After O’Connor tragically lost her son in early 2022 – named Shane after her Haunted co-singer – MacGowan reached out on social media saying: “Sinead you have always been there for me and for so many people, you have been a comfort and a soul who is not afraid to feel the pain of the suffering.
      “You have always tried to heal and help. I pray that you can be comforted and find strength, healing & peace in your own sorrow and loss.” More

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      Piers Morgan leads tributes to Shane MacGowan with campaign to get Fairytale of New York to Xmas No1 after his death

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      PIERS Morgan has launched a campaign to get The Pogues to No 1 at Christmas following the death of front man Shane MacGowan.The musical legend died “peacefully” on Thursday morning at the age of 65, with his wife by his side.
      Piers Morgan wants to get The Pogue’s to the Christmas No 1Credit: Getty
      Shane McGowan has died at the age of 65Credit: AFP
      Fairytale Of New York never reached the top spot despite being a huge hitCredit: Getty
      Shane, who was best known for hit festive song Fairytale Of New York, had been due to celebrate his 66th birthday on Christmas Day.
      Paying tribute today, Piers wrote:  “RIP Shane MacGowan, 65. Irish punk legend, genius Pogues singer/songwriter, and hell-raiser extraordinaire. His favourite joke was: ‘I was given six weeks to live, about 25 years ago!’
      “Let’s make Fairytale of New York the Christmas No1 as a tribute. (He was born on Xmas Day).”
      Fairytale of  New York spent five weeks at Number 1 in the Irish charts, when it was released in 1987.
      Read More on Shane MacGowan
      However it never secured the Christmas number one in the UK charts.
      Despite that it re-enters the Official Christmas Singles Chart Top 20 every year.
      Meanwhile, tributes have flooded in from elsewhere – musician and singer Peter “Spider” Stacy paid his respects to his fellow bandmate, sharing an image of him performing on a stage.
      Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Stacy wrote: “‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..'”
      Most read in Music
      The line was accompanied by a black and white image of MacGowan smiling on stage.
      Stacy co-founded The Pogues along with MacGowan, Jem Finer and James Fearnley and appeared on all of their recordings.
      Nick Cave paid his respects writing saying: “A true friend and the greatest songwriter of his generation. A very sad day.”
      Dermot O’Leary posted a lengthy tribute on his Instagram, writing: “The smile, the snarl, the beauty, the heartbreak, the longing, all under the waves of punkish, rage, fervour and passion.
      “Feelings of grief for someone you’ve never met but whose art and work mean so much to you and have played an elemental part in shaping your identity are strange, muted.”
      He went on to say how much the singer meant to him being second-generation Irish and revealed The Pogues was the first gig he ever went to.
      A statement shared on behalf of his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, his sister Siobhan and father, Maurice, on The Pogues’ official Instagram said: “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan.
      “Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning (30 November, 2023) with his wife Victoria and family by his side.
      “Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family.
      “He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father, Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.
      “Further details will be announced shortly but the family ask for privacy at this very sad time”.
      His devastated family have paid tribute to the beloved Pogues star.
      Shane’s heartbroken wife Victoria wrote on Instagram: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.
      “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.
      “There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.
      “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music.
      “You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much. You meant the world to me.”
      His sister Siobhan also paid tribute, saying: “So I walked as day was dawning; as small birds sang and leaves were falling, where we once watched the row boats landing on the Broad Majestic Shannon.”
      Musician Peter “Spider” Stacy, who co-founded The Pogues along with MacGowan, Jem Finer and James Fearnley back in the 1980s shared a touching tribute.
      Sharing an image of MacGowan performing on stage, Stacy wrote: “‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..'”
      Read More on The Sun
      Replying to fans extending their condolences, Stacy added: “It’s s***, isn’t it.”
      Spider had visited MacGowan several times at St Vincent’s Hospital in recent weeks.
      Shane had been battling with his health since 2015Credit: Social Media Collect More

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      ‘Fairytale’ brought world to tears but there was much more to wild poet Shane MacGowan than his Christmas masterpiece

