IRISH musicians have honoured Shane MacGowan with a rendition of the Pogues song A Rainy Night in Soho on Friday's Late Late Show.
Singer Glen Hansard was on vocals, supported by MacGowan's former Pogues bandmate Terry Woods for the cover of the song, which featured on the band's 1986 EP, Poguetry in Motion.
Hansard's fellow Frames member Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Steve Wickham of The Waterboys and Hothouse Flowers singer Liam Ó Maonlaí completed the line-up for the touching performance.
The quintet opened the show with the song, which was performed against a backdrop featuring a montage of the late singer.
Speaking afterwards, Hansard suggested the experience of singing the iconic song in the wake of MacGowan's death had filled him with a mix of both pride and panic.
"Singing that song tonight, it's just such an incredible honour and a terrifying thing to take on," he told host Patrick Kielty.
"It’s no easy task."
Rising tensions
Born to Irish parents in England on Christmas Day 1957, MacGowan passed away on Thursday, shortly after being discharged following several months in hospital.
Kielty described MacGowan as 'peerless and fearless', as he credited the songwriter for creating a soundtrack for a generation of Irish people.
"On behalf of everyone who, like me, grew up with his music and on behalf of a generation of Irish people, home and abroad, who were gifted a soundtrack to our lives which allowed us to feel part of something so much bigger, we'd like to say, 'thank-you, Shane' — rest in peace," said Kielty.
The host was also joined by singers Moya Brennan and Camille O'Sullivan, as well as actor Aidan Gillen, as the show's guests fondly recalled memories of the their late friend.
Former bandmate Woods echoed Kielty's words, adding that MacGowan's innovative approach to Irish music was what convinced the Dublin native to join The Pogues in 1986.
"One of the things about Shane that really got me was that he was an immigrant and his music reflected the immigrants in a huge way," he said.
"A lot of his ideas musically were kind of vague memories of things that he heard years ago, maybe at home or when he was visiting Ireland
"He wasn't disrespectful of Irish music in any way but he was able to make the cultural connection.
"That was why I joined The Pogues in the first place – I'd never played Irish music that way."
