She wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of MacGowan: “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 [heart emoji] 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.
“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 [heart emoji] 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.
“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 [seven heart emojis] You meant the world to me (sic).”
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar praised Shane for having “beautifully captured the Irish experience” in his songs.
He posted: “Sorry to hear that Shane McGowan has passed. He was an amazing musician and artist. His songs beautifully captured the Irish experience, especially the experience of being Irish abroad.”
Journalist and broadcaster Tony Parsons also took to X to share a touching tribute to his friend, recalling MacGowan’s teen years when he could go to Covent Garden to “bang on unattended drums”. The journalist signed off the touching post saying “Sleep well, Shane and see you at number one for Christmas.”
Parsons is no doubt referencing the likelihood of the Pogues’ most famous track, Fairytale off New York, topping the charts on Christmas Day — which would have been the singer’s 66th birthday.
The song was released at the end of November 1987 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time.
Piers Morgan also paid tribute to the singer and, like Parsons, made calls for the Pogues Christmas song to be No 1 this year.
“Irish punk legend, genius Pogues singer-songwriter, and hellraiser extraordinaire.” Morgan said adding, “His favourite joke was: ‘I was given six weeks to live, about 25 years ago!’”
Elsewhere, Never Gonna Give You Up singer Rick Asley shared a black-and-white photo of the star with the words, “There will only ever be one Shane MacGowan. Rest in peace.”