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      SHANE MACGOWAN was a punk with the soul of a poet, who fired up Irish music with manic London energy and gave Britain our most beloved Christmas song.The former Pogues frontman, who has died aged 65, once said his themes were: “God. The Devil. Drink. Life. Death. How funny it all is, and how sad.”
      The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan has diedCredit: Rex
      He had an eight-year battle with illness
      Shane was born to Irish parents in Kent in 1957Credit: Splash
      In Fairytale of New York Shane and Kirsty MacColl gave Britain its most beloved Christmas song
      Singers Kirsty and Shane in 1987Credit: Getty – Contributor
      His 1987 masterpiece Fairytale of New York embraced all those subjects at once.
      A track about that seems to be about drunks slinging insults at each other, with the least festive lyrics in history (“You scumbag, you maggot”) somehow resolves itself into a Christmas love song that still makes people cry.
      It has rocketed back into the Top 20 every December since 2005, and in 2012 was voted the nation’s favourite Christmas song of all time.
      Meanwhile, Shane became one of our favourite characters.
      MORE ON MACGOWAN
      His teeth, which his dentist once described as “the stuff of legends”,  became a national obsession.
      When he finally got them fixed in 2015 they were the subject of an entire documentary on Sky Arts.
      Then there was his laugh, likened to “the flush of a portable toilet”.
      Most of all, there was his incredible ability to stay alive, despite the obvious ravages of his alcohol and drugs, including heroin.
      Most read in Showbiz
      His imminent death was first reported back in 1988, when he was 31.
      Once, in front of his landlady, he was so high on acid he started eating a copy of The Beach Boys’ greatest hits album.
      On another occasion he told a young Kylie Minogue: “F*** off!”.
      He was wild, but somehow never frightening – there was always a vulnerability.
      And of course there were also those songs, of love, exile and yearning, like A Rainy Night In Soho or A Pair of Brown Eyes.
      There were also those of protest, like Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six.
      ‘COMPLETELY IRISH’
      Few songwriters of either rock or traditional Irish ballads have ever managed to merge so beautifully literature and music, the two great strands of Irish identity.
      And that was Shane’s identity, although he was born and raised in England.
      His heart was in his parents’ homeland, and in his London accent often insisted: “I’m completely Irish.”
      Ireland loved him too: there he was hailed as a literary giant as well as a musical one.
      Shane usually reacted in self-defence to this praise: “I just feel awkward and embarrassed, so I have a drink.”
      Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan was born on Christmas Day 1957 in the village of Pembury, Kent.
      His parents had only recently emigrated, after his Dubliner father Maurice landed a management job at clothing chain C&A.
      His mother Therese grew up in a remote part of Tipperary, in a farmhouse where singing and dancing sessions often went on for entire weekends.  
      Young Shane spent all his holidays there:  “I did my first gig when I was three, on the kitchen table.”
      His parents were also big readers, and he read whatever they were reading: by 12, he had polished off James Joyce’s heavyweight Ulysses.
      Teachers at his posh prep school near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were wowed by his own writing. His English teacher called him “brilliant”.
      Then aged 13 he won a scholarship to the even posher Westminster School in London, when his family moved to a flat in the city’s new Barbican complex.
      Shane later claimed the headmaster was “on my back from the start because I was Irish.”
      After just a year, the long-haired teen was expelled for his part in a school drug-buying ring.

