Shane MacGowan was born on 25 December 1957 and passed away on 30 November 2023, making him 65 years old at the time of his death.
MacGowan had Irish parents. His father was from Dublin, and his mother was from Tipperary
MacGowan was the lead vocalist and songwriter of the Celtic punk band the Pogues. He founded the band in 1982, drawing upon his Irish heritage to shift from an early punk style to a more traditional sound.
MacGowan’s musical influences included 19th-century Irish poet James Clarence Mangan and playwright Brendan Behan .
He co-wrote the popular Christmas hit single “Fairytale of New York” with Kirsty MacColl. Other notable songs with the Pogues include “Dirty Old Town,” “Sally MacLennane,” and “The Irish Rover.”
After being fired from the Pogues in 1991, MacGowan formed a new band, Shane MacGowan and The Popes, recording two studio albums.
MacGowan rejoined the Pogues in 2001 for reunion shows and remained with the group until 2014. The band’s most critically acclaimed album was “If I Should Fall from Grace with God” in 1988.
MacGowan faced physical challenges due to years of binge drinking. He coauthored the autobiographical book “A Drink with Shane MacGowan” in 2001, discussing his struggles with alcohol
MacGowan married Irish journalist Victoria Mary Clarke in 2018 after a decades-long relationship. He was a Roman Catholic and had contemplated joining the priesthood as an adolescent.
MacGowan faced health challenges, including a fall in 2015 that left him in a wheelchair