Late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan spent his last months binge-watching box sets of Channel 4 classic Father Ted, his wife reveals

Shane MacGowan spent the last months of his life bingeing on Father Ted episodes, his wife has revealed. 

The Pogues' frontman, best known for hit festive song Fairytale Of New York, died 'peacefully' in his Dublin home at 3am yesterday with his wife and family by his side, a statement from his relatives said. 

MacGowan, who was 65, has suffered months of poor health due to a brain condition and could not stop watching the Channel 4 sitcom about two hapless priests living on the fictional Craggy Island off Ireland's west coast. 

His wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, 57, told The Sun: 'So he wouldn't get bored we brought a little DVD player into Shane and friends have been giving him presents of classic movies on DVD.

'But the thing he won't stop playing is the 'Father Ted; boxset. Shane watches that all day long and can't stop laughing.'

In recent years, the Irish icon was confined to a wheelchair and was aided by his wife and carer at home, having been plagued by ill-health linked to his years of alcohol and substance abuse. 

MacGowan was first hospitalised last December suffering from viral encephalitis.

Despite his obvious discomfort, he wished his legions of fans well and 'all the luck in the world'.

'Hi friends, I'm sitting here suffering from encephalitis,' he said. 'The light is killing me. But I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and Happy Christmas and many more.

'All the luck in the world and all the love. Happy Christmas and Happy New Year, love Shane.'

But he has enjoyed visits from a string of famous stars, including his Pogues bandmates Spider Stacy and Terry Woods as well as US star Bruce Springsteen. 

The Born To Run Singer was photographed paying homage to MacGowan and urging him to keep fighting in his health battle.

The Irishman's wife Victoria explained: 'It was really really exciting and monumentally inspiring to spend time with @springsteen yesterday.

'He radiates a very very beautiful energy, he is like an embodied angel!

'It's great to see that someone can find work that they are lit up with and that they can spend their whole life lifting people's spirits through their work and stay so enthusiastic and energetic and full of gratitude and grace and appreciation for the work and for everything and everyone in their life.

'I am quite sure that Bruce has not had an easy life and he works incredibly hard at his craft and he has to spend a great deal of time travelling but he's full of joy and he is gracious and kind and compassionate and thoughtful and sincere and funny and playful and he loves with all of his heart so I am in awe!'

Announcing the news of the beloved punk star's death yesterday, Victoria wrote she had been 'blessed beyond words' to have been 'so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him' and declared: 'You will live in my heart forever... you meant the world to me.'

Stacy was among the famous faces leading tributes to the star, as fans and world Irish leaders shared their devastation at the death of the 'a true legend' and 'genius'.

He posted a black and white photo of the singer performing on stage to X, formerly Twitter, writing: 'O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done.'

And MacGowan's sister Siobhan shared lyrics from the Pogues' track, The Broad Majestic Shannon, writing: 'So I walked as day was dawning; as small birds sang and leaves were falling, where we once watched the row boats landing on the Broad Majestic Shannon,'

Irish President Michael D Higgins hailed the musician as one of 'music's greatest lyricists', adding: 'Like so many across the world, it was with the greatest sadness that I learned this morning of the death of Shane MacGowan.

'Shane will be remembered as one of music's greatest lyricists.

'So many of his songs would be perfectly crafted poems, if that would not have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them.

'The genius of Shane's contribution includes the fact that his songs capture within them, as Shane would put it, the measure of our dreams - of so many worlds, and particularly those of love, of the emigrant experience and of facing the challenges of that experience with authenticity and courage, and of living and seeing the sides of life that so many turn away from.

'His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways.'

In the UK, Downing Street said Rishi Sunak's thoughts were with MacGowan's family and fans, adding that 'Christmas would not be Christmas without Fairytale Of New York'.

'Particularly on a day where the Prime Minister and his wife are lighting the lights and starting to celebrate the festive season at Christmas - clearly Christmas would not be Christmas without Fairytale Of New York.'

Irish DJ Annie Macnanus - better known as Annie Mac - said: 'One of the finest lyricists of a generation. A man who loved Ireland with all his heart and took the music and culture and mixed it with his London upbringing to bring us The Pogues. What a band. What a discography.

'I am thankful to my big brothers for playing The Pogues albums relentlessly round the house when I was growing up. His voice will be forever nostalgic for me, taking me straight home to Dublin.'

While Irish premier Leo Varadkar expressed his sadness at the death of the Pogues frontman.

'He was an amazing musician and artist,' he said on X. 'His songs beautifully captured the Irish experience, especially the experience of being Irish abroad.'