Thurles Information

A special festival, to honour the late “The Pogues” music legend Shane MacGowan, will take place in Co Tipperary on Sunday August 18th next.

The event will pay tribute to the late Shane MacGowan, and will be held in the village of Kilbarron, just 6 minutes drive (3.8km) from where Mr MacGowan spent many Summer holidays at the MacGowan family homestead, at Carney Commons, Carney, Kyleomadaun East, Co. Tipperary.

Mr MacGowan sadly passed away on November 30th 2023 last, aged 65 years, while being treated in hospital for inflammation of the active tissues of the brain, caused by an infection, (Encephalitis).

His sister, Ms Siobhan McGowan, confirmed the event on her Facebook page, stating that it will be full of “dancing at the crossroads”, with music, refreshments, under a marquee.

At 3:00pm on the day, Ms McGowan will also dedicate “The Broad Majestic Shannon” monument in her brother’s memory.

The Broad Majestic Shannon.

Lyrics: Shane Patrick Lysaght Macgowan.

The last time I saw you was down at the Greeks,
There was whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks,
You sang me a song that was pure as the breeze,
On a road leading up Glenaveigh.
I sat for a while at the cross at Finnoe,
Where young lovers would meet when the flowers were in bloom,
Heard the men coming home from the fair at Shinrone,
Their hearts in Tipperary wherever they go,
Take my hand and dry your tears, babe,
Take my hand, forget your fears, babe,
There’s no pain, there’s no more sorrow,
They’re all gone, gone in the years, babe.
I sat for a while by the gap in the wall,
Found a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball,
Heard the cards being dealt and the rosary called,
And a fiddle playing “Sean Dun Na Ngall”,
And the next time I see you we’ll be down at the Greeks,
There’ll be whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks,
For it’s stupid to laugh and it’s useless to bawl,
‘Bout a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball.
Take my hand and dry your tears, babe,
Take my hand, forget your fears, babe.
There’s no pain, there’s no more sorrow,
They’re all gone, gone in the years, babe.
So I walked as the day was dawning,
Where small birds sang and leaves were falling,
Where we once watched the row boats landing,
By the broad majestic Shannon.

END.

On the day previous, Saturday August 17th, as part of the Broad Majestic Shannon Festival in Kilbarron Village, there is an afternoon workshop discussing Mr MacGowan lyrics and highlighting the local places featured in his songs.