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      And he began to spend more and more time drifting around Soho’s “pimps, whores and junkies”.
      In a 2020 documentary he revealed to long-time friend, Hollywood star Johnny Depp, that he even earned cash as a rent boy.
      But he added: “Just hand jobs. It was a job in hand.” Then came that laugh: “Hcccccch!”
      In 1975, when he was 17, his family committed him to London’s Bethlem psychiatric hospital for six months.
      After his release, the first gig he attended featured the Sex Pistols as a support act: “And that’s when I saw God.”
      He recalled years later: “The punk thing f***ing changed my life. It didn’t matter that I was ugly. Nothing mattered.”
      In October that year he had his first brush with notoriety when he was photographed at a punk show, one sticky-out ear gushing with blood where a fellow fan had bit it.
      The headline in music mag NME was: “Cannibalism at Clash gig”.
      He began calling himself Shane O’Hooligan and joined punk band The Nipple Erectors – later The Nips – as frontman in 1977.
      It fizzled out in 1980, but by the following year he had the idea that would change music and his life.
      He still loved the traditional Irish songs he had grown up with, and wondered what they would sound like if they were played with the energy of punk.
      He gathered a group of musician friends and tried it out.
      A friend said of their first gig in the spring of 1981: “You did know you were watching something extraordinary.”
      By the following year, the group had the name Pogue Mahone, from the Irish phrase “póg mo thóin”, meaning “kiss my arse”.
      But after they began to get radio play, a BBC Scotland producer alerted his bosses to the translation.
      So as Shane later explained: “We just changed to The Pogues and got on with it.”
      Shane as a toddler. He was born on Christmas Day, 1957 to Irish parents in Kent
      Shane started the Pogues in 1981Credit: Reuters
      Shane with singer Imelda MayCredit: Social Media Collect
      A young Shane back in March 1987
      When he finally got his teeth fixed in 2015 they were the subject of an entire documentary
      Shane was notorious for his heavy drinking
      Soon he was writing his own songs, to add to their repertoire of ballads and old rebel tunes.
      It was the height of the Troubles, with IRA bombs going off around England.
      Irish people in London, even second-generation ones, lived in an atmosphere of suspicion and abuse.
      Shane put their experience as “Paddys” into words.
      The band’s biggest success came in 1987, with Fairytale of New York.
      Shane co-wrote the music with the group’s banjo player Jem Finer, but the lyrics were his own.
      It took him two years to get them right, by which time bassist Cait O’Riordan, who he planned to sing the duet with, had left the band.
      So their new producer Steve Lillywhite suggested his wife, singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl.
      Shane had already recorded his own part, so Kirsty recorded the female part at home.
      When Steve played him the result the next day, Shane said: “I have to sing the part again.”
      Kirsty had just taken the song into a different league, and he knew he had to try to reach her heights.
      By the end of the recording session Shane was lying in a pool of vomit on the studio floor, and The Pogues had a masterpiece.
      However, it only reached No2 in the UK, kept off 1987’s Christmas top spot by the Pet Shop Boys’ cover of Always On My Mind.
      Meanwhile Shane, 30, had fallen in love with Irish writer and journalist Victoria Mary Clarke, nine years his junior.
      Apart from a break of around seven years, they would be together for rest of his life. They finally married in November 2018.
      The break was caused by the drug use that spun out of control after the success of Fairytale of New York.
      She later said: “It was very scary. It was hell on earth.”
      He was also downing a bottle and a half of gin a day, and missing shows, wandering off halfway to hit the bar, or singing a different song to the rest of the band.
      Finally, during a tour of Japan in the summer of 1991, the other members sacked him.
      HEAVY DRINKING
      He retaliated with a new group in 1992, Shane MacGowan and the Popes.
      He also collaborated with other musicians including Sinéad O’Connor, who recorded single Haunted with him in 1995.
      She later recalled: “Shane was nodding out on smack in between the verses.”
      In November 1999 she ended up calling police on him: he went to rehab and managed to kick heroin by 2002.
      However, he remained a heavy drinker.
      The Pogues asked him to return to the band in 2001, and he stayed until the band’s break up in 2014.
      But he never again hit the song-writing heights of the group’s early years.
      And he was haunted by the horrific death of duet partner Kirsty MacColl, mowed down by a powerboat while swimming in December 2000, aged 41.
      He said of his best-loved song: “Basically I stopped singing it when Kirsty went.”
      Shane broke his pelvis in a 2015 fall in Dublin, where he and Victoria eventually moved.
      He was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and in December 2022 he was hospitalised with encephalitis, which causes swelling to the brain.
      By July 2023 he was still there, in intensive care.
      Shane, who never had children, once admitted: “I have lived a totally irresponsible existence.”
      Read More on The Sun
      But he also insisted: “I’m just following the Irish tradition of songwriting, the Irish way of life, the human way of life.
      “Cram as much pleasure into life, and rail against the pain you have to suffer as a result.”
      Shane McGowan was famous for his rotten teethCredit: Photocall Ireland
      Shane smoking cigarettes on Dublins South Quays in 2004Credit: Photocall Ireland More

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      Who was singer Kirsty MacColl and when did she die?

