Shane MacGowan, the Fairytale of New York singer, dies at 65

Famous Irish musician Shane MacGowan is no more. Shane, who formed the band The Pogues, has died at the age of 65.

The singer has givenhits like 1987's ''Fairytale of New York'' and ''A Pair of Brown Eyes''.

As per reports, he has not been well for a long time, and recently, he was diagnosed with encephalitis. He has been battling various health issues throughout the past few years. The singer died in the early hours of Thursday (Nov 30).

His wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, announced his death. The statement reads: ''Shane will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life.''

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She added: "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."

Born to Irish parents, MacGowan has been known for the unique fusion of traditional Irish music with punk energy. He first founded the punk band The Nipple Erector. However, he became known as the frontman ofThe Pogues.

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One of hischart-buster songs was “Fairytale of New York,” a duet between Kirsty MacColl and MacGowan. The song remains one of the most loved UK Christmas songs. In his career through decades, he has collaborated with famous artists, including the late singer Sinéad O'Connor, Ronnie Drew, and Kirsty MacColl, among others.

Apart from his musical life, Shane has been very vocal about his alcohol and drug addiction. The singer once revealed that he was only 5 when his family gave him Guinness, a type of Irish drink.

Shane once revealed: "I was smoking and drinking and gambling before I could talk." He would go to the pub with his dad at a young age, and was kicked out of public school after six months for a drug-related incident.

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The first time the singer checked into rehab, he was only 17 years old.

Soon after the singer's death was confirmed, tributes started pouring in.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins called the later musician 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," Higgins said. "His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history."

(With inputs from agencies)