Victoria Mary Clarke and Shane MacGowan have defended Glen Hansard and Imelda May's rendition of Fairytale of New York on the Late Late show following debate.
Irish singers Hansard and May took on The Pogues classic Christmas hit during a festive special of the Friday night show with Ryan Tubridy last week.
But as viewers were left divided by the Dublin duo’s live cover, particularly a change to the original lyrics, Victoria took to social media to defend the singers, and said that MacGowan, who penned the hit track, also approved.
“At least they are singing it and raising money for the homeless, that is what matters!
“They did a heartfelt version with guts and gusto!”
“Shane likes it too!” she added.
The Irish singers were the subject of debate online after the live performance on the RTE chat show.
Following years of controversy over censoring the word ‘f****t’ on airwaves and TV stations in Ireland and abroad, Johnny Got A Boom Boom hitmaker May ruffled some feathers at home as she swapped the word for ‘crackhead’ during their performance.
One angry viewer took to Twitter afterwards and said: "Crackhead"? Why can't you use the original lyrics written by an Irish literary genius after the watershed on the national broadcaster? Imelda May and Glen Hansard deserve all the criticism they are getting for that cover of Fairytale of New York.”
However, others hailed the performance as ‘magnificent’, and credited the emotion in their rendition.
One wrote: “Not ordinarily a Late Late Show fan. But that segment with Glen Hansard and Imelda May. Wow. Utterly magnificent. Imelda: What an extraordinary woman.
A 21st century Dublin poet. A child of inner city. She brings my Ma back to life. And a tear to the eye.”
It comes as elsewhere on the show, the performers gave emotional interviews as they opened up on the heartache of losing their mothers.
May spoke of the heartache of heading into another Christmas without her beloved mother who died last year.
"It’s horrible. No one can prepare you for losing your mammy. I feel like I’m about ten walking around all the time. I’ve turned back into a child , I just want my mammy,” May told host Tubridy.
May and Hansard performed ahead of their return to the first live ‘Big Busk’ on Grafton Street since the pandemic on Christmas Eve alongside the likes of Bono and fellow Irish music legends to raise vital funds for the Simon Community homeless charity.
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