The funeral Mass of Shane MacGowan will be held in St Mary of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, near where his mother, Therese, was from and where he spent a great deal of time as a child.
The Mass will be open to the public.
President Michael D Higgins is expected to attend. He paid tribute to the ‘Streams of Whiskey’ writer last week, describing MacGowan “as one of music’s greatest lyricists.”
“His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways,” President Higgins said.
Folk singer Billy Bragg called MacGowan “one of the greatest songwriters of my generation”.
“The Pogues reinvigorated folk music in the early 80s and his songs put the focus onto lyric writing, opening doors for the likes of myself and others,” Bragg added.
Similarly, musician Nick Cave described The Pogues front man as a “true friend and the greatest songwriter of his generation.”
Bruce Springsteen also joined the chorus of music legends singing the folk-punk hero’s praise.
“The passion and deep intensity of his music and lyrics is unmatched by all but the very best in the rock & roll canon,” he said.
“I was fortunate to spend a little time with Shane and his lovely wife Victoria the last time we were in Dublin. He was very ill, but still beautifully present in his heart and spirit.
“His music is timeless and eternal. I don’t know about the rest of us, but they’ll be singing Shane’s songs 100 years from now.”
Meanwhile, The Pogues perennial festive classic ‘Fairytale of New York’ is expected to compete for Christmas number one in the UK charts against Wham! and Mariah Carey.
Upon its original release in 1987, the beloved Christmas song, noted for its unusually dark tone, peaked at number two behind Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Always On My Mind.’
Shane MacGowan is survived by his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, his sister Siobhán and father Maurice.
