Shane MacGowan, best known as the frontman of The Pogues, has died at the age of 65.
The news was confirmed in a joint statement by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, as well as his sister Siobhan and father Maurice.
“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.”
— The Pogues (@poguesofficial) November 30, 2023
Victoria then posted her own extended tribute to her husband on her personal Instagram page. The couple had celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary just days ago.
“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,” she began.
“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.”
Tributes have come flooding in to the poetic, including from close friend Nick Cave, who said he was “a true friend and the greatest songwriter of his generation. A very sad day.”
Frank Turner wrote in a post on X/Twitter: “Just landed from a 10 hour flight to Hong Kong to hear the news about Shane MacGowan. Gutted. Had the honour to share a stage once, Christmas 2012. One of the all time greats. RIP.”
Tim Burgess added: “Farewell Shane MacGowan. A life lived to the full. A lyrical genius. An inspiration to so many of us who wanted to be in bands. I followed The Pogues to far flung places, met Shane a few times and watched some of the most exhilarating shows I’ve ever witnessed”.
You can find more tributes below.
Just landed from a 10 hour flight to Hong Kong to hear the news about Shane MacGowan. Gutted. Had the honour to share a stage once, Christmas 2012. One of the all time greats. RIP.
— Frank Turner (@frankturner) November 30, 2023
Farewell Shane MacGowan. A life lived to the full. A lyrical genius. An inspiration to so many of us who wanted to be in bands. I followed The Pogues to far flung places, met Shane a few times and watched some of the most exhilarating shows I’ve ever witnessed
📷 Steve Pyke pic.twitter.com/gHrtDNwVDW
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) November 30, 2023
Farewell to a Titan.
❤️#ShaneMacGowan pic.twitter.com/G5Z0SKJrcJ— LANKUM (@LankumDublin) November 30, 2023
Forever grateful to have had the opportunity of opening for the Pogues years ago. Shane was a lyrical god to me, always will be pic.twitter.com/YMddYhn8Fn
— Laura Jane Grace (@LauraJaneGrace) November 30, 2023
The Irish band were best known for the 1987 festive hit ‘Fairytale Of New York’ featuring Kirsty MacColl but also recorded numerous hits throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, including ‘The Old Main Drag’, ‘A Pair Of Brown Eyes’ and ‘A Rainy Night In Soho’ as well as covers of Irish standards ‘Dirty Old Town’ and ‘The Irish Rover’.
Their music was politically-charged in nature and blended punk with Irish folk, employing instruments such as the mandolin, banjo, and tin whistle, and they quickly became known for their boisterous live shows.
He had been the subject of a 2020 documentary, Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan, which recounted his life from his childhood in Tipperary to his introduction to punk and career with The Pogues.
MacGowan had been ill for some time and had been discharged from hospital last week, where he had been staying since June after being admitted to intensive care for an unspecified health issue. He was hospitalised in early December 2022 with encephalitis.
He had also been using a wheelchair since 2015 following several falls, in which he broke his pelvis and his right knee.
This is a breaking news story, check back for more information.