Johnny Depp expected at Shane MacGowan’s funeral on what would have been Sinead O’ Connor’s 57th birthday

Shane MacGowan, the lead singer of The Pogues passed away at the age of 65 last week, and his funeral is taking place today (December 8, 2023) in Dublin and Tipperary in Ireland, close to the homeplace of his late mother. Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, who was Shane MacGowan’s best man at his wedding to Victoria May Clarke, is thought to be among the celebrities attending. Nick Cave, Oscar-winning songwriter Glen Hansard and Irish President Michael D Higgins are also expected to be there. According to Sky News, “Hansard is believed to have directed the music for the funeral and is expected to perform as well.”

Johnny Depp and Shane MacGowan’s friendship has spanned decades and the Hollywood actor has previously recounted how he ‘fell in love’ with the lead singer of The Pogues. “I can only say I fell in love with him the second I met him and I’m still in love with him to this day,” Johnny Depp has previously said. “His wife Victoria is a wonderful partner for Shane, they're best friends, and I’ve seen that continue over these many years under all kinds of duress.”

According to The Mirror, “Johnny serenaded Shane and his wife Victoria Mary Clarke on the guitar at their wedding in 2018 in Copenhagen. Earlier this year, Victoria and Shane shared a sweet birthday tribute to the Hollywood actor, in which they revealed they ‘worshipped’ Johnny.  Alongside a picture of the star, she wrote: “Happy birthday beautiful @johnnydepp! We are glad that this handsome dude is having fun doing what he absolutely loves doing and we are so proud of him for everything that he has brought into our lives and into the world.”

Was Shane MacGowan friends with Sinead O’Connor?

Shane MacGowan’s funeral is taking place on what would have been Sinead O’Connor’s 57th birthday. The pair are believed to have first met one another in the 1980s. Virgin Radio reported that “Back in 1995, the duo re-recorded The Pogues’ 1986 song Haunted for the Stolen Hearts soundtrack. It reached number 30 in the UK singles chart. It was originally written for the soundtrack of the movie Sid and Nancy. Upon its release, O’Connor and Shane MacGowan & The Popes performed a stunning live version of the song on Channel 4 music show The White Room, presented by Mark Radcliffe.”

When Sinead O’Connor’s son Shane  passed away in January 2022,, Shane MacGown said on X formerly known as Twitter  that “Sinead you have always been there for me and for so many people, you have been a comfort & a soul who is not afraid to feel the pain of the suffering. You have always tried to heal & help. I pray that you can be comforted & find strength, healing & peace in your own sorrow & loss.” 

Shane MacGown and his wife Victoria Mary Clarke were both  devastated when Sinead O’Connor died in July 2023. Victoria May Clarke shared a post about Sinead on her Instagram where she said: “What a beautiful shining soul Sinead is, this is how I want to remember her with pure love and joy radiating out of her. It’s really really really hard when you someone you love dies and it is totally natural to feel loss and pain and anxiety and distress and sorrow and grief and to long for them to come back to life.”She ended her tribute by saying “We pray that she is feeling loved and bliss and connection and everything that she would have wished for.”

Irish singer Imelda May has posted a tribute to Sinead O'Connor on her Instagram in honour of what would have been her 57th birthday. 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 @victoriamayclarke at @shanemacgowanofficial 60th celebration (and the day we lost Dolores). All mu love to Sineads and Shane's family today. Grá Mór."