Pogues singer Shane MacGowan joins mourners at mother's funeral

Therese MacGowan, 87, died on New Year’s Day when the car she was driving struck a wall around 10km from the family home in Co Tipperary in the Irish Republic.

MacGowan, who has experienced health problems in recent times, attended the service at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Silvermines, Co Tipperary, with his partner, journalist Victoria Mary Clarke, his sister Siobhan, also a journalist, and their father Maurice.

Wearing sunglasses and a dark suit, the 59-year-old Fairytale Of New York singer used a wheelchair to access the church.

Among other mourners were Irish actor Patrick Bergin, artist Guggi, singer-songwriter Mundy and senior Irish Labour party politician Alan Kelly.

Parish priest Brendan Moloney described Mrs MacGowan, a talented musician and dancer in her own right, as a “deeply spiritual woman”.

“So many people said she could have made a professional career her singing was so good,” he told mourners.

“She passed that honour to Shane and of course Siobhan you acquired the literary skills of writing.”

MacGowan paid his final respects to his late mother only days after attending the funeral of former Pogues manager Frank Murray in Dublin.

Murray, an influential figure on the Irish music scene who also managed Thin Lizzy, died from a suspected heart attack three days before Christmas.

The crash that killed Mrs MacGowan happened at Ballintoher, near Nenagh in Co Tipperary.

Following her death, the Pogues singer thanked people for their “kind words and condolences”.

His partner, Ms Clarke, tweeted on Monday evening: “Shane MacGowan would like to say thank you and God bless you to all the people who are offering kind words and condolences. It means a lot.”

“People are being overwhelmingly lovely and kind, it is amazing. Thank you.”