THE Pogues fans have been left in shock at the news that the band’s lead singer Shane MacGowan has passed away.
The Fairytale of New York star died aged 65 following a health battle.
Who was Shane MacGowan?
Shane MacGowan was born in Pembury, Kent, to Irish parents on Christmas Day 1957.
He spent his early childhood in County Tipperary, Ireland, before the family returned to England.
In 1976, he made headlines for having his earlobe smashed at a gig by The Clash.
Soon after he became the vocalist and songwriter of the punk band The Nipple Erectors, formed by Shanne Bradley, which was later named The Nips
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When did Shane MacGowan form The Pogues?
In 1982, Shane formed The Pogues calling on his traditional Irish music background.
The founding members were Shane on vocals, Peter "Spider" Tracy on tin whistle, and Jem Finer on banjo.
The Nips guitarist James Fearnley completed the line-up on the accordion, along with Cait O'Riordan on bass and Andrew Ranken on drums.
The band was originally called Pogue Mahone – an anglicisation of póg mo thóin meaning "kiss my a**e."
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In 1987, Shane co-wrote Fairytale Of New York which he performed with the late Kirsty MacColl.
The Christmas single reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts.
In 2018 the song was crowned the greatest Christmas tune of all time by Magic Radio.
They also had a No8 hit with The Irish Rover and two top-five albums – If I Should Fall From Grace With God and Peace And Love.
In 1987 Shane co-wrote Fairytale of New York which he performed with Kirsty MacCall.
The Christmas single reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts.
They also had a No8 hit with The Irish Rover and two top five albums – If I Should Fall From Grace With God and Peace and Love.
Was Shane MacGowan married and did he have any children?
In November 2018, Shane married his girlfriend of 32 years – Victoria Mary Clarke.
He first met the Irish journalist when she was 16, and proposed 11 years later.
They tied the knot at a ceremony in Copenhagen with Johnny Depp performing as their wedding guitarist.
The couple do not have any children together.
Victoria has written for various newspapers and magazines and wrote her husband's biography A Drink With Shane MacGowan.
In 2007, she appeared on Celebrities Go Wild on RTÉ, an Irish programme in which stars have to use their survival skills in rural Connemara.
She also appeared with Shane on the programme Victoria And Shane Grow Their Own – an RTÉ special in which the couple attempted to grow their own vegetables at an allotment in Dublin.
When did Shane MaGowan die?
Shane passed away aged 65 on November 30, 2023.
The singer had been diagnosed with viral encephalitis, which is a serious condition which leads to brain swelling.
Announcing his death, wife Victoria shared a heartbreaking statement, which read: "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."
Why was Shane MacGowan in a wheelchair?
Before his death, Shane had been confined to a wheelchair since 2015.
It came after he fell and fractured his pelvis when leaving a Dublin studio.
In an interview with Vice at the time he said: "It was a fall and I fell the wrong way"
"I broke my pelvis, which is the worst thing you can do. I'm lame in one leg, I can't walk around the room without a crutch.
"I am getting better, but it's taking a very long time. It's the longest I've ever taken to recover from an injury. And I've had a lot of injuries."
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