THE POGUES and Kirsty MacColl have been beaten to top spot in a new countdown of the 50 best Christmas songs of all time.
Fairytale of New York may have taken the crown as the UK’s most popular festive track, but a new countdown published in The Guardian has seen the iconic 1987 duet beaten into second place.
Mariah Carey came out on top with the ever popular All I Want For Christmas Is You in an eclectic countdown boasting plenty of surprises.
The Pogues came in second just ahead of indie band Low and their largely overlooked effort Just Like Christmas in third.
The Waitresses come in fourth with their familiar favourite Christmas Wrapping while there is another surprise with Marvin Gaye and Purple Snowflakes.
On the topic of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s signature hit, journalist Michael Hann said:
“There’s almost nothing left to be said about Fairytale of New York, a song that has been impossible to avoid for more than 30 years.
“Such is the strength of the songwriting and the grace of the performance that, despite the overexposure, it feels fresh every single time.
“That a scrappy folk-punk band produced something that will endure as long as Christmas itself is a real Christmas miracle.”
Though plenty of Irish fans will be disappointed not to see The Pogues topping the countdown, it is worth remembering that Carey boasts some Irish roots of her own.
Carey has previously talked about the struggles she faced growing up mixed race.
These days she is proud of her mixed heritage, including her Irish origins.
She told The Guardian in 2009: "My mother's white – she's so Irish, she loves Ireland, she's like, yay, Ireland! Waving the flag and singing When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. And that's great. I appreciate that and respect it.”
