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Music

09th Jan 2024

Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan tribute concert announced

Simon Kelly

Sinéad O'Connor Shane MacGowan gig

The two Irish legends left us in 2023.

It has been announced that a special concert in tribute to Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan will take place this year.

The one-off concert celebrating the lives of the two Irish legends will be held at New York City’s Carnegie Hall on 20 March, 2024.

The musical world was rocked last year after we lost both O’Connor and the Pogues frontman in the space of just a few months, leading to tributes from all over the world.

Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan tribute concert announced

Taking part in the special gig will be Glen Hansard, David Gray, Dropkick Murphys, Cat Power and Amanda Palmer, with more to be announced in time.

Speaking to The Independent, MacGowan’s widow Victoria Mary Clarke said that the legendary singer, who passed away in December “would really appreciate this tribute.”

She added: “He loved Carnegie Hall and he loved Sinead. It’s heartbreaking to think about them both being gone but good to think of them being together and representing the more authentic and soulful side of Irish music.

“In my opinion they were two of the most raw and passionate and powerful singers in the world but also two really great songwriters.”

Both singers had known each other for years and duetted together on the single ‘Haunted’, which featured on the soundtrack to the 1986 biopic Sid and Nancy starring Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb.

While both publicly expressed their fondness for each other, their friendship became strained after O’Connor reported MacGowan to the police for heroin use in 1999.

However, despite being “furious” with her at the time, MacGowan reflected on the incident and credited O’Connor for ending his addiction to the drug.

Proceeds from the tribute concert will go to the charity PEN AMERICA and general sale tickets for the show go on sale on 22 January.

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