Funeral arrangements for Shane MacGowan announced

The funeral of The Pogue's late frontman Shane MacGowan is to be held in his home county of Tipperary on Friday. The funeral Mass for the legendary music icon is open to the public and will take place in St Mary of the Rosary Church in Nenagh.

Shane MacGowan regularly returned to Tipperary where his father Maurice, and sister Siobhán live.

Maurice MacGowan lives  in the Nenagh area while Siobhan lives nearby in Dromineer area.

Shane was said to be a frequent visitor at Philly Ryan's pub in Nenagh. Across the road from the pub is the undertakers, JJ Ryan's, who will look after the funeral arrangements.

President Michael D Higgins is expected to attend the funeral along with high profile figures from the world of the arts and music.

Leading the tributes, the President described Mr MacGowan as one of music's greatest lyricists, adding that his songs would be "perfectly crafted poems".

Continuing, the President said: "His words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways,

Mr MacGowan passed away peacefully at his home in Dublin last Thursday, the 30th of November after spending several months receiving treatment at St Vincent's Hospital.

Shane MacGowan's widow, Victoria May Clarke, described him as "the measure of my dreams and the love of my life", as well as "the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear", in a powerful tribute shared online.

Members of the public, musicians, politicians, journalists and more have all come forward in recent days to pay tribute the London Irish singer who for many masterfully captured the sensibility of Irish diaspora everywhere.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin has opened a Book of Condolence in Dublin for the beloved musician which can be signed here. Speaking in a statement, Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said: "Shane was truly a one-off and his loss will be felt by people right across this city and indeed the entire country".

There is also book of condolences on Shane MacGowan's RIP.ie profile, which can be signed here.