Longford band Cronin remember their 'good friend', the legendary Shane MacGowan

The death of the peerless songwriter Shane MacGowan at 65 has draped a pall of sadness across an entire nation.

The news came via a social media post by The Pogues saying: “It is with the deepest of sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan.

“Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning with his wife Victoria and family by his side.”

Though born in England Shane's Irishness was a load bearing wall of his identity.

While the world has lost an artist of extraordinary talent Mick and Johnny Cronin from local band Cronin have lost a friend.

“We were big fans of The Pogues,” Mick explained, “We were in Drumlish until I was 10, that was 1997. Then we went to England. The Pogues meant so much to us, they were one of our own. They spoke for the Irish in England.”

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In 2009 Mick got to play with Shane when bassist Shane Bradley invited him to drum as part of a reformation of The Nips. The Nips was Shane's first band: “I had to learn 10 songs by The Nips in half an hour, we then did the gig. Shane got on with us because we understood the Irish English thing. We bonded and became mates, and just started hanging out,” Mick recalled.

Shane paid several visits to Drumlish since 2012. Johnny Cronin said there are many memories of those visits: “He used to drink in The Village Inn and Gallagher's Pub.

“One night we were having a session in Gallagher's and we got an idea for The Rocky Road Poland when a David Bowie song came on the jukebox.

“The Guards came in that night, but they didn't want to clear the pub. It was a beautiful night and a great session.

“On another night in Dillon's in Ballinamuck he brought a Year of the French bodhran. It is still hanging in Peter Dillon's Pub.”

Johnny spoke of the legendary musician's love of what he did: “He was always a “band man”, he loved being in a band.

“Shane was a big fan of Larry Cunningham. When he visited Drumlish he would burst into song, singing “Take me back where the grass grows the greenest”.

“There was no snobbery in him about music. He understood the Country and Irish thing.”

Johnny says Shane drew from a wide range of influences: “He learned from the finest, from The Clancys, The Dubliners, Sean O'Riada, all in his father's record collection.

“One of his biggest influences was “Catch Me If You Can” by Brendan Shine. In his own lifetime he saw his own work enter into the oral tradition. Become as much a part of our culture as Spancil Hill, or The Wild Rover or The Rocky Road To Dublin.”

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Cronin's front man summed up his friend: “I'd call him a punk, a great dresser, a Fenian, a Republican and a proud Tipperary man. He loved Tipperary and he loved hurling. He loved the craic. He had a passionate interest in Irish history,” Johnny said.

Shane's legacies are already shaped: “Is Shane more well known than James Joyce? Would it be fair to say more people know the words of Fairy Tale of New York than Ulysses? We will look back in 100 years and that song will still be sung.”

Johnny says solace on Shane's passing is in his music: “He'll be missed. We have lost a good friend and a bandmate.
The healing is in the songs. If you listen to the Broad Majestic Shannon or The Song With No Name they will help get you through.”

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