‘A true poet & artist’ – Shane MacGowan remembered as ‘legendary talent’

The songwriter and former frontman of The Pogues had been receiving treatment in St Vincents Hospital in Dublin for several months for an infection.

He was discharged from hospital on November 22 and returned home to spend quality time with his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke.

MacGowan died “peacefully” with his family by his side in the early hours of this morning, The Pogues told fans in a social media statement on behalf of his family.

The band asked for the family's privacy to be respected “at this very sad time”.

Victoria paid tribute to her husband this morning, just days after the couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary, writing: “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.”

President Michael D. Higgins said that MacGowan's words "connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history" and encompassed "so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways."

In a statement, 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."

He continued: "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.

"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."

President Higgins said that it was a great honour for him to present MacGowan with a lifetime achievement award in the National Concert Hall in January 2018 for the musician's 60th birthday, which he described as "a richly deserved honour."

Concluding the statement, 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."

Fans and friends of the “legendary talent” followed suit and took to social media to share their own tributes to the star, including podcaster Blindboy, who wrote: “Ah lads. RIP. Fair play to him for outshining that prick Kissinger. A very punk rock death”.

Radio DJ Annie Mac shared a photo of the star and said: “RIP Shane McGowan.

“One of the finest lyricists of a generation. A man who loved Ireland with all his heart and took the music and culture and mixed it with his London upbringing to bring us The Pogues. What a band. What a discography.

"I am thankful to my big brothers for playing The Pogues albums relentlessly round the house when I was growing up. His voice will be forever nostalgic for me, taking me straight home to Dublin.

"His words have provided great comfort to this London Irish gal who dreams of Ireland a lot. My book The Mess We’re In features Shane in one of the last scenes..”

The Saturdays star Una Healy also shared a snap of her posing with MacGowan and penned “RIP Shane MacGowan”.

And Piers Morgan 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).”

His former The Pogues bandmate, Peter 'Spider' Stacy, shared an image of him performing on a stage, writing: “O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done..”

Andy Nolan, former accordionist with Shane MacGowan and The Popes, wrote: “I was just a fan who got lucky, God speed Shane, we’ll never see the likes of you again. Our sincere condolences to Victoria, Siobhan & all of Shane’s beautiful family & friends the world over RIP”.

Gerry Adams said: “I am really sorry to hear of death of Shane Magowan. RG & I were with him and Victoria on Monday. Ireland has lost a great patriot, a poet and friend of the down trodden and marginalised.”

Derry Girls actor Siobhan McSweeney penned: “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.”

A fan added: “The news that Shane MacGowan has died has brought tears to my eyes. A true poet & artist. A stunning body of work, but Fairytale of New York remains the most beautiful song I've ever heard. The soundtrack to so many of my most cherished memories. Thank you.”

Another said: “Completely gutted. Shane Magowan. A poet, a musician, a scholar, a rogue, a trailblazer, a giant.

“Instantly relatable, simultaneously untouchable. Provided the soundtrack for many, many, important moments for me. No-one did it better. Rest easy, Shane”.

Another wrote: “Oh no the brilliant Shane MacGowan the charismatic lead singer of The Pogues has died aged 65. I'll be honest, I've loved him, his music, his voice all my life. Being of Irish roots Shane's music has shaped my life. The Fairytale of New York is the best Christmas song ever”.

More to follow...