Mourners to gather for Shane MacGowan's funeral in Ireland today

The Pogues frontman passed away last week

Shane MacGowan performing in 1995
Author: Chris MaskeryPublished 8th Dec 2023

Shane MacGowan's funeral will take place in Ireland today after the singer died last week at the age of 65.

His funeral will be held in Nenagh, County Tipperary today and will be open to the public.

MacGowan had been diagnosed with encephalitis following his latest bout of ill health and after years of alcohol and substance abuse.

According to the New York Times, his wife said he died of pneumonia.

"Shane hated funerals"

In a post on Instagram, MacGowan's wife Victoria Mary Clarke said it was incredible how many people wanted to go to his funeral:

"Tomorrow is Shane’s funeral which is hard to believe and probably I won’t believe it for a while.

"Shane hated funerals and he refused to go to them with a few rare exceptions.

"So it’s incredible to think that so many people want to come to his and that so many beautiful people are pouring their hearts and souls into making it magnificent and magical and memorable for him and for us who are left behind."

Shane MacGowan: "Vibrant and beautiful"

The wife of Shane MacGowan said the singer was “so vibrant and beautiful and so determined to live only a few days ago” before his death at the age of 65.

Victoria Mary Clarke was at the side of the frontman of The Pogues along with his family when he died “peacefully” at 3am on Thursday, just weeks before his 66th birthday on Christmas Day.

On Monday, Clarke wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “It’s so hard to believe that someone could be so vibrant and beautiful and so determined to live only a few days ago.

“But so many people are losing loved ones all over the world. My prayers are for all of you guys as Shane’s would be.”

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