SHANE MacGowan fans lining the streets of Dublin said his “music will live on forever” as the Irish icon began his final journey home.
Thousands including people from all over the world gathered in the capital to honour the late Pogues singer songwriting genius in a send-off fit for a national treasure.
The world of music and entertainment is in mourning after the sad death of the beloved bard last week aged 65, following a brave battle with ill health.
MacGowan’s funeral procession was driven through the south of the city - where Shane lived happily with wife Victoria for many decades - before heading to his hometown of Nenagh, Tipperary for his funeral mass.
His long-time pals Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, Bono and Bob Geldof took part in the emotional funeral service.
Depp and Geldof delivered a reading while a recording from Bono was played to the church.
Nick Cave performed A Rainy Night In Soho for his friend during the mass.
And Imelda May, musician Liam O Maonlai and Declan O'Rourke sang You're The One.
Depp, 60, previously attended MacGowan's wedding to Victoria.
He was dressed in a black suit, hat and wearing a scarf and dark sunglasses as he made his way into the church.
Local priest Father Pat Gilbert earlier welcomed "the world" to Shane's star-studded service.
He told the church: "We welcome the world of people this great man influenced, encouraged, entertained and touched.
"Your presence here is very important and a huge statement of the love and esteem we all have and had for this great man."
He added: "We gather together his life, his loves, his lyric, and his light, and his music before this altar and to pray for the eternal rest of his soul."
Victoria presented symbols of her husband during the service which included a copy of a Johnny Depp album who she called a "massive fan"; of the Pogues frontman.
A Led Zeppelin record, art and lyrics from MacGowan that form a Crock Of God book, a James Joyce novel, a hurling stick and a Tipperary flag were also among the items brought up to the altar.
Ex-Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams delivered the first reading of the service and told how MacGowan’s wife, Victoria, asked him to say a few words.
He said: “My words are words of gratitude, gratitude for Shane’s genius, for his songs, his creativity and his attitude,” he said, adding how he was grateful for MacGowan’s “celebration of the marginalised, the poor, the exiled and the underdogs."
Adams added that MacGowan “lifted us out of ourselves” and “never gave up”.
Shane’s journey began in South Lotts Road with a horse-drawn carriage bringing his coffin down Pearse Street and onto Westland Row, giving fans who loved him dearly the chance to say goodbye.
The funeral cortege was led by the Artane band and a lone piper who provided the soundtrack for the solemn occasion.
Music rung out through the city as crowds joined in harmony, belting out some of the musician’s most iconic hits, in what was a joyful celebration of the legend’s life.
Stunning renditions of Fairytale of New York, and A Rainy Night in Soho were performed by the Artane band to the delight of the gathered mourners.
Fans were seen throwing flowers towards the hearse, draped in the tri-colour, as it slowly passed the massive crowds.
Funeral cars containing family members and Shane’s beloved wife Victoria Mary Clarke followed the horse drawn carriage.
Victoria was seen beaming with a smile as she took in the love and support shown by the thousands of fans in attendance.
People travelled from all over the world to be in Dublin for the first leg of Shane’s send-off.
One man travelled from Philadelphia to remember the star after he met his wife at a Pogues concert in the early 1990s.
He said Shane MacGowan “has been a big part of our life since”.
The funeral procession concluded shortly before lunchtime and Shane made his way to Co Tipperary where his funeral mass got underway at St Mary of the Rosary church at 3.30pm.
Mourners, many holding photographs of Shane MacGowan, sang Dirty Old Town following his funeral procession.
One fan held a bunch of forget-me-nots as she said: “I have here forget-me-nots so we will never forget him.”
Pogues superfan Keith Tracey - who saw them perform on many occasions since first catching a London gig in 1988 - travelled home from the UK to pay his respects.
He told us: “I’m a huge Shane fan, I was lucky enough to see him perform on many occasions and I felt it was important to be here today.
“He is the greatest songwriter that we have ever produced and his music will live on forever. Even though he was sick the last few months (his death) still came as a massive shock.
“It’s only now that he’s gone that people will start to appreciate what a talent he was.”
Another woman who gave her name as Ann had travelled up from Wexford with her teenage son for the procession.
She said: “The Pogues are always on in our house, we are massive fans! It’s a lovely turnout today. I hope Shane’s family see just how much he meant to people. We wanted to be here to say thank you.”
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, also travelled to Dublin to pay her respects.
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.”
Darragh McColgan, from Dublin, said MacGowan was a genius.
He added: “To me he was all about culture, the energy of it, it was representative to me of what being Irish is.
“It will be a day we knew was coming but it won’t be easy to deal with because of what a big impact he was.”
MacGowan’s grieving widow later thanked gardai for helping to manage the crowd of fans in Dublin as the cortege made its way to Tipperary.
Journalist Victoria Mary Clarke wrote on X: “Thank you so much @GardaTraffic for your help today and for the escort for @ShaneMacGowan.”
Pal Imelda May was among the mourners who turned out to wish Shane well on his final journey through Dublin.
She posted a series of throwback pics with the late star and Sinead O’Connor at Shane’s star-studded 60th birthday celebration.
She wrote: “Happy Birthday Sinead.
“We send Shane off to join you today. What a day for Ireland.
How blessed we were to have had such giants in our midst.
“Myself and Sinead and my darling @victoriamaryclarke at @shanemacgowanofficial 60th celebration (and the day we lost Dolores).
“All my love to Sineads and Shane’s families today. Grá Mór.”
The night before the service, Clarke spoke about his funeral and the support she has received from fans around the world.
Victoria said: “Tomorrow is Shane’s funeral which is hard to believe and probably I won’t believe it for a while.
“Shane hated funerals and he refused to go to them with a few rare exceptions.
“So it’s incredible to think that so many people want to come to his and that so many beautiful people are pouring their hearts and souls into making it magnificent and magical and memorable for him and for us who are left behind.
“I am feeling my heart bursting open in all directions with the amount of love that is being showered on us and most especially because everyone has their own problems and challenges and everyone has their own loved ones who they need to look after.
“I feel that Shane is with me all the time and that he is feeling intense appreciation and gratitude and that he is still sending love to everyone and maybe in a more powerful way from where he is now.
“I couldn’t have possibly asked for a more precious and enduring love affair as a human and I got so much from my relationship with Shane that it would be greedy to want more.”
