Irish sports company release stunning commemorative Shane MacGowan jersey

A Donegal company is behind a stunning new GAA jersey in honour of the Irish music icon Shane MacGowan.

The legendary Pogues frontman passed away in late November, aged 65, following an illness. His passing touched the nation and the world of music.

In December, Tipperary GAA club Shannon Rovers, the home club of the late music star, commissioned a special jersey in his memory - and called upon O’Reilly Sports.

The sportswear company was founded in 2017 by Ballybofey brothers Steven and Martin O’Reilly.

“It’s incredible to be involved in something like this,” Steven told Donegal Live.

“Shane MacGowan had an amazing impact, something a lot of people maybe didn’t realise until his death. People all over the world have been buying the jersey, from all across Europe, to Australia and America. We’ve got an order in from Japan as well.

“Anyone who has had any connection with Shane wants the jersey and we’re delighted to be a part of it.”

O’Reilly Sports now has a base in County Tipperary and the initial contact arrived when Shannon Rovers reached out to Paul Fitzgerald of O’Reilly Sports.

Graphic designer Conor Maher came up with design for the stunning jersey - which comes in three different designs. All three feature the image of MacGowan and his great-grandfather John Lynch, who was the first ever chairman of the Shannon Rovers club.

Lyrics from the song The Broad Majestic Shannon, taken from The Pogues’ third album, are on the back of the shirt.

The club said: "Shannon Rovers GAA are delighted to launch our limited edition Shane MacGowan commemorative jersey. We would like to thank the MacGowan family for allowing us to produce such a fantastic tribute to Shane and his work.”

Thousands of the jerseys have already been snapped up and have helped boost the O’Reilly Sports brand, which has grown considerably with the company now employing 27 staff. The O’Reilly brothers are also behind Bali, the activewear brand that produces functional clothing for gym workouts and everyday life.

At MacGowan’s funeral in December in Nenagh, a Shannon Rovers jersey was among the gifts brought to the altar at Saint Mary of the Rosary Church.

Steven O’Reilly said: “The club basically wanted a good quality jersey with a good quality design. I think Conor has really brought the jersey to life. It will be a treasured possession for fans of Shane MacGowan all over the world.”