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      KIRSTY MacColl collaborated with Shane McGowan and the Pogues on what is generally considered the greatest Christmas song of all time.Here we take a look at the singer’s life, music and tragic death.
      Kirsty MacColl duetted with Shane MacGowan on the Christmas classic Fairytale Of New YorkCredit: Redferns
      Who was singer Kirsty MacColl?
      Kirsty Anna MacColl was born in Croydon, South London, on October 10, 1959.
      She was the daughter of musical parents — her father Ewan MacColl was a folk singer, and her mother Jean Newlove a professional dancer.
      By the time Kirsty was born, her parents had split up, with Ewan going on to marry another folk singer Peggy Seeger.
      Kirsty married music producer Steve Lillywhite in 1984.
      READ MORE ON KIRSTY
      The pair shared two children together, Jamie and Louis, but divorced in 1994..
      Kirsty sang on a number of tracks produced by Lillywhite while they were married, most notably the song she’s best known for — Fairytale Of New York.
      When did Kirsty MacColl die?
      Kirsty died in a scuba diving accident off the coast of Mexico in December 2000.
      A keen diver, MacColl brought her two sons on holiday for a well-needed break after a relentless 18 months of working.
      Most read in Music
      The family travelled to Cozumel and it’s said Kirsty planned on introducing her two boys to scuba diving for the first time there.
      While in the water, MacColl was tragically hit by a speedboat travelling illegally in an area designated for swimmers.
      A statement at the time confirmed neither of her sons were injured in the accident.
      In the statement, MacColl was described as a “bright, fun-loving person as well as a talented singer and writer who was loved by anybody and everybody she came into contact with”.
      Shortly after her death, her body was returned to the UK where she was cremated close to her home town of Croydon.
      At the time of her death, Kirsty was just 41 years old. 
      What songs is Kirsty MacColl famous for?
      Kirsty is best known for the ultimate Christmas song, Fairytale Of New York, on whic she duetted with none other than The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan.
      But MacColl’s musical career began long before the song hit the airwaves in 1988.
      Over two decades and five albums, MacColl recorded over 160 songs, ultimately released in an eight-disc boxset by Universal in October 2023. 
      Among these tracks features A New England, a classic female rock song she recorded in her early twenties. 
      A New England peaked at No7 in the UK charts in 1985, with There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis reaching No14 in 1981.
      She had another top twenty hit in 1989 with Days, which reached a high of No12.
      However, none of her other works reached the same status as the drunken duet, Fairytale Of New York.
      Strangely, when first released the hit song didn’t even make it to the Christmas number one slot, peaking at No2. 
      Recorded with The Pogues’ original bassist Cait O’Riordan, MacColl stepped in on vocals when O’Riordan left the band in 1986. 
      After test recording the vocals, it’s said the band fell in love with her voice and had to keep it on the track.
      When did Shane MacGowan die?
      Shane MacGowan tragically died on Thursday November 30, 2023.
      Shane passed away at the age of 65 following an eight year battle with encephalitis.
      Hs death occurred just a few days after he celebrated his fifth wedding anniversary.
      His wife Victoria shared a heartbreaking statement announcing the star’s death: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.
      “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.”
      She added: “There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.
      “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music.
      “You will live in my heart forever.
      “Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much.
      Read More on The Sun
      “You meant the world to me.”
      Shane is survived by his wife, father Maurice and sister Siobhan. More

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      Shane MacGowan’s devastated family break silence after star’s death as wife pays tribute to ‘beautiful angel’

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      SHANE MacGowan’s devastated family have paid tribute to the beloved Pogues frontman who’s died aged 65.Shane’s heartbroken wife Victoria Mary Clarke, his sister Siobhan and father Maurice confirmed the singer died at 3am after being given the last rites.
      Shane with his beloved wife Victoria Mary in hospital
      Shane with his mother Therese and father MauriceCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Shane’s sister Siobhan posted emotional tribute to Pogues icon brother
      They said: “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan.
      “Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning with his wife Victoria and family by his side.
      “Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family.
      “He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.
      “Further details will be announced shortly but the family ask for privacy at this very sad time.”
      The singer had been receiving care in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin for an infection but was discharged last week ahead of his upcoming birthday on Christmas Day.
      From the 1980s, he lead the Irish punk band who are best known for their hit festive song Fairytale Of New York which was released in 1987.
      And confirming his tragic death today, Victoria Mary said he has now been reunited with his mother Therese, who tragically died in a car crash on New Year’s Day 2017.
      Most read in Celebrity
      Victoria Mary wrote on Instagram: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.
      “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.
      “There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.
      “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music.
      “You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much. You meant the world to me.”
      It comes as…

      Legendary singer Shane MacGowan has died age 65
       The rock wildman defied critics who said he had ‘death wish’
       Last ever pic of the Pogues icon revealed

      His sister Siobhan also paid tribute, saying: “So I walked as day was dawning; as small birds sang and leaves were falling, where we once watched the row boats landing on the Broad Majestic Shannon.”
      Irish President Michael D Higgins said there was “particular poignancy” that the death of Shane MacGowan had followed closely that of Sinead O’Connor.
      He said: “Born on Christmas Day, there was perhaps some form of destiny which led Shane to writing Fairytale Of New York, the timeless quality of which will surely mean that it will be listened to every Christmas for the next century or more.
      “Likewise songs like Rainy Night In Soho, A Pair Of Brown Eyes, If I Should Fall From Grace With God and so many others will live on far into the years and decades to come.
      “I think too of Haunted, and the particular poignancy that both Shane and Sinead O’Connor have left us in such quick succession.”
      He added: “It was a great honour for me, as President of Ireland, to present Shane with a lifetime achievement award in the National Concert Hall in January 2018 as we marked his 60th birthday. A richly deserved honour.”
      Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald has described Shane MacGowan as “a poet” who was unique in how he told “the Irish story”.
      She said that Ireland “has lost one of its most beloved icons and the world one of its greatest songwriters”.
      “Shane was a poet, a dreamer and a champion of social justice. He was a dedicated Republican and a proud Irishman.
      “Nobody told the Irish story like Shane – stories of emigration, heartache, dislocation, redemption, love and joy.
      “Shane brought his musical unique style to all corners of the world, and his music will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Today we mourn his passing. He was one of the best of us. Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann.
      “I want to extend my deepest condolences to his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan, his extended family and very wide circle of friends.” More

