Former frontman for The Pogues, Shane MacGowan, was laid to rest on December 8 in an emotional service that took place in Tipperary, Ireland, following his death on November 30. Preceding the funeral, there was a procession through the streets of Dublin, where fans flocked to give MacGowan a proper send-off. Apparently, MacGowan once requested that €10,000 be left behind his favorite bar for his wake as part of his last requests.
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According to a “former drinking partner” of MacGowan’s, there was a sum of €10,000 left behind the bar his friends and family headed to following the funeral. “I know the pub they are going to for the meal after there has already been €10,000 handed over the counter for free beer – it was Shane’s last request,” said the unnamed person. “It is a beautiful place just outside of town but there is only a limited amount of people allowed.”
Shane MacGowan’s Emotional Send-Off Featured Performances from Nick Cave, The Pogues, and Others
Allegedly, the invite-only wake was paid for by MacGowan’s estate, although there has not been further confirmation of this. The Independent reported that guests needed VIP-style passes to get into the wake, and that the door was heavily guarded. The wake took place from 6 pm until dawn and included close friends like Johnny Depp, Glen Hansard, Lisa O’Neill, and the remaining members of The Pogues. Hansard played “Fairytale of New York” for guests at both the funeral and the wake.
At the funeral, both Depp and MacGowan’s widow, Victoria Mary Clark, read statements honoring MacGowan, while Nick Cave performed “A Rainy Night in Soho” and Irish singers Mundy and Camille O’Sullivan performed the 1995 MacGowan and Sinead O’Connor duet “Haunted.” To close the funeral, The Pogues played a rendition of “The Parting Glass.”
During the procession to the funeral, bands played The Pogues’ hits in the Dublin streets. According to a report from the BBC, the streets were silent during the rendition of “Fairytale of New York,” except when fans launched into the chorus, loudly singing, “And the boys of the NYPD Choir still singing Galway Bay, and the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day.”
Featured Image by G. Gershoff/WireImage for New York Post
