Fairytale for Shane as perennial favourite earns over €460k this year

Growing up it wasn’t quite a fairytale for Shane McGowan but nowadays, more than ever, December 25 sees his Christmases and birthdays rolled into one.

The lead singer of the Pogues, who was born on Christmas Day, has opened up about his childhood memories and enjoying the build-up every year more than what happened on the day itself. In a first-hand reflection on Christmas for the Irish Examiner the Tipperary native, who grew up in England, said he is surprised he wrote a song synonymous with Christmas.

“Given that I don’t particularly like Christmas songs: I don’t even like White Christmas, it is strange I ended up writing A Fairytale of New York — a Christmas song that gets played every year.