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      Who was The Pogues’ singer Shane MacGowan and did he have any children?

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      THE Pogues fans have been left in shock at the news that the band’s lead singer Shane MacGowan has passed away.The Fairytale of New York star died aged 65 following a health battle.
      Shane MacGowan has sadly died aged 65Credit: Getty
      Who was Shane MacGowan?
      Shane MacGowan was born in Pembury, Kent, to Irish parents on Christmas Day 1957.
      He spent his early childhood in County Tipperary, Ireland, before the family returned to England.
      In 1976, he made headlines for having his earlobe smashed at a gig by The Clash.
      Soon after he became the vocalist and songwriter of the punk band The Nipple Erectors, formed by Shanne Bradley, which was later named The Nips
      Read more on Shane MacGowan
      When did Shane MacGowan form The Pogues?
      In 1982, Shane formed The Pogues calling on his traditional Irish music background.
      The founding members were Shane on vocals, Peter “Spider” Tracy on tin whistle, and Jem Finer on banjo.
      The Nips guitarist James Fearnley completed the line-up on the accordion, along with Cait O’Riordan on bass and Andrew Ranken on drums.
      The band was originally called Pogue Mahone – an anglicisation of póg mo thóin meaning “kiss my a**e.”
      Most read in celebrity
      In 1987, Shane co-wrote Fairytale Of New York which he performed with the late Kirsty MacColl.
      The Christmas single reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts.
      In 2018 the song was crowned the greatest Christmas tune of all time by Magic Radio.
      They also had a No8 hit with The Irish Rover and two top-five albums – If I Should Fall From Grace With God and Peace And Love.
      In 1987 Shane co-wrote Fairytale of New York which he performed with Kirsty MacCall.
      The Christmas single reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts.
      They also had a No8 hit with The Irish Rover and two top five albums – If I Should Fall From Grace With God and Peace and Love.
      Was Shane MacGowan married and did he have any children?
      In November 2018, Shane married his girlfriend of 32 years – Victoria Mary Clarke.
      He first met the Irish journalist when she was 16, and proposed 11 years later.
      They tied the knot at a ceremony in Copenhagen with Johnny Depp performing as their wedding guitarist.
      The couple do not have any children together.
      Victoria has written for various newspapers and magazines and wrote her husband’s biography A Drink With Shane MacGowan.
      In 2007, she appeared on Celebrities Go Wild on RTÉ, an Irish programme in which stars have to use their survival skills in rural Connemara.
      She also appeared with Shane on the programme Victoria And Shane Grow Their Own – an RTÉ special in which the couple attempted to grow their own vegetables at an allotment in Dublin.
      When did Shane MaGowan die?
      Shane passed away aged 65 on November 30, 2023.
      The singer had been diagnosed with viral encephalitis, which is a serious condition which leads to brain swelling.
      Announcing his death, wife Victoria shared a heartbreaking statement, which read: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.
      “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.”
      Why was Shane MacGowan in a wheelchair?
      Before his death, Shane had been confined to a wheelchair since 2015.
      It came after he fell and fractured his pelvis when leaving a Dublin studio.
      In an interview with Vice at the time he said: “It was a fall and I fell the wrong way”
      “I broke my pelvis, which is the worst thing you can do. I’m lame in one leg, I can’t walk around the room without a crutch.
      “I am getting better, but it’s taking a very long time. It’s the longest I’ve ever taken to recover from an injury. And I’ve had a lot of injuries.” More

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      Shane MacGowan dead updates — The Pogues star known for Fairytale of New York with Kirsty Maccoll dies from encephalitis

