Singer Shane MacGowan Has Died

Singer Shane MacGowan has died at the age of 65.

He was best known for fronting punk band 'The Pogues.'

Born on Christmas Day in 1957 he will always be remembered with one of the most popular Christmas songs in history.

He was the son of Irish immigrants - his father from Dublin and his mother from Tipperary.

He was known for his drinking habits over the years, and spent most of his career with The Pogues but was kicked out of the band - he then started a new band called Shane MacGowan and The Popes.

But within 10 years - he was back with the Pogues.

Shane MacGowan is survived by his wife Victoria Mary Clarke who he married in 2018.

“Like so many across the world, it was with the greatest sadness that I learned this morning of the death of Shane MacGowan.

President Michael D Higgins says: "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.

"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 60^th 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."

Book of Condolence

The Lord Mayor has opened a book of condolence.

Daithi de Roiste says his loss will be felt by people across the country and has described the singer as a one-off.

"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. It is especially poignant that the writer of one of the most universally loved Christmas songs has passed away at this time of year.

"Shane was truly a one-off and his loss will be felt by people right across this city and indeed the entire country. I have opened a book of condolence in the Mansion House for people who would like to leave a message for Shane’s family in person, or online."

The Mansion House will be open for people to sign the book of condolence until 5 o'clock today, and from 11 o'clock until 5 o'clock on Friday and Saturday.

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