Pogues singer and songwriter Shane MacGowan dies aged 65
Shane MacGowan, the lead singer and songwriter of trailblazing Irish punk band the Pogues and one of the all-time great bandleaders, has died aged 65 following a long period of ill health.
His wife Victoria Mary Clarke said: “Shane will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life.”
In December 2022, he was hospitalised with viral encephalitis, and as a result spent several months of 2023 in intensive care.
Born in Kent to Irish parents, he lead the Irish punk band from the 1980s. They are best known for their hit festive song which was released in 1987.
A statement revealed that he died peacefully at 3am on Thursday with his wife and family by his side.
Announcing the legendary singer's death on Instagram, Victoria wrote: “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.
MacGowan sought to bring the power of Irish folk music to the rock scene, with his writing drawing from literature, mythology and the Bible.
“It became obvious that everything that could be done with a standard rock format had been done, usually quite badly,” he told the NME in 1983 as the Pogues were getting off the ground. “We just wanted to shove music that had roots, and is just generally stronger and has more real anger and emotion, down the throats of a completely pap-orientated pop audience.”
His dedication to his craft earned him the Ivor Novello songwriting inspiration award in 2018, following five albums with the Pogues and various solo releases. The Pogues’ highest-charting song, , a duet with Kirsty MacColl, reached No 2 in 1987 and became a Christmas classic.
Appropriately, MacGowan was born on 25 December 1957, near Tunbridge Wells. His parents were Irish immigrants residing in Kent who moved around the south-east of England. His whole family was musical: MacGowan said he learned a song a day from family on his mother’s side and gave his first performance aged three.
“They put me up on the kitchen table to sing and the song went down very well,” he told the Guardian. “I did public performances regularly after that.”
He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father, Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.
President Michael D Higgins expressed his sadness at the singer's passing in a statement saying he 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."
In his statement, President Higgins also paid tribute to the late Sinéad O'Connor.
"I think too of ‘Haunted’, and the particular poignancy that both Shane and Sinéad O’Connor have left us in such quick succession", he said.
"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.”
MacGowan's sister Siobhán also paid tribute to her older brother.
She posted a picture of the pair on her X account with the caption: "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 ❤️"
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 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2ZXua2ZqAr
— Siobhan MacGowan (@EtainsDream) November 30, 2023
In a tribute to MacGowan on X, his former bandmate, tin whistle player for the Pogues, Spider Stacy, also shared a photo of the two.
He captioned a photo of the pair performing onstage together: "‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..’"
‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..’ pic.twitter.com/YnkreXRmYB
— Spider Stacy (@spiderstacy) November 30, 2023
The Dáil has held a minute’s silence in a mark of respect for MacGowan who was described as a “musical icon.”
Prior to taking Leaders’ Questions, Tánaiste Micheál Martin paid tribute to MacGowan and said: “I want to express my deepest sympathies to the wife and family of Shane MacGowan.
“An iconic musician who I think blended many different musical disciplines and genres particularly influenced by his time in Tipperary, and very conscious of the traditional musical sort of heritage and interwoven that with many others.
“And I think, at this time of the year, particularly poignant in the context of Fairytale of New York with Kirsty MacColl, I think written on a bet that he could couldn't write a Christmas song which he did, and it is one of the most enduring and resonates with all of us and continues to do so,” Mr Martin told the Dáil.
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has also extended her condolences.
"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.
"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," she said.
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty also paid tribute to the Pogues front man and described him as a “musical icon.” He said: “I think we can all agree Shane will be remembered as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation. Greatly inspired by his Irish roots, Irish history, and family.
“Shane brought his unique style to all corners of the world and his music will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Elsewhere, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, has opened a book of condolence for the citizens of Dublin to extend their sympathies to the MacGowan family.
The Lord Mayor said: “On behalf of the people of Dublin I would like to express my condolences to Shane MacGowan’s family and many friends.
"I knew he had been very ill but today’s news still came as a shock, as I’m sure it did to many of us.
"Shane was truly a one-off and his loss will be felt by people right across this city and indeed the entire country.
"Rest in Peace Shane and thanks for the music.”
A book of condolence will open in the Mansion House between 2pm and 5pm on Thursday, and between 11am and 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Alternatively, members of the public can leave a message for the MacGowan family online here.