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LAST NIGHT’S LATE Late Show tribute to Shane MacGowan featured a rendition of The Pogues’ Christmas classic Fairytale of New York.
During the star-studded tribute to the musician, the 61-year-old took to the stage to perform his hit alongside country singer Philomena Begley.
Shane’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, defended the performance after some viewers took to Twitter to criticise the duo.
“Can any of you f**cks who think you can do a better job of singing Fairytale come on over and prove it,” she tweeted.
In a later tweet, Clarke said that Shane was not planning on singing the song until he heard that Philomena was going to be at the tribute, “and he wanted to sing it with her, a dream come true for him”.
Kevin Doyle / Twitter
Kevin Doyle / Twitter / Twitter
Can’t see the video? Click here.
McGowan also addressed the controversy surrounding Fairytale of New York over the use of the word “faggot” in the iconic song.
He said he included it because it fitted with the way the flawed character would speak but that he is “absolutely fine” with the word being censored.
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Id rather not have to watch that again, it was absolute car crash tv. Philomena didn’t know the words & Shane was only a pair of sunglasses away from Weekend at Bernies.
@dB O’Neill: you summed it up perfect ..still laughing!!
@dB O’Neill: your dead right an insult to the song
Why not have another tribute for Christy Dingham altogether, again, or maybe twink or “hilarious” Brendan O’Carroll . Brendan Grace would be wheeled out again if he was still alive. Really RTE, the late late needs a good shake up with proper actual celebrities on.
@John Quill: Yeah totally. Kim Kardashian is soo hot and like a super important celebrity too. One thing wrong with the world today is like we totally don’t see enough celebrities on the Late Late. Because they are like super important. And hot.
@John Quill: they can’t get proper celebrities on it that’s why they’re forever interviewing other RTE plebs and the same old irish ‘stars’ over and over again. Reason I wouldn’t be bothered watching it
As for Jason Byrne, absolutely awful, just not funny at all
@Jason Kilroy: He is awful, he makes a living from it though. So he has the last laugh unfortunately.
@Jason Kilroy: not as unfunny as Ed Byrne. Now there’s a chancer!
Begley killed the song
She should retire
@Joe Mc: she did not even know the words
@@at: yes, she was brutal. Up to that point it was very enjoyable
I ain’t hearing it. Think it’s a disgrace to bring two old people who can’t sing anymore to preform like that.
@Brendan Woods: And a disgrace to leave a comment where one can’t spell.
@páraicS: Address the issue and don’t be anal. He is correct it was sad to see them destroy a great song.
@ktsiwot: If you do a show paying tribute to someone knowing they’ll be unable to do an interview then don’t do it. He kept asking Shane questions only to scoot onto someone else to answer it. SHANE McGowan deserves more respect than that.
@ktsiwot: correct,*
@páraicS: so you are agreeing with me???
@páraicS: I ain’t seen any spelling any spelling mistakes there. Failure to capitalise the first letter of one’s pseudonym, however…
@páraicS: well done for pointing out ONE’S spelling …prince gobshit3
@ktsiwot: They did not *destroy* a great song, they just sang it badly this time. Nothing can the away from the song and the original performance of it
@páraicS: spelling looks ok to me ?
That’s what we are paying a license for. Cringe!!!!
@Jess Kelly:????? Do you think someone would remember the words if it was on TV3 or show would be any better if on TV3? Not the worst show except for the carcrash ending and certainly well worth doing for one of our, arguably, best ever songwriters. Certainly what a public service broadcaster should be doing and its not going to please everyone but that’s fine by me.
@Jerriko17: are you mad he didnt remember the words of the 1st song,, and when he was being witty the host skipped to someone else..McGowan is a funny bloke but not the man for RTE..
@Jerriko17: I didn’t watch the show. Haven’t watched it in years. This just reminded me why I don’t watch it.
As regards my comment I’m sure Philomena Begley was well paid for her appearance (which most likely came from tv license monies)…so the least she could have done was learned the words.
Enjoyable show , some great music and pogues songs and Shane is a legend …..stop with the nonsense about the words in the song – and why report what he said ‘last year’ in the article when he addressed the same question in the interview last night on the show. Lazy journalism.
