Beloved Irish singer and songwriter Shane McGowan, best known for his work with legendary Rock group The Pogues, as well as his work with Nick Cave, Lou Reed, and more, has passed at the age of 65.
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Struggling with his health for some time after a 2015 fall that left him using a wheelchair and a 2022 encephalitis diagnosis -- compounded with a history of drug and alcohol-related problems -- a spokesperson for McGowan has confirmed to the BBC that the singer died peacefully with his wife and sister at his side on Thursday, November 30. "Prayers and the last rites were read during his passing," the statement also added.
Wed in 2018 after an 11-year engagement, McGowan's wife Victoria May Clarke also shared the news in a heart emoji-filled post on her own Instagram saying Shane, “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,” while adding he “has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese,” who passed away in a 2017 auto accident at the age of 87.
She continued, “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...”
McGowan is perhaps best known for his 1988 holiday playlist staple "Fairytale of New York," co-written by Jem Finer and sung with Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues, which reached number two in the U.K. and remains one of the season's biggest hits.
Shane is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan, his father Maurice, his family, and a large circle of friends. Further details will be announced shortly but the family asks for privacy at this time.