MacGowan family thanks public for support ahead of Nenagh funeral

Nick Cave performing on stage with Shane MacGowan in 1992. Some of the biggest names from Hollywood and the music world will jet into Ireland on Friday to attend the funeral of the rock legend. Photo: Ian Dickson/Redferns

The family of Shane MacGowan has thanked the public for their support since his death last week.

In a statement issued on Thursday, they said they are "very grateful for the affection and messages of condolence they have received since his passing".

“In order for as many people as possible to have a chance to say their own slán to Shane, his funeral procession in Dublin, will be followed by a funeral mass in Nenagh which will be broadcast live, and then a final farewell procession through Nenagh town,” they said.

The 65-year-old singer passed away on November 30 following a battle with pneumonia. His wife of five years and long-time partner Victoria Mary Clarke and his family were by his bedside.

Some of the biggest names from Hollywood and the music world will jet into Ireland on Friday to attend the funeral of the rock legend. Thousands of members of the public are expected to line the streets to celebrate the extraordinary life of the Pogues frontman.

On Friday, a horse drawn carriage will carry the singer’s remains through Dublin city which will be led by the Artane Band and a piper. The procession will then continue to his hometown of Nenagh in Co Tipperary.

Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp and singer Nick Cave will attend the service. Johnny Depp has been a close friend of Shane MacGowan and his wife Victoria Mary Clarke for more than 20 years. He attended their wedding in 2018 which took place at Copenhagen City Hall.

Johnny Depp will attend the funeral of the Pogues singer.

Nick Cave has also been a friend of the couple for many years. He recently paid tribute to Shane MacGowan and Sinead O’Connor who also passed away this year in his Red Hand Files newsletter to fans this week.

He wrote: “Sinead once said of Shane, ‘He is an angel. An actual angel’. Whether or not this is the case, who’s to say? But Shane was blessed with an uncommon spirit of goodness and a deep sense of what is true, which was strangely amplified in his brokenness, his humanness. We can say of him most certainly, ‘he was beloved on the earth,’ and Sinéad too — truly beloved and greatly missed, both."

The Nothing Compares to You singer, a close friend and one-time collaborator with Shane MacGowan, died on July 26 in London. She would have celebrated her 57th birthday on Friday, December 8.

Shane MacGowan was born on Christmas day and was due to celebrate his 66th birthday this year.

Meanwhile, local schools in Nenagh will close early on Friday as the world’s media descends on the town ahead of the funeral. Primary schools will shut at 12 noon while the secondary schools will close at 12.30pm. The schools were asked to consider finishing early as traffic restrictions will be in place from 8am.

The punk rocker’s funeral mass will take place at 3.30pm at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church. Fr Pat Gilbert will oversee the service and a large area has been designated for the media, a spokesperson for the church said.

Music will feature strongly at the Mass, among those performing will be Glen Hansard, Finbar Furey, Nick Cave and Lisa O’Neill.

District Administrator for Nenagh Rosemary Joyce outlined the traffic plans for tomorrow. She told the Irish Examiner: “Church Road will be closed all day Friday with no through traffic allowed although local access will be maintained.

“There will be no parking allowed on the side of the residences along Church Road. There will also be some restrictions in place on Kenyon Street and Pearse Street in the afternoon so really people need to know that they can expect delays in Nenagh and we’d ask their co-operation with the Gardaí and the stewards.” 

A garda spokesperson confirmed that a traffic management plan will be in place for Nenagh Town for the duration of the funeral.

Traffic restrictions will be in operation as follows:

Church Rd, Nenagh will be closed from 8am to 7pm. Traffic restrictions will be in place for Kenyon St, Pearse St and Nenagh Town Centre traffic from 2pm to 7pm.

Extra parking facilities will be available throughout Nenagh town including: 

• On the Limerick side at Éire Óg Nenagh GAA Club and the Old Procter & Gamble factory in Gortlandroe; 
• On the East side at Nenagh Livestock Mart on Strafford Street; 
• On the Borrisokane side at Nenagh College on Dromin Road. 

Tipperary County Council will have information boards to sign post these.

People attending the funeral are asked to follow the diversions and the signage in place for parking arrangements and pedestrian access to Nenagh Town.