Shane MacGowan: The Pogues frontman dies aged 65

The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan has died aged 65.

The singer was discharged from St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin last week where he had been receiving care for an infection.

From the 1980s, he lead the Irish punk band who are best known for their hit festive song Fairytale Of New York which was released in 1987, a song he recorded with the late Kirsty McColl which still charts around the world during the festive period 36 years after its release.

On Thursday, his wife Victoria Mary Clarke wrote on Instagram: “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it.

"Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.

“I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.

“There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music."

She added: “You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much. You meant the world to me.”