SHANE MACGOWAN: THE OLD MAIN DRAG (320kbs-m4a/130mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 30th November 2024
A year has passed since the world lost one of its great songwriters. Journalist and author Sean O'Hagan explores the lyrical genius of Shane MacGowan, presenting him as a voice of the Irish diaspora.
Throughout, we interweave MacGowan's songs and interviews with fresh contributions from cultural icons and those who knew him best, seeking to understand his impact. Although Ireland's population is only 5 million, 70 million people worldwide have Irish ancestry, making the Irish diaspora one of the largest.
The Pogues were a London-Irish band, rather than purely an Irish one - a crucial distinction. This identity is reflected not only in their punk-inflected sound but also in Shane MacGowan's songwriting style, whether through the gritty urban realism of The Old Main Drag or the bruised romanticism of The Broad Majestic Shannon, a love song filled with longing for home. Through six selected songs, we come to appreciate MacGowan's artistry as that of an exile.
Featuring contributions from Bono, Nick Cave, Victoria Mary Clarke, Sir Bob Geldof, Bobby Gillespie, Siobhan MacGowan, David Simon, Daragh Lynch and Peter Doherty.
Thank you to Linda Dowling Almeida and Richard Balls
Produced by Richard Power
A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4
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