Mark Sheehan, guitarist with Irish rock group The Script, has died. 

The musician passed away in hospital following a short illness, according to a statement from the band. He was 46. 

Describing the musician as a “much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend,” they asked fans to respect the privacy of his family and bandmates.

Following the sad news, an outpouring of tributes followed for the Breakeven singer, with Ireland’s president Michael D Higgins calling Sheehan an “outstanding” example of the country’s global success in music.

“It was a mark of the originality and excellence that Mark and his bandmates in The Script sought that they saw such success across the world, including six No. 1 albums in the UK and a No. 3 album in the United States – a truly remarkable achievement,” he said.

Born on October 29, 1976 in Dublin, Ireland, Sheehanwas a member of the band Mytown alongside The Script frontman Danny O’Donoghue from 1996-2001, before they teamed up with drummer Glen Power to form the new group. 

The band moved to London after signing a record contract with Sony Music Group and released their eponymous debut album in 2008, which reached No. 1 in both Ireland and the UK.

Their next record, ‘Science & Faith’ (2010), also topped the charts in both countries, and reached No. 3 in the United States and No. 2 in Australia.

Since then the band have continued to tour the world and have released a total of six albums, scoring hits such as The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, For The First Time, Hall of Fame and Superheroes.