There will be readers who have never heard of Irish folk band, The Pogues.

And by extension, many of you may not have heard of their lead singer, Shane MacGowan.

Sadly, MacGowan is dead.

He was 65 years old and died an alcoholic.

The story goes that Shane MacGowan had his first pint of Guinness at about five years old. He never stopped 'the drink'.

His most famous tune was a Christmas song, but it's far from a carol.

Fairytale of New York was banned from radio because of its controversial lyrics.

MacGowan told us:

It was Christmas Eve, babe

In the drunk tank (gaol)

An old man said to me, 'Won't see another one'

And then he sang a song

'The Rare Old Mountain Dew'

I turned my face away

And dreamed about you.

In recent years many of my Irish heroes have died and all of them have fallen victim to addiction.

First there was George Best, the 1968 Footballer of the Year, a genius who, for a short period, lit up Northern Ireland and Manchester United with his dribbling skills, eye for goals, handsome Beatles-like looks and charm, and his propensity for short-term relationships with stunning females.

He died aged 59 in 2005, a drunk who........

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