The Pogues’ Shane McGowan, 65, is visited in hospital by his former bandmates as his wife asks for ‘love and prayers’ amid rocker’s battle with brain condition
The rocker, 65, has been in intensive care for months after being diagnosed with viral encephalitis last year with his pals, with whom he has toured the world, stopping by to wish him well.
While Shane was the iconic Irish Folk band’s vocalist, Spider, real name Peter Richard Spider Stacy, played the tin whistle and Terry Woods the guitar and mandolin.
Shane’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to thank the musician’s for paying a visit alongside a harrow photo of her husband now using a breathing apparatus as he continues to battle the dangerous condition.
She penned: ‘I just wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone who has been messaging me and @ShaneMacGowan and thank you @spiderstacy and Terry Woods for coming to visit him.
‘Love and prayers for everyone who is struggling right now. Hang in there’.
MacGowan is most famous as frontman of Celtic punk band The Pogues, who enjoyed success in the 1980s with a string of albums and their iconic Christmas hit Fairytale of New York. He has performed with musicians including Kirsty MacColl, Sinéad O’Connor and Nick Cave.
It is thought Shane was admitted back in intensive care in June but his wife has not revealed the exact reason for his readmission.
Throughout his most recent stint in hospital, a number of A-listers have taken the time to visit him – including his bandmates Spider Stacy and Terry Woods as well as US rock star Bruce Springsteen.
The singer was diagnosed with the illness late last year and it was said to have exacerbated by shingles that spread to the eye.
Tragically it is just the latest in a long list of medical mishaps the Celtic band star has suffered over the years.
In 2016 he fell and broke his pelvis while dancing and has had to use a wheelchair or Zimmer frame ever since. Another fall left him with a broken right knee and torn ligaments around his left knee.
