The Pogues’ Singer Shane MacGowan Has Died, Age 65

Shane MacGowan, iconic frontman of Celtic punk band The Pogues, has sadly passed away at the age of 65.

MacGowan’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, confirmed the rockstar’s passing on Thursday (November 30th) in a social media post.

“I am blessed beyond words to have met him”

“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 wrote.

“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… You meant the world to me.”

MacGowan’s cause of death has not been disclosed, but as The Irish Star reports, the iconic rocker had recently been discharged from a five-month stint in hospital where he’d been battling a serious blood infection. This followed a previous highly-publicised hospitalisation around a year ago.

MacGowan had received consistent medical treatment since suffering a bad fall back in 2015, during which he broke his pelvis. That same year he received teeth implants following complications due to years-long struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Regarded as one of the greatest frontmen in rock history, MacGowan invigorated the genre with the power of Irish folk music, and famously penned the Christmas classic ‘Fairytale of New York’.

His death follows the passing of Pogues bassist Daryl Hunt last year.

The Pogues themselves have been inactive since 2014.

Further Reading

The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan has Been Hospitalised

Darryl Hunt, Longtime Pogues Bassist, Dies Aged 72

People Absolutely Hate Jon Bon Jovi’s Cover Of The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale Of New York’