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      THE POGUES singer Shane MacGowan has died aged 65 after having been in critical care for the past several months.The Fairytale of New York singer, who had been diagnosed with viral encephalitis – a serious condition which leads to brain swelling – passed away today.
      Shane’s wife Victoria shared a heartbreaking statement announcing the star’s death.
      She shared a throwback black and white snap of her beloved husband and shared her shock at the loss of “the love of my life”.
      Follow our Shane MacGowan death updates blog for news and updates…
      The Pogues song covered in 2022 to support Ukraine
      New York singer Jesse Malin and Eugene Hütz, the Ukrainian-born frontman of the gypsy punk band, Gogol Bordello, filmed a music video covering The Pogues’ If I Should Fall From Grace With God. 
      When the cover was released in 2022, Hütz said in a statement: “Universe knows Jesse and I bonded over Pogues years ago.” Jesse Malin told Rolling Stone at the time: “ I have always believed in global unity through music. The universal heartbeat that brings us together.”
      The Pogues members
      The Irish band featured a number of members over the years, including: 

      Shane MacGowan
      Terry Woods
      Spider Stacy
      Joe Strummer
      Jem Finer
      Darryl Hunt
      Jamie Clarke
      James Fearnley
      Andrew Ranken
      Cait O’Riordan
      Dave Coulter
      Philip Chevron
      James McNally

      Shane MacGowan on his 2015 fall
      In an interview with Vice at the time of his injury, Shane said: ”It was a fall and I fell the wrong way.”
      “I broke my pelvis, which is the worst thing you can do. I’m lame in one leg, I can’t walk around the room without a crutch.
      “I am getting better, but it’s taking a very long time. It’s the longest I’ve ever taken to recover from an injury. And I’ve had a lot of injuries.”
      Why was Shane in a wheelchair?
      The Pogues legend had been confined to a wheelchair since a brutal fall in 2015. 
      Shane fractured his pelvis when leaving a studio in Dublin.
      He went on to struggle with other health issues over the years prior to his death.
      Shane’s early life
      In 1975, when he was 17, his family committed him to London’s Bethlem psychiatric hospital for six months.
      After his release, the first gig he attended featured the Sex Pistols as a support act: “And that’s when I saw God.”
      He recalled years later: “The punk thing f***ing changed my life. It didn’t matter that I was ugly. Nothing mattered.”
      In October that year he had his first brush with notoriety when he was photographed at a punk show, one sticky-out ear gushing with blood where a fellow fan had bit it.
      The headline in music mag NME was: “Cannibalism at Clash gig”.
      He began calling himself Shane O’Hooligan and joined punk band The Nipple Erectors – later The Nips – as frontman in 1977.
      Shane MacGowan latest news

      Everything you need to know about Victoria Mary Clarke
      Born on January 11, 1966, Victoria Mary Clarke is a writer and journalist from Ireland.
      She has contributed articles to several British and Irish newspapers and periodicals.
      Growing up in the Irish countryside, Clarke attended Renaniree’s national school.
      Her mother, who was born in Herbert Park, became pregnant at the age of 19 with Victoria.
      Songs that feature Shane MacGowan
      Here are the songs Shane MacGowan featured on:

      What a Wonderful World (with Nick Cave, 1992)
      The Church of the Holy Spook (with The Popes, 1994)
      That Woman’s Got Me Drinking (with The Popes, 1994)
      Haunted (with Sinéad O’Connor, 1995)
      My Way (1996)
      I Put a Spell on You (Haiti Charity Song) (with Nick Cave, Bobby Gillespie, Chrissie Hynde, Mick Jones with actor Johnny Depp, Glen Matlock, Paloma Faith and Eliza Doolittle) (2010)

      Films that feature Shane MacGowan
      Here are more films Shane MacGowan featured on:

      If I Should Fall From Grace: The Shane MacGowan Story – 2001
      The Clash: Westway to the World – 2002 (archive footage appearance as himself)
      The Story of Fairytale of New York – 2005
      The Libertine – 2005
      Harry Hill’s TV Burp – 2007
      Harry Hill’s TV Burp – 2010
      The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary concert at the Olympia (DVD) (November 2012)
      Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan – 2020

