A Furious Devotion – The Life Of Shane MacGowan

About Richard Balls’ “A Furious Devotion – The Life of Shane MacGowan”

Punk protagonist, legendary drinker, Irish musical icon. The complete and extraordinary journey of the Pogues’ notorious frontman from outcast to national treasure has never been told – until now.

This revised and updated paperback edition includes Shane’s final months and the response to his passing. 

A Furious Devotion vividly recounts the experiences that shaped the greatest songwriter of his generation including the formative trips to his mother’s homestead in Tipperary and the explosion of punk which changed his life.

As well as exclusive interviews with Shane himself, author Richard Balls has secured contributions from his wife and family, and people who have never spoken publicly about Shane before: close associates, former girlfriends and the English teacher who first spotted his literary gift. Nick Cave, Aidan Gillen, Cillian Murphy, Christy Moore, Sinead O’Connor and Dermot O’Leary are on the rollcall of those paying tribute to the gifted songwriter and poet.

This frank and extensive biography also includes many previously unseen personal photographs. 

Balls explains, “I first met Shane when I was writing a book about Stiff Records. His friend Paul Ronan set up that meeting and when I later talked about telling Shane’s story, Paul came with me on visits to Dublin to stay with Shane. That put me in a very privileged position, giving me the opportunity to spend time with Shane in his home and speak to him at his leisure rather than trying to ‘interview’ him, which he hates. His sister Siobhan and his father Maurice were extremely supportive and provided access to other family members.”

He continues, “There are voices in this book that have never been heard before: ex-girlfriends, relatives, close friends, and even his English teacher, who kept some of his schoolwork. I think the book pulls back the curtain on parts of his life that have never been seen and I hope it does justice to this kind, intelligent and generous man whose passing created a global wave of grief and who is now deeply missed.”

About Richard Balls:

Richard Balls is a die-hard music fan who stumbled upon The Pogues on their first nationwide tour in 1984. A writer and rock biographer, Balls was a newspaper journalist for 20 years, half of which he spent in Dublin throughout the 1990s writing for titles including The Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Press and Irish Times. He was also a live music reviewer. His previous books are Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll: The Life of Ian Dury and Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story. 

About Anne Flaherty

A journalist born in London and growing up in County Clare, Anne has worked for The Irish Press in Dublin and The Irish Times in Belfast as well as reporting from Africa and Asia. She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, and holds an MA in Anglo-Irish Writing from Queen’s University Belfast and an MA in Children’s Literature from the University of Surrey.  She is Board member of the Irish Cultural Centre and a key member of the ICC’s Irish Literature Programming team.