Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan’s funeral had a Hollywood send off as his good friend Johnny Depp paid his respects at the service in Dublin on Friday. 

The Hollywood star, 60, was entrusted to read one of prayers at the service, after the Fairytale of New York singer died on November 30.

Johnny was dressed in a black suit, hat and scarf with dark sunglasses on arrival at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, County Tipperary, after up to 30,000 mourners lined the streets of the city to pay their respects.

Depp and MacGowan were friends for over 30 years after a chance meeting at a pub, but they immediately ‘fell in love’.

Read more about their loyal friendship below…

Johnny Depp and Shane MacGowan were friends for over 30 years after a chance meeting at a pub, but they immediately ‘fell in love’

How did Johnny Depp and Shane MacGowan meet?

Depp and MacGowan were friends for over 30 years after a chance meeting at a pub, but they immediately ‘fell in love’ (pictured in 1994) 

The Hollywood star was one of those set to read prayers at the Pogues frontman’s service, after the Fairytale of New York singer died on November 30

In 2020 Depp said: ‘When I met Shane he was negotiating a pool table. There was a drink in this hand, a pint, and in this hand, there was a guitar.

‘And he was teetering, balancing back and forth trying to negotiate which way to fall. I watched him do that for about 15 minutes.

‘Then I was introduced to him, before he fell, and from that moment on you just knew… there are moments in life when you know this will happen one time and one time only, when you get the opportunity to spend time with greatness.

‘Having known him a long, long time I can only say I fell in love with him the second I met him and I’m still in love with him to this day.’

Inside Johnny Depp and Shane MacGowan’s friendship

MacGowan died on November 30 after having returned home from hospital amid a battle with a brain condition – his wife Victoria shared the photo of him in his hospital bed above

Pictured: The funeral procession of Shane MacGowan in Dublin ahead of his funeral on December 8

Depp said: ‘I was introduced to him, and from that moment on you just knew… there are moments in life when you know this will happen one time and one time only’

Depp arrived at St Mary’s of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, County Tipperary, after up to 30,000 flocked to Dublin to pay their respects to the late rockstar

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The Pirates Of The Caribbean star serenaded Shane and his wife Victoria at their wedding in Copenhagen in 2018

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star serenaded Shane and his wife Victoria at their wedding in Copenhagen in 2018. 

‘His wife Victoria is a wonderful partner for Shane,’ Depp said, ‘they’re best friends, and I’ve seen that continue over these many years under all kinds of duress.’

The pair are both music enthusiasts, and the actor even played guitar in The Pogues’ 1994 Top of the Pops appearance to play That Woman’s Got Me Drinking.

He also produced Crock of Gold – A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan, a 2020 documentary which tells the story about MacGowan’s career, directed by Julien Temple.

The documentary inspired a new wave of worldwide Pogues fans, and went on to win the special jury prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival. 

Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams also helped in producing the picture.

In 2022, the rock star and his wife publicly backed Depp during his defamation trial against Amber Heard.

In an open letter, MacGowan said: ‘Hi Johnny, I often think you are the brother me and Vic never had! 

‘Don’t even bother with people sl**ging you or lying about you. You’re a brilliant actor and a great musician and you’ve got a huge fan base who all love you and includes me and everyone I know.

‘So keep on doing what you’re doing. People talking to me always ask about you and I say I can’t talk about you except I’m pretty sure you’re happy and to use a rock ‘n’ roll cliché, f**k the begrudgers.’

The couple also shared a message to Depp last June wishing him a happy 60th birthday.

The Instagram post read: ‘Happy birthday beautiful @johnnydepp! We are so glad that this handsome dude is having fun doing what he absolutely loves doing and we are so proud of him for everything that he has brought into our lives and into the world.

‘So much incredible art and music and film and writing, not to mention his unique and endlessly creative ways with clothing and accessories and of course hair!!! No matter how bored or f***ed off or uninspired you might be feeling, you only need to spend a minute in the sunshine of his presence to start to feel uplifted and more crucially to start to feel special and relevant and worth something.

‘It’s possible that this rare and precious gift that he has of making everyone ( well almost everyone!) feel loved by him that is his gift but of course his gifts and talents are as yet unknown and unknowable and are continually unfolding. To have been alive at all after so many years of living life to BEYOND the fullest and of exuding creativity in every moment this is indeed a wonderful miracle!!!

‘Now JD is redefining what it means to be 60 and the 20 year olds have no chance of keeping up! We LOVE and ADORE this man from the tips of his ears to his toenails and we are honoured to have benefited from so much of his splendid spirit in so many ways that we can not possibly count the ways. Bless you and keep the faith dearest Johnny and happy happy birthday from your worshippers Victoria and Shane.’