Shane MacGowan, Famed Lead Singer of The Pogues, Passes Away at 65
Shane MacGowan, the legendary frontman and songwriter of Irish band The Pogues, sadly passed away at age 65, leaving behind a timeless musical legacy
Shane MacGowan, of the group the Pogues, performs onstage at the Vic Theater, Chicago, Illinois, July 12, 1986. Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Legendary Irish musician Shane MacGowan, best known as the frontman of The Pogues, has passed away at 65. His wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, shared the news of his death on Instagram, along with a heartfelt tribute to her late husband.
She expressed her gratitude for having known MacGowan and for the unconditional love he showed her throughout the years, stating that she feels an indescribable loss and longing for just one more of his smiles. She thanked him for brightening up the world and bringing so much joy to others with his music, and concluded by saying he will live on in her heart forever.
MacGowan was surrounded by loved ones when he "died peacefully" Thursday morning, as revealed in a separate statement uploaded via the official Pogues Instagram account. Along with his wife, MacGowan is survived by his father, Maurice, and sister Siobhan.
Shane MacGowan, Cait O’Riordan, Andrew Rankin, Jem Finer, Spider Stacy, and James Fearnley of the Pogues on November 30, 1984. Steve Rapport/Getty Images
A week before he passed away, MacGowan left a hospital in Dublin, where he had been treated for several months for an infection. Diagnosed with encephalitis last year, he had been using a wheelchair since sustaining an injury in a 2015 fall. MacGowan also battled with drug and alcohol abuse, with Clarke revealing in 2016 that MacGowan had been sober "for the first time in years." (The couple got married in 2018 after an 11-year engagement.)
Shane MacGowan of the group the Pogues. Steve Rapport/Getty Images
MacGowan achieved success with the formation of The Pogues in the 1980s and is widely recognized for co-writing the beloved Christmas classic “Fairytale of New York,” known as one of the most-played holiday songs in the U.K. Recently, NFL athletes Jason and Travis Kelce put their own spin on the tune with their release of “Fairytale of Philadelphia” earlier this month. The song is part of A Philly Special Christmas Special, the second charity album from Jason and the Philadelphia Eagles set to be released on Friday, December 1.
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Irish President Michael Higgins paid tribute to the late artist, saying, "MacGowan was one of music's greatest lyricists." He continued, "So many of his songs could be perfectly crafted poems, but that would have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them. The genius of Shane's contribution is that his songs capture the measure of our dreams, encompassing worlds of love, the emigrant experience, and facing challenges with authenticity and courage. They also speak to the sides of life that many turn away from."
Higgins added: “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.”
