Shane MacGowan has died at the age of 65 – just days after his wife marked their five-year anniversary with a series of sweet snaps on social media.
The Pogues singer was born on Christmas Day in 1957 and is arguably best known for the band’s classic festive-time hit Fairytale Of New York, featuring Kirsty MacColl.
His wife Victoria Mary Clarke announced the news on Instagram with a heartbreaking post confirming his death.
She penned alongside a snap of MacGowan: “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.”
MacGowan is survived by his wife, Clarke, whom he married in 2018 decades after they first met when the singer was 24 and she was 16.
Shane MacGowan spent much of 2023 in hospital
INSTAGRAM/VICTORIA MARY CLARKE
The Pogues singer spent much of 2023 in the hospital and in and out of intensive care after first being admitted in December 2022 with viral encephalitis.
Tributes from far and wide have flooded in, including one fan on X, formerly Twitter who penned: “RIP Shane MacGowan, very sad news. Memories of seeing The Pogues in their pomp in the mid-80s at Glasgow Barrowlands for one mental gig.
“Flipside, seeing them with Kirsty in Leeds where he could hardly stand up or sing and Kirsty arguing with him. A legend on many levels.”
A second echoed: “One of the best, RIP Shane MacGowan,” followed by a heartbroken emoji.
Shane MacGowan was best known as the lead singer of The Pogues
GETTY
Meanwhile, a third fan weighed in: “A legend has left the world. Rest in Peace Shane and thanks for all the memories they will always bring a smile to my face.”
And a fourth paid tribute: “Utterly gutted, Shane MacGowan has passed away. One of the best songwriters in the world! RIP Shane xx.” (sic)
