Shane MacGowan has passed away at the age of 65.
The legendary Pogues frontman had been ill for some time, and was released from hospital last week.
His wife Victoria Mary Clarke confirmed the news this morning. She said in a statement: "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.
She continued: "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.
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"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."
Shane was born in Kent to Irish immigrants - his father was a Dub and his mother was from Co Tipperary. He spent much of his childhood with his mother's family in Tipperary, where he was surrounded by folk and traditional music.
He joined punk band The Nipple Erectors, also known as "The Nips" in the laste 70s. The singer changed his early punk style for a more traditional sound when founding The Pogues in 1982, drawing upon his Irish heritage.
The new group, then known as Pogue Mahone, played their first gig at The Pindar of Wakefield on October 4, 1982. Many of the Celtic punk band's songs are influenced by Irish nationalism, Irish history, the experiences of the Irish diaspora (particularly in England and the United States), and London life in general.
They drew the attention of the media and Stiff Records when they opened for The Clash on their 1984 tour.
The band's biggest hit and Christmas classic, Fairytale of New York, was a result of a bet in 1987 that Shane could not write a Christmas song. Shane and The Pogues parted ways in 1991. The singer then promptly formed a new band, The Popes, but eventually rejoined The Pogues in 2001.
His health began to deteriorate in the 2010s and he suffered from a number of health issues.
In an 2015 interview with Vice magazine, he said the Pogues were no longer active, explaining: "We're friends as long as we don't tour together. I've done a hell of a lot of touring. I've had enough of it."
In 2018, he married journalist Victoria Mary Clarke after a decades-long relationship and subsequent 11-year engagement.
Shane made a return to stage in June 2019 at the RDS Arena as a guest for Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. In 2020, he reportedly returned to the studio to record several new songs with the Irish indie band Cronin, led by brothers Johnny and Mick Cronin.
The singer was hospitalised with viral encephalitis in June this year. After a lengthy stay there, he left St Vincent's Hospital last week but his wife Victoria broke the tragic news of his passing earlier today.
Shane MacGowan is survived by his wife Victoria and sister Siobhan.
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