Shane MacGowan’s wife has revealed The Pogues star’s cause of death following the news of his passing on Thursday after battling a brain condition for eight years.
MacGowan, 65, had been battling viral encephalitis and was released from hospital just last week. He died in the early hours of Thursday morning at home in Dublin surrounded by his family.
The New York Times reports that his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, confirmed the cause of death as pneumonia.
Funeral details are yet to be confirmed for The Pogues frontman, whose death was announced in a heartbreaking statement issued on The Pogues’ social media accounts on behalf of the band and his wife, sister Siobhan and father Maurice.
The death prompted an outpouring of tributes from famous faces and Pogues fans – and has rejuvenated a campaign to make the band’s best known song, Fairytale of New York, the UK Christmas number one.
Shane MacGowan in hospital shortly before he was released on November 22, eight days before he died
MacGowan with his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, who has confirmed that The Pogues legend died of pneumonia
McGowan performing live with The Pogues in 2010. The band continued performing until approximately 2014
Victoria Mary Clarke shared a tribute to The Pogues frontman online, writing: ‘I am going to miss him so much’
It read: ‘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 (30 November 2023) 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.’
Victoria later shared further tributes to her husband, whom she married in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2018, on social media.
She shared an image of MacGowan smiling on X, formerly Twitter, and captioned it: ‘I am going to miss him so much! His smile, his eyes his laugh his sense of humour and his voice, every little part of him.’
She later revealed MacGowan had spent his final months binging on the Channel 4 Irish comedy classic Father Ted.
She brought him a portable DVD player in hospital – and said he couldn’t get enough of the Graham Linehan show about a pair of hapless priests living off of Ireland’s west coast.
Victoria, 57, told The Sun: ‘So he wouldn’t get bored we brought a little DVD player into Shane and friends have been giving him presents of classic movies on DVD.
‘But the thing he won’t stop playing is the ‘Father Ted; boxset. Shane watches that all day long and can’t stop laughing.’
In recent years, the Irish icon was confined to a wheelchair and was aided by his wife and carer at home, having been plagued by ill-health linked to his years of alcohol and substance abuse.
He had even written in a memoir, co-authored with his wife, of memories of his uncle bringing him bottles of Guinness from the pub each night from the age of five.
MacGowan was first hospitalised last December suffering from viral encephalitis.
Despite his obvious discomfort, he wished his legions of fans well and ‘all the luck in the world’.
‘Hi friends, I’m sitting here suffering from encephalitis,’ he said. ‘The light is killing me. But I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and Happy Christmas and many more.
‘All the luck in the world and all the love. Happy Christmas and Happy New Year, love Shane.’
But he has enjoyed visits from a string of famous stars, including his Pogues bandmates Spider Stacy and Terry Woods as well as US star Bruce Springsteen.
The Born To Run Singer was photographed paying homage to MacGowan and urging him to keep fighting in his health battle.
Announcing the news of the beloved punk star’s death yesterday, Victoria wrote she had been ‘blessed beyond words’ to have been ‘so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him’.
She declared: ‘You will live in my heart forever… you meant the world to me.’
Bandmate Spider Stacy posted a black and white photo of the singer performing on stage to X, formerly Twitter, writing: ‘O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done.’