Shane MacGowan's wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, has announced that the late musician's rifle from the 1916 Easter Rising has gone missing and is suspected to have been stolen.

The rifle, which was used during the Irish rebellion against the British government, was a Lee–Enfield 303. It was a birthday gift to Shane MacGowan from singer-songwriter Glen Hansard and was used in the takeover of the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin during the Easter Rising.

On social media, Clarke said: "Shane’s 1916 rifle has gone missing, most likely been stolen. Shane absolutely adored anything to do with history, so to see him so emotional after receiving that, it was a really special occasion."

The disappearance of the rifle has triggered a widespread search, with Clarke urging its return: "It has turned into a real treasure hunt. We are all trying to track it down because it would be such a shame if it were somehow lost."

Shane’s 1916 rifle has gone missing, most likely been stolen. It was a birthday gift to ⁦@ShaneMacGowan⁩ from a dear musician friend and it was used in the GPO so it was historically significant. It was a Lienfield 303 and it has H Munn etched on it pic.twitter.com/iWJQiTji0L

— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) May 1, 2024

Victoria added that the rifle was last seen at their flat and appealed to the public for help: "The gun was last in the flat. We are all trying to track it down because it would be such a shame if it were somehow lost. I wasn’t entirely easy about having it in the house, but I definitely want it back. It’s probably the grief, where any physical thing that has an attachment to your loved one you hold on to – because you want to hold on to them."

According to reports, the rifle, with the name H Munn etched on it, has been estimated to have a value of about £2,000-£3,000.

The 'Fairytale of New York' legend Shane MacGowan died on November 30, 2023, after a long health battle. He is revered as one of the finest Irish songwriters of all time for his work both with The Pogues and as a solo artist. The exhibition They Gave The Walls A Talking: The Extraordinary Story of The Pogues and Shane MacGowan, curated by Hot Press editor Niall Stokes, and produced in partnership with EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, is currently on show at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa – with the addition of remarkable material from Victoria Mary Clarke's private collection (and in particular material from the acclaimed book The Eternal Buzz and the Crock of Gold), with explanatory notes penned by Victoria herself.