Minute's silence at council meeting in memory of Shane MacGowan

Tributes to Shane MacGowan and to those involved in the organisation of his funeral in Nenagh were voiced when members of Tipperary County Council observed a minute’s silence to mark his untimely death before the start of their monthly meeting in Nenagh on Monday last.

Cathaoirleach Ger Darcy, moving a vote of sympathy to Shane’s family members, said the late singer, although born in Kent in England, was “one of our own”.

“While Shane spent a lot of his life living in the UK, he had a special place in his heart for his mother’s home place in Carney Commons and he used to return frequently for holidays,” said Cllr Darcy.

He said the love that Shane had for that area was evident in that he had woven references to the locality in to some of his songs. “He had a great attachment to this area. He never forgot it and it was always in his mind.”

Cllr Darcy, who attended the Requiem Mass in Nenagh on Friday last, said the funeral  resulted in the biggest gathering in the town for a long time. He praised management and staff of the Nenagh Municipal District authority for the huge preparation that went in to having the town looking so well.

He also praised the Civil Defence and gardaí for the role they played on a day when Nenagh was the focus of the world.

“The people of the town took this guy to their hearts and they came out in huge numbers to  pay their respects and pay tribute to Shane MacGowan.”

PRAISE FOR PRIEST

Cllr Darcy said he wanted to particularly mention the Parish Priest of Nenagh, Fr Pat Gilbert. He had gone up in everybody’s standing for the way he officiated as the main celebrant at the Requiem Mass in Saint Mary of the Rosary Church.

Cllr Darcy, who attended the ceremony, said the way Fr Pat handled the Mass was “excellent” - on a day when the town was the focus of the national and international media.

Cllr Seamus Morris concurred with all that had been said. “It was a very emotional day because the people of North Tipperary and Nenagh took Shane to their hearts.”

Cllr Morris said he took one journalist from the Independent newspaper in the UK around the town. “People were coming up to just show him photos of himself or their children with Shane. There was a natural friendliness in people.

“Local people felt they had lost somebody special, and they put their arms around the funeral.”

Cllr Morris also singled out Fr Gilbert for praise. “That man turned up on a Harley Davidson a few weeks ago for a funeral, so nothing would surprise me about Fr Pat. He was so natural the way he officiated at Shane’s Mass and he added to the whole thing. It was just an amazing day.”

Cllr John Carroll said Fr Gilbert “did the area proud”, and despite the sadness, it was a great day for the locality. “The town looked fabulous and it was a proud day for Nenagh.”

Cllr John Rocky McGrath said the Nenagh events were a great mark of respect to Shane. The council should be proud of the job it done in preparation for the funeral. Of Fr Gilbert’s role, he said: “It was the greatest homily I ever heard.”

Cllr David Dunne said it was a unique occasion and there was a mark of professionalism in the way the funeral was hosted.

The Sinn Féin councillor said never liked English when in school because he was dyslexic, but the lyrics in Shane’s songs spoke to him. He hoped the songs would be studied by pupils in schools in the future.

Cllr Phyll Bugler said Shane and his friend Brian Kenny used to visit Josie Moloney’s pub which she used to own in Toomevara. She always found Shane to be a humble man and a man of few words.

Cllr Hughie McGrath complemented local media for their coverage of the funeral and the way the local newspapers had sought out lifelong friends of Shane to let them pay tribute and tell their unique stories about the famous star and poet.

Cllr Joe Hannigan pointed out that a stone plaque featuring the lyrics of The Broad Majestic Shannon had been unveiled in Kilbarron. He said the move was timely as Kilbarron was the parish where Shane spent the early years of his life with the Lynch family who were uncles and aunts of the singer's late mother.