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FAIRYTALE ENDING
With a ‘family of performers’ and devastated celebrity pals, Shane MacGowan’s final send off was a funeral like no other
Hundreds of people from all over Ireland and abroad started arriving at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, in a bid to get a seat for the ceremony
- In Nenagh
- Published: 22:56, 8 Dec 2023
- Updated: 23:12, 8 Dec 2023
SHANE MacGowan was hailed as a “beloved son of Ireland” as stars said goodbye to their friend after his death aged 65.
The funeral mass was a service like no other, as top Irish and global musicians came together with emotional fans to pay their last respects to The Pogues icon.
Hundreds of people from all over Ireland and abroad started arriving at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, from early morning in a bid to get a seat for the almost three-hour long ceremony, which began at 3.30pm.
By the time Shane’s coffin, which was draped in the Irish tricolour, was carried into the church, it was overflowing with hundreds more braving the bad weather outside to stand and listen to the proceedings.
For more than an hour before the mass took place there was already a festive atmosphere with The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York — including the iconic “I’ve built my dreams around you” line — belting out over the loudspeakers and everyone singing along to the popular Christmas song.
Shane was described as a “poet, lyricist, singer and trailblazer who spoke to life’s realities for the many who are numbered as his fans” by Father Pat Gilbert.
He also told mourners including Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and actor Aidan Gillen said that Shane was a “modern-day bard”.
He added: “Your presence here is very important and a huge statement of the love and esteem we all have and had for this great man.”
And his “family of performers” did Shane proud with Nick Cave singing Rainy Night in Soho, Imelda May performing You’re the One and Camille O’Sullivan and Mundy singing Haunted.
The Dubliners’ John Sheahan and Finbar Furey made their own special music contributions.
Before the mass began numerous musicians performed and his fellow Pogues member Spider Stacy sang The Parting Glass. Those inside sang and danced in the pews.
And mourners gave Glen Hansard a standing ovation when he sang Fairytale.
Pal Johnny Depp read the first Prayer of the Faithful and Bono, thousands of miles away in Las Vegas, did not forget his friend, sending a recording of one of the religious readings.
Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams delivered the first reading at the church where Shane went to Sunday mass when he visited Nenagh with his mum Therese.
He said: “My words are words of gratitude, gratitude for Shane’s genius, for his songs, his creativity and his attitude.
“We are grateful for his celebration of the marginalised, the poor, the exiled and the underdogs.
“I am grateful for The Pogues and all our music makers and dreamers of dreams and in how he stood by the people of Northern Ireland. Shane lifted us out of ourselves and never gave up.”
He added: “Your music will live forever, you are the measurer of our dreams.”
In a moving eulogy, Shane’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke said her “genius” husband had made “a massive contribution to the world” despite the fact there “was not a single drug he didn’t take”.
And she thanked his parents, Maurice and Therese, for Shane.
She told dad Maurice she wanted to thank him “because obviously Shane was so much part of you — so much of him was obviously you.
“He was so like you and I really appreciate you, Maurice, for having created him and obviously your beloved wife, Shane’s mother Therese, and all of your ancestors.
“Shane was so proud of his ancestors and he spoke about them all the time . . . so thank you all.”
And Victoria described her husband as a “cosmonaut”, adding: “When I say cosmonaut, what I mean is that he was a kind of person who wasn’t really that interested in living a normal life.”
‘DIDN’T LIKE IDEA OF DEATH’
She continued: “I guess everyone who knew Shane knew how much he hated funerals. There were very few that he did go to — his mother’s funeral, Ronnie Drew’s funeral but very few others.
“He didn’t like the idea of death. When Shane and I got together people started telling me he would be dead within about six months. But he always assured me he would live to be at least 80.
“He didn’t want to talk about his own death. He didn’t believe he was going to die ever. So it took us all by surprise because we really did believe he wasn’t going to die . . . it was a huge shock.”
She added: “He explored the boundaries of what you could do while in a physical body — and his physical body lasted a very long time considering all he did to it.”
Shane’s sister Siobhan said he would have enjoyed what was “some send-off for my brother”.
And she talked of the wonderful friends Shane had who never left him alone when he was in hospital for the last six months of his life.
Siobhan recalled: “It was at another hospital that my brother took his first breath on Christmas Day in 1957.”
‘CHRISTMAS BABY’
She remembered that it “was the first time he became a pin-up as his photo hung on the wall as the Christmas baby”.
Shane was highly intelligent and used to read extensively with his dad Maurice, she said.
And while he was mischievous and on occasions on the family farm found cow pats to put her face into, Siobhan lovingly recalled how they would watch Dr Who on telly with their own toy Daleks.
Siobhan said her bro loved the books his mum gave him and “his love of literature and love of music were evident in him from a young age. He was devastated when Jimi Hendrix died and lay on his side facing the wall for the full day.”
She also said Shane loved visiting his mum in Tipperary, enjoying “the magical mayhem of this place”.
And when the punk music scene hit “it became a transformative time and milestone in his life”.
Siobhan said: “It was when Shane fused his punk energy with his love of Irish music that the road became clear before him.”
TEARS FOR AWARD
She welcomed President Michael D Higgins to the mass and said one of the greatest days in her brother’s life was when he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from him in 2018.
She said: “He cried because to receive that award from the President of Ireland meant more than any other.”
In concluding, Siobhan said to her beloved brother: “We are so proud of you, so very proud of you, our darling.”
Among gifts brought to the altar to represent Shane’s life were the Tipperary flag and a hurley along with a Shannon Rangers GAA top.
Other gifts included a silver tray that “Spider bashed over his head during a Pogues gig”, his favourite books, his own book of art, tea bags – because he loved tea – and an autographed copy of pal Johnny Depp’s record.
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