Shane Macgowan funeral on live

[EachandEveryone]

Im just warching its really beautiful. Sky news.

Bravo to the priests and church for facilitating a completely unique and unorthodox ceremony, shows the Catholic Church is not as stuffy and rigid as people assume it is!

His father worked in C&A

Really lovely to see the subscribers to the Pogues music on Spotify jump up by millions. Hopefully lots of young people discovering them for the first time!

Oh! Ok!

Got confused there!

His mother was a Feis Ceoil singer & dancer. Their Tipperary family home was a 'dancing house' - where neighbours & friends would gather to sing & dance & play music. Many many of them in rural Ireland & very interestingly they're forbidden in law even to this day! Post colonial legacy......

How can you win? If Shane or his sister spoke with a 'stage Irish ' accent everybody would be screaming plastic Paddy.

The wonderful Ben Zephaniah passed away too. He was born and reared in Handsworth and spoke with a lovely Brum accent. Afaik he - unlike Shane - didn't spend his early years in his ancestral land. He recited poetry in that accent and patois though. And why not? It's part of who he was.

When I saw the Pogues in the 80s I should say two thirds of the audience was second generation or young immigrants. Many wearing Arsenal or Celtic colours. The post punk generation of Irish / London Irish who couldn't enjoy country n western at the Galtymore Ballroom. That was their parents thing.

Anyway the Pogues are an Irish band ; U2 are not. Discuss!

3 types of potato!!! Love it 😁

I loved his story of being called in at 6pm
Every evening by him Auntie to say the Rosary.

She would just come to the front door and yell"

"ROSARY! Ros-ARY!!!"

And they'd all have to come running 😂

And @Janiie stop obsessing about FONY . He wrote better songs.

Interesting question about U2.
I think they suffered by staying in Ireland but I absolutely consider them to be an Irish band & although they're not my type of music I admire them for their achievements & success. There's room for all really

Love that story about the Rosary 😃

So interesting to hear about how religious he was, I had no idea!

Do you think FONY will finally make it to no 1 in UK?

She would have beamed with pride at that buffet honestly. It was a fabulous day to remember a fabulous women.

I cried at Galway girl in the church and danced to it at night. Much healthier and more lovely experience than the CofE ones I’ve been to.

While Im on my soapbox I hate all this plastic paddy/yeah but you were born in/yeah but you were raised in talk. It’s very offensive. My husband is Birmingham Irish (second gen) Irish parents born in Brum. He is as Irish (and brummie) as they come.

Right off for a Barry’s tea (also a favourite of Shane’s)

Loved the Pogues. Saw them twice in concert in my early 20s. One of my favourite songs was Waltzing Matilda.

Yes I think FONY will get to No 1 this year. Strange coincidence he died during the festive period and had Christmas decorations all around the church. FONY reminds us that it’s normal not to achieve perfection at Christmas.

My sister died on Xmas day and it overshadowed everything, causing much sadness and destructive behaviour for years. It was not a happy time for me and this song is weirdly comforting to me.

Now I’m a mum I make great effort to bring joy to my kids at Christmas despite the painful memories. It’s weird how a song can bring comfort that you are not alone and even if it’s not perfect, you can still get into the festive spirit. It’s all nuanced- just like life - good and bad go hand in hand.

Never heard of it. Proving my point tbh.
Sure haven't I just told you about it you fecking eejit 😛

One thing that struck me… the objects held up and placed on his coffin were accessible to us all. it was just everyday stuff. Nothing fancy.

You don’t need to be rich and successful to have a full and meaningful life. Reminder to myself to stop delaying life and striving for success in the future at the expense of today- live in the moment, enjoy all the things you love NOW, because today could be your last!

@Togomalone I think that's also my impression of the life he led. He had less interest in the trappings of fame & more interest in the connections he built with people (despite the drink / drugs)

I loved the Pogues, first generation London Irish, they were a large part of my teenage years. Always a great night out when they were playing anywhere. RIP Shane

Eh no he wasn't, the Pogues were always huge in Ireland. Most Irish people had family living elsewhere and he spent his summers in Tipperary and as his sister said that was his spiritual home

His Dad was an exec in C&A and was extremely well read, introducing his kids to literature at a young age like in many Irish families. He and the mother were economic migrants like so many Irish people but the ease of travelling back and forth between Ireland and England meant they spent huge amounts of time back in Tipperary and were part of what was a thriving London-Irish scene. Maintaining a strong connection to Ireland while having an English accent isn't a contradiction in itself, Shane was singing Irish ballads and listening to Irish music since he was born.

He absolutely was not considered a plastic Paddy in Ireland.
My mother adored the Pogues, and odd one as a very middle class who moved in high society yet when she got a few minutes to herself she would put on a tape compilation my brother made of the Pogues.
Every Christmas morning started with her blaring FONY, as
she danced around the
kitchen whilst peeling 1000s spuds.
It was a wonderful funeral and epitomised everything about the Irish and our celebration of life with music and dance.

RIP Shane.

Atheist, but what a lovely, joyous occasion. His wife is marvellous.

Yep plenty of second or third generation Irish living in England with strong connections to Irish culture / arts and even a hint of the Irish accent - and certainly a lot of Irish words (mammy, press, bold, fill-em, minding … all spring to my mind). ABE when international sporting contests are on … I know loads of people who are like this. Feeling Irish and not having the accent is not a contradiction.