Shane MacGowan’s wife breaks silence one year on since singer’s death

A year after the loss of iconic Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, has shared an emotional tribute on , offering a heartfelt reflection on his life and legacy.

The star passed away on November 30, 2023, at the age of 65 from pneumonia following complications related to viral encephalitis.

Taking to , she penned: “It’s @shanemacgowanofficial anniversary tomorrow and I just wanted to say that I know that a lot of people will remember Shane for his music and his songs and his singing. And I know that there are lots of bands doing tribute gigs and playing his songs and they feel that his spirit lives on through the music. But I feel that Shane’s heart and soul are the most important and beautiful thing to remember and his soul will live and love for eternity.”

She went on to say that he was above “elitist nonsense” and had enormous compassion for those less fortunate.

“It was always his enormous love for humanity that made him the person that he was as a human being. He had a way of seeing straight through the bullsh*t and the flattery and all of the elitist nonsense that sets people apart from each other. He respected everyone equally and he had a tenderness and compassion for the outcasts and the marginalised especially the homeless and those people struggling with addiction.”

Victoria furthered gushed about feeling “adored” by Shane and sends prayers to those greving his loss.

“He had the best laugh and the best sense of humour that I ever came across and he had no need to be better than anyone else. He loved unconditionally and he made me feel totally adored and cherished.

“He was a great believer in forgiveness and he was a firm believer in the unconditional love of the Divine and in the beauty of heaven. I am grateful that he made it through all of the suffering and he got to go home to his mother Therese and to the joy of his eternal soul. I pray for everyone who is grieving and I hope you can feel peace and harmony in this difficult time.”

Irish artist and writer Victoria previously spoke of the intense grief she experienced after his death, saying he “wanted to kill herself”

Speaking to The Independent, Clarke revealed she had received support from a number of the late musician’s friends, including Australian musician Nick Cave, in navigating her sense of loss.

“There were obviously enormous amounts of desolation and despair,” Clarke, who has been hosting a new exhibition in Dublin, said. “There were quite a few days where I thought that I definitely wanted to kill myself – I wanted to get out of here and go and be with him.”

The Irish writer called the Samaritans helpline several times, while also receiving support from friends and family: “I don’t think there’s a quick or easy way past [the grief],” she said.