What happened to Shane MacGowan? The Pogues star known for Fairytale of New York with Kirsty Maccoll is confirmed dead aged 65. How he died, fortune, songs, and untold facts explored.
Shane MacGowan (real name: Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan) had a successful career in the entertainment industry that spanned over 4 decades.
He was an Irish musician best known as the frontman of the Celtic punk band the Pogues. Many of his songs were influenced by Irish nationalism, Irish history, the experiences of the Irish diaspora, and London life in general.
In November 2023, Pogues fans were left in shock at the news that the band’s lead singer MacGowan had passed away.
Following this tragic news, many are curious to learn more about his cause of death, net worth, songs, and biography facts. Keep reading for more.
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.
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.”
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.
What was Shane MacGowan’s cause of death?
Pogues lead singer Shane MacGowan died aged 65 on November 30, 2023.
The singer had been diagnosed with viral encephalitis, which is a serious condition that leads to brain swelling.
MacGowan’s devastated family has paid tribute to the beloved Pogues frontman.
They said: “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan.
“Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning with his wife Victoria and family by his side.
“Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family.
“He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.
“Further details will be announced shortly but the family ask for privacy at this very sad time.”
Before his death, he had been receiving care in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin for an infection but was discharged last week ahead of his upcoming birthday on Christmas Day.
His devastated wife, Victoria Mary Clarke wife pays tribute to the ‘beautiful angel’. She took to her Instagram to share the 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.”
“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.”
His sister Siobhan also paid tribute, saying: “So I walked as day was dawning; as small birds sang and leaves were falling, where we once watched the row boats landing on the Broad Majestic Shannon.”
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.”
President Michael D. Higgins releases statement
Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, has released a statement following the death of Shane MacGowan.
He said: “Like so many across the world, it was with the greatest sadness that I learned this morning of the death of Shane MacGowan.
“Shane will be remembered as one of music’s greatest lyricists. So many of his songs would be perfectly crafted poems, if that would not have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them.
“The genius of Shane’s contribution includes the fact that his songs capture within them, as Shane would put it, the measure of our dreams – of so many worlds, and particularly those of love, of the emigrant experience and of facing the challenges of that experience with authenticity and courage, and of living and seeing the sides of life that so many turn away from.
“His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways.
“Shane’s talent was nurtured from a young age by his mother Therese, herself an award winning folk singer in her own right. Therese, who lost her life in such tragic circumstances on New Year’s Day 2017, inspired in Shane the love of Irish music and traditions which resulted in the wonderful music and lyrics which have been a source of such joy for so many people.
“Born on Christmas Day, there was perhaps some form of destiny which led Shane to writing ‘Fairytale of New York’, the timeless quality of which will surely mean that it will be listened to every Christmas for the next century or more. Likewise songs like ‘Rainy Night in Soho’, ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’, ‘If I Should Fall from Grace with God’ and so many others will live on far into the years and decades to come.
“I think too of ‘Haunted’, and the particular poignancy that both Shane and Sinéad O’Connor have left us in such quick succession.
“It was a great honour for me, as President of Ireland, to present Shane with a lifetime achievement award in the National Concert Hall in January 2018 as we marked his 60th birthday. A richly deserved honour.
“On behalf of Sabina and I, may I extend my deepest condolences to Shane’s wife Victoria, his sister Siobhán, his father Maurice, his bandmates in the Pogues and other projects, and to all his many friends and family.”
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald has described Shane MacGowan as “a poet” who was unique in how he told “the Irish story”.
She said that Ireland “has lost one of its most beloved icons and the world one of its greatest songwriters”.
“Shane was a poet, a dreamer and a champion of social justice. He was a dedicated Republican and a proud Irishman.
“Nobody told the Irish story like Shane – stories of emigration, heartache, dislocation, redemption, love and joy.
“Shane brought his musical unique style to all corners of the world, and his music will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
“Today we mourn his passing. He was one of the best of us. Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann.
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan, his extended family and very wide circle of friends.”
What was Shane MacGowan’s net worth?
At the time of this musician’s death, he had accumulated an impressive fortune. He reportedly died a millionaire.
Shane MacGowan had an estimated net worth of between $1 million and $5 million. He accrued his money from his 46 years of actively doing music.