Shane MacGowan’s wife says he’s doing well in hopes he is home early from hospital

Ellen Fitzpatrick

He’s doing well.

The Pogues singer Shane MacGowan could be heading home from hospital as early as today following a recent health scare.

Shane was rushed to hospital earlier this month and was treated for “viral encephalitis”.

Shane’s partner Victoria Mary Clarke has been keeping friends and fans updated online about his condition and took to Twitter yesterday to share a photo of a very smiley singer.

Alongside the snap, she wrote: “Fingers crossed @ShaneMacGowan will be home tomorrow! @PoguesOfficial.”

Shane is being treated for viral encephalitis which is an uncommon and serious condition in which the brain becomes swollen.

It was reported last week that he had contracted shingles and the infection spread to his eye which is when Victoria called for help.

Fingers crossed 🤞 @ShaneMacGowan will be home tomorrow! @poguesofficial pic.twitter.com/6EC4peRegy

— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) December 13, 2022

“I noticed it on his face. His eye was getting red and began to close over. I called the doctor and the doctor said it was very dangerous so we had to get him to the hospital straight away,” she said.

“The hospital explained to me that shingles can go into your brain and that’s what happened to Shane so now they want to keep him in on a drip for two weeks,” Victoria told the Sunday Independent.

Shane and Victoria were wed in November 2018 after decades together and an 11-year engagement and they live in Dublin. In the past, Shane has discussed a number of health issues he has had over the years.

The singer used a wheelchair for many years following a fall in 2015 during which he broke his pelvis.

Speaking to Vice about the fall, he said: “I broke my pelvis, which is the worst thing you can do (….) I can’t walk around the room without a crutch. I am getting better, but it’s taking a very long time. It’s the longest I’ve ever taken to recover from an injury. And I’ve had a lot of injuries.”

Additionally, in 2016, Victoria shared that Shane was hospitalised for both pneumonia and a hip injury. She also said that being in hospital for such a lengthy time ultimately helped him on his journey to sobriety.