'Completely her own woman': Sinéad O'Connor dies age 56
Singer Sinéad O'Connor has died at the age of 56.
Her family issued a statement saying: '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 acclaimed singer is best known for songs such as Nothing Compares 2 U, Mandinka and No Man's Woman.
The cause of the singer-songwriter's death is not yet known.
Her career spanned five decades during which she released 10 studio albums, the most recent of which was I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss which was released in 2014.
Last year saw the release of a film about the singer's life and career.
O'Connor had been touring regularly before the covid-19 pandemic.
She suffered the heartbreaking loss of her son Shane in 2022 and cancelled her live shows for the year.
Sinead O'Connor pictured receiving the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Live Event in Vicar Street. Picture: Andres PovedaIn March this year, O'Connor made an appearance at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize to accept her award for Best Irish Classic Album for her 1990 release I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.
She took the opportunity to put the spotlight on others saying: "I want to dedicate it to each and every member of Ireland's refugee community, not just the Ukrainian ones, and you're very welcome in Ireland."
The award was presented by broadcaster, Dave Fanning.
Paying tribute to her on Wednesday evening, Fanning said that O'Connor was "completely her own woman".
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Arena, Fanning said that O'Connor has a new album that is ready to be released.
Looking back to the beginning of her career, Fanning said that her first interview was with him.
He said that you could tell from that day that she was capable of so much.
Distinctive, fiery, fantastic and brilliant, an emotional Fanning simply could not sing her praises more.
"As a person, I mean my god, everything she did. She was just so her own person," he said.
"Sure, the fiery temperament. But the heartache of growing up and the family falling apart etc."
Born in Dublin in December 1966, O'Connor became one of the country's most famous daughters.
Her musical career began at the age of 15, and after a brief spell with a band in the 1980s, she was signed by Ensign Records.
Her first album The Lion and the Cobra was "a sensation" when it was released in 1987.
Sinead O’Connor and BP Fallon pictured at Pinkpop 1988Her breakthrough on the international stage came with a recording of the Prince song, Nothing Compares 2 U.
In 1992, Ms O’Connor made headlines around the world when she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live.
Throughout her career, O'Connor was open about her spiritual journey, activism, political views, as well as her mental health struggles.
Just before the turn of the century, she was ordained as a priest by the Latin Tridentine Church, and in 2018 she converted to Islam.
She always performed and recorded under her birth name, but also went by the names Magda Davitt and Shuhada' Sadaqat.
O'Connor has had four children and leaves a legacy of some of the most distinguishable songs of all time.
