Thousands of mourners say goodbye at Sinéad O’Connor’s funeral in Ireland
Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor was laid to rest Tuesday, Aug. 8, just days after she died in her London home at the age of 56.
Thousands of fans and mourners roped around the streets of her hometown of Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland.
Following a private memorial service, her cortege strolled down the roads in a vintage VW van by her former home and had Bob Marley’s song “Natural Mystic” blaring from the hearse.
As her hearse was driven down the avenues, sobs could be heard throughout the large crowds as some clapped, cheered and placed flowers onto the vehicle.
O’Connor’s casket was also shrouded in blue, white and pink florals.
The mourning fans also included children who held onto teddy bears and some people donned Irish hats, scarves and flags, banners, dogs and musical instruments as they watched the procession pass by.
The funeral service was reportedly led by the chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, according to Ireland’s news channel RTE.
The country’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar as well as the Irish President Michael D. Higgins were in attendance at the burial service. Musicians Bob Geldof and U2’s Bono and the Edge also made appearances.
Al-Qadri had presented O’Connor’s eulogy at the memorial and noted that she “suffered more than her share of hardship and adversity, especially in her formative years, much of it from adults and institutions she revered, and yet she displayed an unflinching and resolute faith in the Divine.”
“The more she sang and spoke about her own pain, as well as about the pervasive sins in society that she witnessed, the more her voice and her words resonated with listeners and touched their hearts,” he said.
The “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer was pronounced dead at the scene on July 26 after being found unresponsive, according to authorities.
“Police were called at 11:18 a.m. on Wednesday, July 26, to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address in the SE24 area,” a London Metropolitan Police spokesman said in a statement.
Her death was not being treated as suspicious. A cause of death has not been announced.
O’Connor’s family confirmed the news of her passing in a July 26 statement.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” the family said at the time.
The Post reached out to O’Connor’s rep for comment.
Weeks before her death, the Grammy winner moved into her new London home and shared aspirations to release new music and tour in 2024.
However, she still struggled over the loss of her 17-year-old son, Shane, who took his own life in January 2022.
When he passed, she tweeted, “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God.”
Her final tweet, on July 17, was a tribute to her late son: “Been living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul.”
Born in Dublin on Dec. 8, 1966, O’Connor endured a troubled childhood under the care of her abusive mother, causing her to suffer mental health issues into adulthood.
She revealed in 2007 that she was battling bipolar disorder. She also confessed she had attempted suicide several times.
Aside from her successful career as an international music sensation, releasing 10 studio albums and receiving a Grammy Award for best alternative music performance, for her album “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” O’Connor also became known for her controversial political actions.
During her October 1992 “Saturday Night Live” guest appearance, she turned her musical performance into a protest against Pope John Paul II and sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.
Though the stunt negatively affected her career, she was still admired by fellow musicians and fans alike.
Many remembered her on social media following her death.
REM frontman Michael Stipe captioned a photo of himself with O’Connor on Instagram “there are no words.”
“What a loss. She was haunted all her life. What a talent,” singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge tweeted. “I remember my first Grammy show meeting this small shy Irish girl.”
The Irish rock band the Cranberries said they “are shocked and saddened to hear of Sinead’s sudden passing. We have all been big fans for many years. Our thoughts are with her family.”
O’Connor is survived by her three children: sons Jake Reynolds, 36, and Yeshua Bonadio, 16; and daughter Roisin Waters, 27.