Not a bad show except for the carcrash ending…. . She should hand her fee back for not doing her homework, age is no excuse, lots of oldies are well capable of learning a few lines, same goes for Finbar Furey a few weeks ago with the Parting Glass. Lisa O’Neill would have done a great job even if she only sang along with Philomena.
@Jerriko17: yes, but Shane WANTED to sing with Philomena. Two people who are past their best, absolutely, but nevertheless, two talented people who got together for old times sake. He didn’t want to sing with anyone else.
@Deborah Blacoe: If she had as much respect for him as he obviously has for her she could have at least learned her lines or asked someone to join her…. no shame in asking for a bit of help, all the best “older”&many younger performers do …sad to see her perform like that. Lisa O’Neill, e. g. giving her a dig out in the background would have made a huge difference.
@Jerriko17: agree 100% I thought Lisa would have done a cracking female vocal instead of Philmeglass Begley
@Jerriko17: she is in her 90s
@John O Reilly: 77 actually…. Not that it makes any difference…. She’s a pro for a long time and should have done her homework.
One word describes all, “DISASTER”
Terrible show from start to finish Dear God help us
I think I speak for the nation when I say ‘I’m morto for ya philomena ‘
Cringe!!!!
I can’t wait to hear the Ronan Keating and Philomena Begley cover version.
Why did I listen to that??
I turned it off in embarrassment for Philomena, I couldn’t watch it. I dont think she or Sean O Shea ever heard of Shane before last night. That was well intentioned but truly awful, car crash television, especially the finale.
@Conoroconnor: and I know Shane is a big fan of hers, but honestly me mother knows the words of Fairytale.
Like an episode of The Walking Dead .. they could have borrowed a corpse from the morgue instead of the man himself . Sad .
Turned it off after philomena started singing…couldnt listen to it…jez weve great singers in this country, they shoulda picked a better on.
@Brian Murphy: Shane is a fan, he wanted her
@Conoroconnor: director shoulda pulled it so.
If he wanted to sing it with someone who would butcher the song . Why didn’t they ring me..
For those who have never had the pleasure, that was just like walking into an Irish bar in England late 70′s/early 80′s. Lovely and warm when you’re wrapped in it’s warm embrace but pure shite if you’re looking in from the outside. Tubridy would have died in Kilburn.
Just LOVE Shane…they could have used a New York Xmas backdrop
Love Shane he’s a genius of a songwriter and spent many a night at his shows in London and when he was sober was a joy to sit down and talk to one hell of a nice gentleman.
Cant see the video and link not working for me either
@Thomas Maher: do not even bother watching the absolute crap.. car crash rubbish again from rte
@Thomas Maher: Thomas… Seriously don’t worry about it. Read the comments, get the jist of how you think it could have sounded… Multiply that by 10 & it’s still nowhere near how bad it was. Whether Shane wanted her to sing it or not, she agreed & so surely the minimum requirement was to know the words?? Truly awful.
Between the Healy Rae’s and that load of B U L L s h 1 t, Ireland is truly on a downward spiral
Tunridy beside Shane was like a scene from Weekend at Bernie’s.
Pure unadulterated bollix…I didn’t expect a lot from Shane as he is not 100%..but the guests not knowing the words of songs,, unreal!!! A real unprofessional output from RTE..sorry to say,,don’t get me started on Ryan Tubridy
I thought it was sad to see how badly shaken Shane had become during the final song. The man looked confused and ill. I didn’t see the rest of the show but am sorry I saw him in that way.
I don’t mind Philomena, but this was beyond terrible. And to think I was worried about Sinead o Connor s appearance.
Shane may be a vegitable but fair play to him for getting the words right the only words she got right is the line that the brit djs want banned
I assumed Lisa would’ve sang with him. It was awful to watch. I did enjoy the show up until then!
It’s a shame. Shane is very intelligent but the drink and drugs obviously did some sort of brain damage
Absolutely terrible horrible tv to watch
Embarrassing
Jaysus us Irish are a Moaney shower of $hites aren’t we.
Ah well nice to see the licence fee being put to good use . Really hard to believe that so many people are surprised with the performance.
Car crash TV…. Absolutely awful… M
Very poor show in all aspects.Disjointed in many ways.
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