      What to know about Shane MacGowan
      Singer and songwriter Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan was born on December 25, 1957.
      He was the main vocalist and composer of the Celtic punk band the Pogues.
      He was born in Kent, England, to Irish parents. Along with creating his own solo music and working with musicians including Kirsty MacColl, Joe Strummer, Nick Cave, Steve Earle, Johnny Depp, Sinéad O’Connor, and Ronnie Drew, he was also a member of the Nipple Erectors and Shane MacGowan and the Popes.
      President Higgins releases statement
      Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, has released a statement following the death of Shane MacGowan.
      He said: “Like so many across the world, it was with the greatest sadness that I learned this morning of the death of Shane MacGowan.
      “Shane will be remembered as one of music’s greatest lyricists. So many of his songs would be perfectly crafted poems, if that would not have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them.
      “The genius of Shane’s contribution includes the fact that his songs capture within them, as Shane would put it, the measure of our dreams – of so many worlds, and particularly those of love, of the emigrant experience and of facing the challenges of that experience with authenticity and courage, and of living and seeing the sides of life that so many turn away from.
      “His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways.
      “Shane’s talent was nurtured from a young age by his mother Therese, herself an award winning folk singer in her own right. Therese, who lost her life in such tragic circumstances on New Year’s Day 2017, inspired in Shane the love of Irish music and traditions which resulted in the wonderful music and lyrics which have been a source of such joy for so many people.
      “Born on Christmas Day, there was perhaps some form of destiny which led Shane to writing ‘Fairytale of New York’, the timeless quality of which will surely mean that it will be listened to every Christmas for the next century or more. Likewise songs like ‘Rainy Night in Soho’, ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’, ‘If I Should Fall from Grace with God’ and so many others will live on far into the years and decades to come.
      “I think too of ‘Haunted’, and the particular poignancy that both Shane and Sinéad O’Connor have left us in such quick succession.
      “It was a great honour for me, as President of Ireland, to present Shane with a lifetime achievement award in the National Concert Hall in January 2018 as we marked his 60th birthday. A richly deserved honour.
      “On behalf of Sabina and I, may I extend my deepest condolences to Shane’s wife Victoria, his sister Siobhán, his father Maurice, his bandmates in the Pogues and other projects, and to all his many friends and family.”
      Beyond The Pogues
      In 1992, Macgowan formed the band Shane Macgowan and The Popes.
      In addition to touring abroad, the trio released two studio albums, a live CD, three tracks for The Popes Outlaw Heaven (2010), a live DVD, and a live DVD.
      MacGowan had an appearance on Lou Reed’s Perfect Day in 1997, which was recorded by several musicians to benefit Children in Need.
      It spent three weeks—two distinct spells—at the top of the UK single charts.
      With over a million copies sold, the song helped the charity raise the most money in six years.
      Shane MacGowan and The Popes had a lengthy tour of the UK, Ireland, and Europe from December 2003 to May 2005.
      Fans share tributes
      Tributes have flooded in for Shane MacGowan this morning following his tragic death.
      Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter one fan said: “‘Fare thee well, gone away, there’s nothing left to say’ The songs were brilliant, the writing even better. RIP Shane MacGowan.”
      A second said: “Jesus. I knew he wasn’t well but this is still a big shock! RIP Shane MacGowan, greatest ever Irish songwriter!”
      Final pic of Pogues icon Shane MacGowan following death
      The last ever picture of Shane MacGowan shows the Pogues legend in good spirits.
      The Fairytale of New York singer tragically passed away today after an eight-year long health battle.

      Major comeback in 2019
      On June 13, 2019, MacGowan returned to the stage as a guest of Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders at Dublin’s RDS Arena.
      MacGowan was scheduled to appear on July 7th with a number of guests for the Feis Liverpool 2019 finale, following the success of Feis Liverpool 2018’s finale, which featured him alongside Imelda May, Paddy Moloney, Albert Hammond Jr., and many more.
      However, the event was ultimately cancelled due to a lack of ticket sales and funding issues.
      According to reports, MacGowan went back into the studio in 2020 to record a few new songs with the Irish indie band Cronin, which is headed by brothers Johnny and Mick Cronin.
      More about The Pogues
      In 1987 Shane co-wrote Fairytale of New York which he performed with Kirsty MacCall.
      The Christmas single reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts.
      They also had a No8 hit with The Irish Rover and two top-five albums – If I Should Fall From Grace With God and Peace and Love.
      About the formation of The Pogues
      Drawing from his heritage in traditional Irish music, Shane founded The Pogues in 1982.
      Shane on vocals, Peter “Spider” Tracy on tin whistle, and Jem Finer on banjo were the original members.
      James Fearnley, the accordion player for the Nips, Andrew Ranken on drums, and Cait O’Riordan on bass completed the lineup.
      The band’s initial name, Pogue Mahone, was an anglicization of the phrase “kiss my arse,” póg mo thóin.
      Shane had been receiving treatment for months
      The 65-year-old singer had been undergoing treatment for viral encephalitis, a dangerous illness that causes swelling in the brain, for several months.
      Since the diagnosis, Shane has been taken to the hospital many times.
      It is believed that he was readmitted in June, although Victoria hadn’t disclosed the precise cause of his admissions.
      Shane’s wife pays tribute
      Shane’s wife Victoria paid a touching tribute to Shane, who was “the start and end of everything that I hold dear”.
      She said: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.”

