EXCLUSIVE: Ghost of One of World's Biggest Music Wildmen 'Haunting His Heartbroken Widow' by 'Constantly Talking to Her For Hours'
Victoria Mary Clarke claimed she has spoken to late husband Shane MacGowan.
April 23 2026, Published 4:50 p.m. ET
Victoria Mary Clarke has claimed the spirit of her late husband, the Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, continues to "talk and talk" to her for up to an hour at a time – a revelation she says will also form part of a deeply personal memoir.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 60-year-old writer and journalist, who married MacGowan in 2018 after nearly four decades together, spoke about her experiences following his death aged 65 in November 2023.
Spiritual Connections with Shane MacGowan
Victoria Mary Clarke claimed the spirit of Shane MacGowan still talks to her regularly.
MacGowan, best known for songs including Fairytale of New York and A Rainy Night in Soho as well as his lifelong boozing, remains a towering figure in Irish music.
Clarke said she has been "channelling" his presence in the months since his death, describing what she called ongoing spiritual communication that she documents in detail.
She described the encounters in vivid terms, saying, "I have channeled (Shane) a few times. When he's able to communicate, I can be writing for like an hour, and he'll just be talking and talking and talking."
Clarke added: "I write down everything he says… I'll definitely be incorporating the channelling (in my memoir.)"
According to Clarke, the process involves recreating a sense of MacGowan's presence through familiar surroundings and music.
'I Can Feel Him'
MacGowan passed away in late 2023 following a lifelong career in Irish punk and folk.
Sources close to Clarke suggested the intensity of the experiences reflects both grief and enduring connection.
"She feels as though he is still with her in a very immediate way," one source said. "There are moments where she believes she can hear him clearly, and it becomes almost like a conversation stretching across time."
Another insider added: "For Victoria Mary Clarke, this isn't abstract – she experiences contact from Shane as something tangible and ongoing."
Clarke elaborated on the circumstances she believes enable the spooky moments.
"I feel that if I'm listening to the kind of music that he listened to and if I'm sitting in his chair and if I'm feeling his vibe… if I can tune into that frequency, I can feel him," she said.
New Music and Artistic Legacy
A new tribute album, '20th Century Paddy,' will feature stars like Bruce Springsteen.
The claims come as Clarke also works to preserve and extend MacGowan's artistic legacy.
She revealed previously unheard material from the singer has been discovered, including two albums in varying stages of completion.
One of these is expected to be released in 2027, while a tribute album titled 20th Century Paddy is due later this year.
The project will feature artists interpreting MacGowan's work, including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, David Gray, and Primal Scream.
Clarke framed the releases as a continuation of MacGowan's existence.
"It's like extending Shane's life," Clarke said: "It's like actually giving him this new lease of life he didn't have."
Clarke has previously spoken about sensing MacGowan's presence in more everyday ways.
Honoring a Modern Irish Icon
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
MacGowan is celebrated for his raw, poetic songwriting and his work with The Pogues.
"I feel that he's communicating with me. I can tell him stuff, and I can feel him watching me and being very much with me," she said.
MacGowan was one of the most distinctive voices in modern Irish music, blending punk energy with traditional folk to create a raw, poetic sound that defined The Pogues.
Born in 1957 in Kent, England, to Irish parents, MacGowan drew deeply on Irish history, literature, and working-class life in his songwriting.
As frontman of The Pogues in the 1980s and early 1990s, he helped revive interest in traditional Irish music, infusing it with urgency and attitude.
Their 1987 song Fairytale of New York, featuring the late Kirsty MacColl, became a perennial Christmas classic and remains one of the UK's most beloved songs.
MacGowan's work, including tracks like A Rainy Night in Soho, was widely praised for its lyrical depth and emotional honesty.
Despite struggles with addiction, he maintained a reputation as a brilliant, uncompromising artist whose influence endures.
