Shane MacGowan and The Pogues exhibition to make US debut at Bob Dylan Centre

‘They Gave The Walls A Talking: The Extraordinary Story of The Pogues and Shane MacGowan’ is on display in Dublin’s EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum until March 18 and will make its US debut at the Bob Dylan Center in Tusla, Oklahoma on March 8.

The exhibition illuminates the evolution of The Pogues, the rise of punk and the role of the Irish diaspora on the British music scene.

“Shane MacGowan was one of the greatest ever Irish songwriters,” President Michael D Higgins said, as he expressed his support for the launch of the exhibition at The Bob Dylan Centre.

“I was honoured to present him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Dublin’s National Concert Hall in January 2018. The resonance of Shane’s words was reflected in the extraordinary outpouring of warmth which followed his death last November.

"One of the hallmarks of Shane’s writing was his intrinsic understanding of the vital importance of bringing a poetic sensibility to those wonderful, evocative songs of his.

"These are qualities that he shared with Bob Dylan, whose exceptional body of work rightly saw him being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016.”

They Gave The Walls A Talking first opened in December at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, shortly after Shane’s death and the cultural centre is pleased to send their showcase to the Bob Dylan Centre.

Head of Exhibitions and Programmes at EPIC, Nathan Mannion, commented, “We take immense pride in highlighting the stories and accomplishments of Irish emigrants, demonstrating that Irish identity transcends the geographical boundaries of our island.

"With that in mind, we commissioned this special exhibition to celebrate one of the greatest transnational Irish bands of all time.”

The spectacle features contributions from family members, friends and band members including Victoria Mary Clarke, Siobhan MacGowan, Jem Finer, Nick Cave, Imelda May, Glen Hansard, producer Steve Lillywhite and the family of the late Frank Murray, the band’s original manager.

Niall Stokes of Hot Press said: "The Pogues were one of the greatest Irish bands of all time – and Shane MacGowan was one of our most brilliant and widely loved songwriters.

"As anyone who saw them live knows, The Pogues made a magnificent racket, bringing the rambunctious spirit and energy of punk rock to Irish folk and traditional music. But it was the peerless lyrics, written mostly by Shane, that gave their music its irresistible, unforgettable, emotional heft.

“It’s these qualities which make it feel so right that the exhibition, ‘They Gave The Walls A Talking’, is having its U.S. premiere in The Bob Dylan Centre in Tulsa.

"Bob Dylan is the greatest songwriter of them all, achieving an unparalleled mastery of the art and craft of songwriting, and producing a vast repertoire of songs of immense power and beauty over the 60 years he has been at the forefront of contemporary music.”

Steven Jenkins, Director of the Bob Dylan Center spoke about the good timing of the event.

“As a tribute to Shane, the band’s remarkable artistry and a celebration of Irish music and culture, we thought it was important to bring this exhibit to the United States in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

The Pogues created some of the most dynamic and memorable songs of the 1980s and ‘90s. Their best-known song in the U.S. is the Christmas ballad “Fairytale of New York.”

Other Pogues classics include “The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn,” “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” “Rainy Night in Soho,” “If I Should Fall from Grace with God,” “Misty Morning, Albert Bridge” and the Ewan MacColl cover “Dirty Old Town.”