Inside Van Morrison's ultra-private family life — meet his three children

"Van the Man" is one of Northern Ireland's greatest singer songwriters, with a career spanning seven decades. 

The "Brown Eyed Girl" singer is a notorious recluse, but he has also had a tumultuous private life. He's been married twice and had three children - as well as a paternity scandal in 2009. 

He has rarely spoken on fatherhood, and not much is known about his relationship with his children - but his music has sound-tracked a number of father-daughter dances around the world.

Here's all there is to know about Van Morrison's family.

Shana Morrison, 54

Van Morrison welcomed his daughter Shana on April 7, 1970 with then-wife Janet Rigsbee Minto in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When Janet and Van divorced in 1973, Shana grew up between their houses.

But she reportedly spent a huge amount of time with her grandparents George and Violet, who moved to California from Northern Ireland. It was her grandparents who inspired her love of music, as she learned her first songs from her grandmother who would often sing to her. Shana worked in their record shop on weekends too, further deepening her love of music.

It's this love of music that led to her following in her father's footsteps as a musician. After graduating from Pepperdine University she went on the road, touring with her father for a year. She even duetted with him on his 1994 album, A Night in San Francisco, and Days Like This in 1995.

She would go on to form her own band, Caledonia, and establish herself as a musician within her own right. She has released five albums between 1998 and 2010.

Aibhe Rocca Morrison, 18

In his second marriage to socialite Michelle Rocca, Van welcomed daughter Aibhe in February 2006. Little is known about his daughter from his marriage to Michelle, although she's far younger than her half-sister Shana.

Michelle and Van divorced quietly in 2018, of which he said on his website: "Last week, in Dublin, I was granted a divorce. At my age, I have found it to be a hugely wearying, protracted experience and I’m relieved that it has finally reached a conclusion."

He added: "I’d like to thank my family and close friends for providing respite from the storm over the past eight years. You know who you are and I’m eternally grateful."

Fionn Ivan Patrick Morrison, 16

Michelle and Van also had son Fionn in August 2007. Similarly, little is known about Van's only son.

Paternity scandal

A statement published on Van Morrison's website in 2009 announced the birth of George Ivan Morrison III, or 'Little Van' on December 28, 2009, who was reportedly "the spitting image of his daddy".

The statement was swiftly taken down, with Van stating: "Once these claims were brought to our attention, they were taken down from the site but not before news organisations repeated these falsehoods."

He added: "The comments which appeared on my website did not come from me. For the avoidance of all doubt and in the interests of clarity, I am very happily married to Michelle Morrison with whom I have two wonderful children."

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He denied having ever met the baby's mother, Gigi Lee, with publicist John Saunders stating: "He's never heard the name at any stage in the past. He doesn't know who this person is."

In 2011, the baby passed away after slipping into a diabetic coma, aged 13 months old. Months later, Gigi also passed away from throat cancer at the age of 44.

It later emerged that Gigi had worked as a manager on some of Van's tours. Upon this discovery, Saunders filed a court case against the singer in 2012 which he agreed to settle in 2014.