Rifle owned by Shane MacGowan used in Easter Rising gone missing and ‘most likely stolen’, Victoria Mary Clarke says
“It was used in the GPO”
Shane McGowan with the rifle
Lee Enfield 303
GPO 1916 aftermath
Sinead O'Connor and Victoria Mary Clarke
An historic rifle owned by Shane MacGowan and used during the 1916 Rising has gone missing, his wife has said.
The old weapon is a Lee-Enfield 303 and, given its historical significance, is worth a considerable sum of money.
“Shane’s 1916 rifle has gone missing, most likely been stolen,” Victoria Mary Clarke said on Wednesday morning.
The widow of the former Pogues front man said the item was a treasured present.
“It was a birthday gift to Shane from a dear musician friend and it was used in the GPO so it was historically significant.
"It was a Lee-Enfield 303 and it has H Munn etched on it,” Victoria added.
The Lee-Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century.
Lee Enfield 303
It was the standard service rifle of the British Armed Forces from its official adoption in 1895 until 1957 and many were used by Irish rebels in 1916.
The old guns regularly sell for between €2,000 – €3,000 but given the significance of this weapon, its value would potentially be much higher.
"That's a horrible thing to have happened, Victoria. I hope you will be able to find it,” wrote one of Victoria’s friends.
"Hope You find it, Victoria. I trained on the .303 back in the day, with the Irish Reserves. It's a lovely bit of work. I would hope St. Anto might have a look for it, too,” wrote another.
GPO 1916 aftermath
Victoria recently attended an exhibition on The Pogues and Shane MacGowan which had its US debut in March, with an exclusive showing at the Bob Dylan Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
They Gave The Walls A Talking: The Extraordinary Story of The Pogues and Shane MacGowan opened at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in December 2023 in Dublin, shortly after the death of the musician in late November.
Sinead O'Connor and Victoria Mary Clarke
The exhibition highlights the evolution of The Pogues, the rise of punk rock, and the role of the Irish diaspora on the British music scene.
It features contributions from family and band members including Victoria, Siobhan MaGowan, Nick Cave, Imelda May, Glen Hansard and the family of The Pogues' original manager Frank Murray.
Today's News in 90 seconds - 1st May 2024
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