Inside Fairytale of New York singer Kirsty MacColl's tragic death and fortune
It has been 24 years since Kirsty MacColl tragically lost her life while trying to save her son. The English singer, who teamed up with Shane MacGowan of The Pogues for the iconic Fairytale of New York, was just 41 when she was holidaying with her two sons and musician boyfriend James Knight, in Cozumel, Mexico, 13 years after the release of the poignant track.
On December 19, 2000 Kirsty and her family went for a dive at the Chankanaab reef, a designated diving area where watercrafts were prohibited from entering, accompanied by veteran divemaster, Iván Díaz. As they surfaced from a dive, Kirsty saw a powerboat speeding into the restricted area, heading straight for then 15-year-old son Jamie.
Kirsty managed to push Jamie out of the way, and he sustained only minor injuries to his ribs and head. Tragically, the boat struck Kirsty, causing severe chest injuries that killed her instantly.
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The powerboat was owned by wealthy businessman Guillermo Gonzalez Nova, who was on board at the time of the horrific accident. A crew member named Jose Cen Yam ended up taking the blame.
Just three years before her death on March 27, 1997, Kirsty MacColl wrote her will, outlining how she would distribute her £1.67m fortune among those closest to her. According to documents obtained by the Mirror, Kirsty initially planned to leave £20,000 to a man named Lazaro Laza Antunez in Cuba, reports the Mirror.
She also stated that her brother, Hamish MacColl, would receive £50,000 of her wealth. Kirsty further declared that if any of her children survived her, individuals known as Anne, Kieran, Juliett Guiot and Frances Tiplady would each receive £1,000.
However, if none of her children survived her, these individuals' legacies would increase to £10,000 each. The Croydon-born musician also instructed that what remained of her fortune after settling her debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, and any legacies given by the will, should go to her trustees.
These included her children Jamie Patrick MacColl, Lillywhite and Louis Stephen MacColl, any future children, her remote issue, her mother Jean, her brother Hamish, and any charitable causes her trustees deemed suitable at their discretion.
In August 2000, a few months before her untimely death, Kirsty made significant changes to her will. She expressed her decision to stop sending money to Cuba and instead planned to leave her Stroud property to her brother, with her estate to be divided equally among her children and James Knight, once provisions for her mother and brother were met.
This included royalties from any of her work. Kirsty also intended to bequeath £1,000 each to Annie, Fuz, Kieran, and Guiot in France, while all her studio equipment was to go to James Knight.
In a 2014 interview with the Irish Sunday Mirror, Kirsty's mother Jean MacColl conveyed her outrage at the Mexican justice system's handling of her daughter's death, where the boat hand involved was fined a mere £67. Jean said: "It was £67, a trivial amount. I had to tell her sons on mother's day that that's all their mother's life was valued at. I was angry, I'm still angry. All I wanted was the truth. I didn't want his money, it's dirty. I just wanted him to tell me the truth but he didn't have the nerve or the courage. I even wrote him a letter saying I just wanted the truth but he never replied. I despise him completely. I don't know how he can live with himself."
The music community was left in a state of shock and sadness following the news of Kirsty's passing, which included her collaborator Shane MacGowan, who himself died at 65 in November 2023. In remembrance of Kirsty's lasting impact, Shane expressed his gratitude and said: "I'm very grateful to Christ and his Holy Mother and Joseph and all the saints, including my family who have passed on, for the success of Fairytale. And I was very grateful to Kirsty MacColl – I don't think it would have been such a big hit without her contribution."
