Shane MacGowan stood for hope amid hurt and loss. In a tough year, his funeral moved millions

Shane MacGowan’s funeral got me.

I had work to get on with but thought I’d briefly watch. In a moment, when Nick Cave sat down to perform A Rainy Night in Soho, I was gone, singing along and smiling and fighting tears. All that heart and all that loss. By the version of Fairytale of New York, I was full-on blubbing. The regrouped remaining Pogues singing The Parting Glass for their leader as the service neared its end didn’t make this ease.

So a fine Irish funeral, then. Though the dancing in the chapel brought stern words from my mother.

The funeral led the 10 o’clock news in Britain. I’d imagine Forwarded Many Times was a leading WhatsApp message as clips were shared.

Quite why MacGowan’s send-off sent to many people over the edge is not clear.

There is much to be said about what he created. He articulated hope in the moment of the outsider’s hurt and loss. And clearly this soundtracked the lives of so many people globally. It continues to chime. His own ragged battle with mortality added a keen edge.

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But this doesn’t explain the connection and the community in the period following his death, and that emotion, at distance, generated by the funeral.

It’s been a hard, hard year for millions of people. The battle to remain above water as costs hammer is not over. Coupled with anger at things beyond control, there is a general sense of vulnerability. Christmas clearly exacerbates this. The best of Christmas songs frequently lead in a minor key.

• ‘Rave on’: Touching tributes after legendary Pogues singer Shane MacGowan dies at 65
• Shane MacGowan spoke for outsiders and those left behind. There are no others quite like him

It’s not always an easy time for a lot of people and I bet that is more-so this year.

At Big Issue we at least know there is a positive side to this as people are good. Many new readers join us over the Christmas period, keen to buy Big Issue, to support our vendors and to support the work we do.

In the teeth of national anxiousness there is compassion. Political leaders focused on their own campaign of self-preservation, that feels laced with cruelty, should take note.

At Big Issue we seek to redress inequity when we find it and when you tell us about it. There has been plenty around this year. Our resolve remains to carry this on next year. As does our focus on offering opportunity to those across society who have not had it in front of them for a while, or maybe ever.

So, thanks for being with us in 2023, through all that has been slung. Merry Christmas. If you’re feeling a little wobbly, that is OK. There is always hope.

Altogether now – it was Christmas Eve, babe…