Shane MacGowan funeral: Cortege makes its way through Dublin streets

Crowds of people are gathering in Dublin and Tipperary for the funeral procession of Shane MacGowan today.

The songwriter, who found fame as the lead singer of London-Irish punk/folk band The Pogues, died at the age of 65 last week.

His coffin is scheduled to arrive by hearse at Ringsend at 10.30am and once there it will be transferred to a horse-drawn carriage.

The procession will move through Dublin streets before making its way to Tipperary for a public funeral mass, which will take place at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church in Nenagh at 3.30pm.

Here some of the best reads published since his death:

Mourners, many holding photographs of Shane MacGowan, are singing Dirty Old Town following his funeral procession through the streets of Dublin.

A large crowd has gathered outside Sweny’s Pharmacy to pay tribute to the singer-songwriter. – PA

The Artane Band in the funeral procession played Fairytale Of New York in tribute to The Pogues frontman.

There were cheers from the crowd as the horse-drawn carriage, with a large Tricolour draped across the back, left South Lotts Road for the procession.

Many following the cortege were wearing band T-shirts and speaking among friends about memories of gigs that MacGowan had played.

Fifteen Dublin Bus staff in orange high-vis jackets stood in a line outside the Dublin Bus garage in Ringsend to pay their respects as the funeral procession passed by the building.

St Andrew’s Resource Centre placed a speaker outside their building, playing Fairytale of New York, as the crowd walked past clapping along to the song.

Hundreds gathered along South Lotts Road to await the arrival of MacGowan’s hearse.

Gathering with friends on the street, John Farrell from Tallaght said he was out to pay his respects to a musician who “lived life to the full”.

“I liked his music, his voice, his own identity. He lived life to the full, that’s the way people should live their life,” Farrell said.

Farrell said he was a “huge fan” of MacGowan and first saw him perform live in 1996 in the Olympia in Dublin. He then saw him perform every time he played in Dublin since.

“It was brilliant, it was mental. Real rowdy fans, great craic. As soon as he walked on stage the place went mental, beer flying all over the place. He was a great bloke, he’s going to be sadly missed.”

Among those who turned out to pay their respects was Aidan Grimes (60) who described MacGowan as an icon.

He said: “I remember the first time I saw The Pogues in the Hammersmith Odeon in 1985. It is imprinted in my mind forever, just the madness and mayhem, the raucous nature of his singing and the music they were playing. Through the years he evolved into a great poet and he will be sadly missed.

“I met him in Dublin about 15 years ago and he was a very charming, nice, friendly man. He talked about music and his time in London.

“I thought it was important to pay my respects. He was an icon of Dublin, just like Brendan Behan, Luke Kelly. His music will be listened to in 100 years’ time.”

Josie Feeney from Co Leitrim travelled to Dublin to pay her respects at the public procession to remember the singer.

She said: “My father’s family were from Tipperary, my grandmother was from Nenagh.

“We don’t always know all the lyrics but this week we know more of Shane’s lyrics, they are really very moving, they are poetry. He was a genius.

“His legacy will live on forever. Bruce Springsteen said in 100 years’ time we will be singing the words of his songs.” – PA

Photographs of crowds gathering in Dublin for Shane MacGowan’s funeral cortege:

Here is a full breakdown on the route of Shane MacGowan’s funeral cortege which passes through Dublin today:

The late singer’s coffin is scheduled to arrive by hearse at Ringsend at 10.30am and once there it will be transferred to a horse-drawn carriage.

At 11am, the carriage is due to be led the Artane Band and a lone piper along South Lotts Road, over McMahon Bridge and Grand Canal Dock, and along Pearse Street. It will be followed by the chief mourners, led by the singer’s widow, Victoria Mary Clarke, in a procession of cars.

At the junction of Lombard Street East and Westland Row the procession will turn left on to Westland Row and Lincoln Place, turning into Fenian Street and then Denzille Lane where the coffin will be privately transferred back to the hearse. The procession, which will include a nod to Sweny’s Pharmacy, is expected to conclude at about 11.45am.

The Garda have asked that people wishing to pay their final respects to MacGowan gather on the footpath along this route.

The hearse and family cars will then leave Dublin for Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

The funeral Mass is to be held at 3.30pm in St Mary of the Rosary Church, Nenagh, close to the homeplace of MacGowan’s mother, Therese, and where he spent some time as a child. MacGowan’s father, Maurice, still lives in the area while his sister Siobhán lives in nearby Dromineer on Lough Derg.

It is expected to be overseen by the Garda with some road closures and traffic held at junctions during the procession.

After the funeral, members of the public will have an opportunity to pay their respects as the cortege moves through the town centre from Church Road to Market Cross.

Gardaí said a traffic management plan would be in place for Nenagh Town for the duration of the funeral, listing the following restrictions:

• Church Road will be closed from 8am to 7pm
• Traffic Restrictions will be in place for Kenyon Street, Pearse Street and Nenagh town centre from 2pm to 7pm

Additional parking will be available throughout the town including:

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

With a high turnout expected, the funeral mass is to be broadcast live via the official Shane MacGowan Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) pages.

In a statement on Thursday, the singer’s family said they were “so very grateful for the affection and messages of condolence they have received since his passing”.