Phil Ryan's Pub — Shane MacGowan's Local

Philly Ryan's is the oldest pub in Nenagh, County Tipperary, and it was Shane MacGowan's favourite. The Pogues frontman frequented the place for years — not just for impromptu sessions but to quietly read a book or shoot some pool. The pub is run by Philip "Philly" Ryan, who doubles as the local undertaker at JJ Ryan's funeral home next door. MacGowan trusted him enough to personally ask him to handle his funeral, a conversation that took place back in 2017.

In 2001, MacGowan brought Joe Strummer of The Clash into Philly Ryan's for what became a legendary night. Signed notes from both men and a photograph of the pair with Philly Ryan himself are still on display at the bar. It is exactly the kind of evening you would expect from two of the greatest punk songwriters who ever lived, in a pub run by an undertaker in a small Irish town.

After MacGowan's death in November 2023, Philly Ryan was true to his promise and transported Shane's body from Dublin, helping arrange the funeral in Nenagh. The pub became a place of pilgrimage for Pogues fans from around the world. A mural of MacGowan now adorns the outside of the building, and a commissioned portrait by artist Will McNally hangs inside, presented personally to Shane's sister Siobhan in 2024.

Philly Ryan's is on Pearse Street in Nenagh. It is a real pub, not a museum — the MacGowan memorabilia sits alongside everything else you would expect from a proper Irish local. The pub holds tribute events around the anniversary of Shane's death each November. As the pub's website puts it: "All types of parties are catered for, music and finger food can be provided, and a private meeting room is available."