On Thursday, November 30, it was announced that Shane MacGowan had died aged 65.
Sharing the news via Instagram, The Pogues frontman’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke 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.”
Picture: Andres Poveda
“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,” Victoria heartbreakingly continued.
“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.”
In the wake of his death and funeral on Friday, December 8, Goss.ie has taken a look back at his life and career.
Shane was born in Kent, England on December 25, 1957 to Irish parents, but was raised in Co. Tipperary until the age of 6.
The late 65-year-old younger sister Siobhan is eight years his junior.
He co-founded The Pogues in King’s Cross, London back in 1982 as ‘Pogue Mahone’ the anglicised version of ‘póg mo thóin’.
Between 1985 and 1987, Shane co-wrote the Christmas classic Fairytale of New York, which he sung with Kirsty MacColl.
After The Pogues fired Shane for unprofessional behaviour mid-tour, he founded Shane MacGowan and The Popes.
The band recorded two studio albums, a live album, a live DVD, toured internationally and the late 65-year-old featured on three tracks on The Popes’ 2010 album Outlaw Heaven.
The Pogues and Shane re-formed for a sell-out tour in 2001, and each year between 2004 and 2009 for further tours, after he rejoined the band permanently in 2005.
Shane married his longtime love Victoria May Clarke on November 26, 2018 in Copenhagen, after a decades-long relationship and 11-year engagement.
View this post on Instagram
Shane struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, which caused a slew of health issues.
He required a wheelchair and a full-time carer, after breaking his pelvis in 2016 before breaking his knee and tearing his ligaments in 2020.
He had been receiving treatment for viral encephalitis, a condition in which the brain becomes swollen, since December 2022.
Shane then contracted shingles while in hospital, where he remained for just over a week before returning home in time for Christmas.
View this post on Instagram
In June 2023, Shane was admitted to the intensive care unit of St Vincent’s Hospital after contracting an infection.
In November, just one week before his untimely death, The Pogues frontman was discharged.
On November 30, 2023, Shane passed away at the age of 65.