      Shane MacGowan dies aged 65
      The Pogues star Shane MacGowan has died at the age of 65 after losing an eight year health battle.
      The Fairytale of New York singer, who had been diagnosed with viral encephalitis – a serious condition which leads to brain swelling – passed away today. More

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      Final pic of Pogues icon Shane MacGowan following tragic death as tributes pour in

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      THE last ever picture of Shane MacGowan shows the Pogues legend in good spirits.The Fairytale of New York singer tragically passed away today after an eight-year long health battle.
      Shane’s wife Victoria shared the final photo of the singer
      Shane had been battling with health issues for eight yearsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Legendary Shane pictured on stage in the late 1980sCredit: Alamy
      Shane and Victoria share kiss in hospital
      Shane had been receiving treatment for viral encephalitis – a serious condition which leads to brain swelling.
      He had been rushed to hospital as his wife Victoria Mary Clarke stayed by his side.
      The singer remained in good spirits throughout his treatment, which included being put on a breathing apparatus, and was sent home last week.
      Victoria said when they got home: “Shane got out of the hospital! We are deeply and eternally grateful to all of the doctors and nurses and staff at St Vincent’s it’s the best!
      READ MORE IN SHANE MACGOWAN
      “And special thanks to Tom Creagh and Brian Corscadden for your help”.
      She shared a snap of the Fairytale of New York star from his hospital bed, rocking a hat and scarf and beaming from ear to ear.
      But devastated Victoria Mary confirmed he died at 3am on November 30 and paid emotional tribute to her “beautiful angel”.
      She said: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.
      Most read in Celebrity
      “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.
      “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.
      “There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.
      “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music.
      “You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much. You meant the world to me.”
      It comes as..

      Shane had been hospitalised a number of times since the diagnosis and was thought to have been admitted again in June, but Victoria had not revealed the exact reasons why.
      In a previous post on social media, Victoria thanked everyone for their kind messages and support while the icon battled the dangerous brain condition from hospital.
      His loving wife wrote: “I just wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone who has been messaging me and ⁦@ShaneMacGowan⁩ and thank you ⁦@spiderstacy⁩ and Terry Woods for coming to visit him.
      “Love and prayers for everyone who is struggling right now. Hang in there!”
      The singer’s health had deteriorated over the last few years, following an accident in 2015 when he broke his pelvis.
      The injury left him unable to walk without a crutch and Shane was forced to use a wheelchair in the years that followed.
      Last year, his injuries worsened after another fall saw the singer break his knee shortly after tearing a ligament which left him bedbound and struggling to eat.
      Shane had been aided by his wife and a carer at their home in Dublin.
      Victoria previously said: “I definitely want to help him to stay alive for as long as possible.”
      MUSICAL ROOTS
      Born on Christmas Day in Pembury, Kent, in 1957 to Irish parents, Shane soon moved to rural Tipperary where he was immersed in an Irish culture of ceili bands and showbands.
      The family later moved back to England and MacGowan earned a literature scholarship to the prestigious Westminster School in London but was expelled in his second year when he was caught in possession of drugs.
      MacGowan became involved with the burgeoning punk movement in 1970s England. He formed his own punk band before a revival in ethnic musical influences led him to form The Pogues in 1982.
      The band played traditional Irish and rebel songs given new life by an injection of the energy, anger and anarchy of punk.
      Dismissed by many initially as an embarrassing slice of Paddywhackery, the Pogues survived and then thrived due to the unexpected quality and depth of MacGowan’s songwriting.
      The band reached their critical peak with the 1985 album Rum, Sodomy and the Lash, and their commercial peak with 1988’s If I Should Fall from Grace with God.
      The latter provided the band with their biggest hit, MacGowan duetting with Kirsty MacColl on Fairytale of New York. Although it was kept off the coveted festive number one spot by The Pet Shop Boys, Fairytale regularly tops polls for the best Christmas song.
      However, MacGowan’s erratic lifestyle and prodigious drinking began to dim his creative output and limited his ability to fulfil live commitments and promotional activities.
      Eventually, The Pogues sacked him in 1991 for his increasingly unreliable behaviour.
      He later claimed he had not been sober a single day in his life since he was 14.
      Read More on The Sun
      MacGowan formed his own band The Popes and toured extensively.
      MacGowan began performing with The Pogues again in 2001 and continued to tour with the band for several years, although no new music was recorded. More