Online tributes have been pouring in to Irish music industry legend Frank Murray who died unexpectedly yesterday.
"Please light a candle, say a little prayer for Frank Murray who left us today," posts former Pogue Cait O'Riordain. "RIP that wicked gleam in his eye, that kind heart #TrueDub."
"It does really feel like the end of something," current Pogue Spider Stacy tells Billboard.com. "I'm very sorry to see him go. He was brilliant really. I loved him deeply. Being Irish, he totally understood what the band was about and what it was really Shane was doing. I think he really got the importance of the band in regard to Ireland and what Shane was doing with Irish music."
"Being a musician, Frank made you feel like you were part of something very special," proffers Colm Quearney. "Not only was it all happening when you met him, he gave you a sense that we were all on the cusp of something exciting. He saw potential and had advice for anyone that had an artistic vision. I enjoyed, only this week, some of his commentary on the Home Sweet Home situation. I think he managed everyone in Dublin in one guise or another. R.I.P. Frank. Philo has your back!"
"I am truly devastated by the very sudden passing of a friend and legendary Irish music biz icon Frank Murray," says Thomas Walsh of Pugwash and The Duckworth Lewis Method renown. "At a loss for words here. Only spoke to him recently. He was integral in making 'Fairytale Of New York' happen and was Thin Lizzy's legendary manager. But what a lovely top bloke above everything. Rest in peace my friend."
Adds Hot Press' Roisin Dwyer: "As a lifelong fan of Thin Lizzy I was slightly starstruck first meeting Frank Murray nearly 14 years ago. It was an honour to work with him over that time when he was helming the careers of The Mighty Stef, The Lost Brothers, Temper-Mental MissElayneous and others - a roll call that reflects his appreciation of all genres. He was always open to new music. His rock 'n' roll knowledge was boundless as was his reserve of hilarious yarns. He worked with so many of the greats .Frank would regularly pop in to the HP office to update me on his projects or just shoot the breeze. He will be sorely missed."
"In total shock to hear of the passing of Frank Murray it would be 30 years next year when I first met him on The Joshua Tree Tour, and we negotiated back and forth how many people he and The Pogues could have on the U2 guest-list at Wembley Stadium!" recalls Suzanne Doyle. "Delighted I had so much more time to get to know him recently, brain storm ideas and have so many laughs. I know he is in the best company right now, and my heart goes out to his family and closest friends."
"Frank’s contribution to the Pogues was beyond regular management," journalist and Thin Lizzy biographer Stuart Bailie writes in a blog posting, which can be clicked through to below. "He brought a lot of the old Lizzy team into the camp and he was involved in the recruitment of Philip Chevron (former Radiators) and Terry Woods (Steelye Span, The Woods Band). As a result, the band achieved a greater sense of history and context. And while ‘Fairytale Of New York’ is the achievement of Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer, Frank helped with the evolution of the work over several years, bringing in Kirsty MacColl, one of his old management charges to sing those timeless lines."

Sending our thoughts and condolences to Frank Murrays family and loved ones today.. he was our dear friend and old manager, we'll miss you.. pic.twitter.com/jli45D4dEA

— Glen Hansard (@Glen_Hansard) December 23, 2016

Remembering Frank Murray, Pogues manager, exceptional human. A Stu blog. https://t.co/vsY37w8LvV pic.twitter.com/ArB9nAo9BE

— Stuart Bailie (@stu_bailie) December 23, 2016

Hard to believe that our friend Frank Murray has left the building #HappyTrailsBigMan pic.twitter.com/XPfqFa6Lzi

— eamon carr (@carrtogram) December 22, 2016