LONDON (AP) 鈥 Ireland鈥檚 president has led tributes to Mark Sheehan, guitarist with Irish rock band The Script, after his death at the age of 46.
The band said Sheehan died in a hospital on Friday after a brief illness. In a statement, The Script called him a 鈥渕uch loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend.鈥
Formed in Dublin in 2001 by Sheehan, singer Danny O鈥橠onoghue and drummer Glen Power, The Script topped U.K. and Irish charts with its self-titled debut album in 2008. It included the hits 鈥淲e Cry,鈥 鈥淏reakeven鈥 and 鈥淭he Man Who Can鈥檛 Be Moved,鈥 which reached No. 1 in five countries.
The band鈥檚 pop-inflected rock sound made it one of Ireland鈥檚 biggest bands in the 2010s. The Script went on to have six Top 10 albums in the U.K. and one top three album in the U.S.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins praised the band鈥檚 鈥渙riginality and excellence鈥 and sent condolences to Sheehan鈥檚 family.
鈥淭hrough their music, Mark and The Script have played an outstanding part in continuing and promoting this proud tradition of Irish musical success across the world,鈥 Higgins said.
Sheehan is survived by his wife, Rina Sheehan, and their three children.
