SINEAD O'Connor will be laid to rest in a private funeral held in an Irish town close to the singer's heart, her family has confirmed.
Music superstar Sinead was found dead in her flat in south-east London last Wednesday aged just 56.
And this morning between 11.30 and 12pm local time, her funeral cortege will progress along the seafront in Bray, County Wicklow.
The route will begin at the Harbour Bar end of Strand Road and will move past the home that Sinead lived in for 15 years on Montobello.
Sinead and her family will then continue on to a private Muslim burial.
Read Our Sinead O Connor's funeral live blog below for the latest updates…
- By Louis Allwood
What does the Irish name Sinéad mean?
Sinéad is a name of Irish origin that means “God is gracious.”
Sinéad is the feminine counterpart to the Hebrew male name Yohannan.
Yohannan translates to “God forgave” or “God gratified” in English.
While Jeanette serves as the French counterpart to the name Sinéad, Janet is considered the English version.
- By Louis Allwood
Sinéad O’Connor converted to Islam
On October 25, 2018, Sinéad, who was ordained a priest by a Catholic sect during the 1990s, announced she had converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada’ Davitt.
The singer tweeted a picture of herself wearing a hijab and told fans: "This is to announce that I am proud to have become a Muslim."
"This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey.
"All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant.
"I will be given (another) new name. It will be Shuhada."
- By Ken Sweeney
Strand Road packed with well wishers
The Strand Road in Bray is now packed with well wishers lining the seaside route passing Sinead O'Connor's former Irish home, with many holding flowers before the funeral cortege for when the singer arrives.
A vehicle topped with speakers is playing music from her long career.
There was a murmur of appreciation as Nothing Compares 2 U was played, with many singing along.
- By Louis Allwood
Hundreds now gathered
Hundreds of Sinead's fans have now gathered outside of her former home.
Tributes have been placed on the side of the street as the icon's mourners share their memories of the singer.
Credit: PA - By Ken Sweeney
Neighbour recalls conversation with Sinead about Bob Marley
Ken Doyle, of the band Bagatelle, was a neighbour of Sinead O'Connor's when she lived on the Bray seafront.
He told RTE: "Sinead was a very private person and me being in the music business in Bagatelle as well, I know when people need their space.
"She had the quoin stones painted with the Rastafarian flag and I met her at the gate and I just said: 'Hi Sinead, you must be a big Bob Marley fan with the Rastafarian flag on the quoin stones.'
"And she said 'I am. I'm a huge fan. He's my hero really.'
"And I said, 'Well I had the honour of supporting him at Dalymount Park in 1980.'"And she looked at me and took a puff from her cigarette, and said: 'You lucky fecker.' And she walked away and that was our conversation."
- By Ken Sweeney
'She did feel some peace when she was here'
Local Green Party councillor and a former Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District Erika Doyle said locals are grateful they can pay their final respects.
She told RTE News: "I think, after the initial 'wow’ that we all did when she moved to Bray, we all left her alone and looked out for her.
"I like to think that she knew that, and I think that the family’s decision to have Sinead pass by the seafront on her way home is maybe testament to that. That she did feel some sort of peace when she was here."
- By Louis Allwood
Crowds cheer the arrival of a Volkswagen tribute
The camper van which was decorated with pride flags was welcomed by the crowds this morning.
Large speakers played some of the stars famous songs as it pulled up outside her former home.
Credit: PA - By Louis Allwood
'Amazing in every way'
Michelle Buckley and Geraldine Canning attended the memorial on Monday evening to lay flowers for Sinead.
Ms Buckley said O'Connor was an inspiration to Irish women.
"I think she's just amazing in every way. Her singing voice was amazing but her own voice was amazing too," she said.
"And she definitely was a woman for the people of Ireland, especially for the women of Ireland, without a doubt."
Ms Buckley said O'Connor's public protest on SNL in the 90s was "fearless".
She added: "That was a strong woman, a fearless woman that did that, ripping up the Pope's photograph. That wasn't an easy thing to decide to do.
"And she stood up for us. She stood up for Ireland. When everything that was happening, the abuse, all that, it didn't stop. But she stood up and people listened."
- By Louis Allwood
Roads will be closed
A statement from the Gardai said: “In keeping with her family’s wishes, following a private service, members of the public will be able to pay their respects and are asked to gather at the Strand Road/Promenade area between 11.30am and 12.30pm.
“It is expected the funeral procession will stop briefly in this area at some stage between these times… Gardai will be in attendance and, if needed, further rolling road closures may be put in place.”
- By Louis Allwood
Large crowds gather ahead of funeral
The Irish singer’s funeral procession will pass through the seafront in Bray, where O’Connor lived for 15 years.
Large crowds are currently gathered waiting to pay their respects.
Credit: PA Credit: Reuters - By Louis Allwood
Sinéad’s discography
The following list details Sinéad’s award-winning discography from the moment she began releasing music in the late 1980s:
- 1987: The Lion and the Cobra
- 1990: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
- 1992: Am I Not Your Girl?
- 1994: Universal Mother
- 1997: Gospel Oak (EP)
- 2000: Faith and Courage
- 2002: Sean-Nós Nua
- 2005: Throw Down Your Arms
- 2007: Theology
- 2012: How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?
- 2014: I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss
- Upcoming: No Veteran Dies Alone
'Absolutely fabulous'
A local musician has remembered singing with Sinead in her home town of Bray.
Tom Dalton, who ran acoustic singing sessions, told of his surprise when he discovered he was singing alongside O’Connor in 2019.
He told BBC Breakfast co-hosts Rachel Burden and Jon Kay: “We set it up there every Wednesday night, we had a poster up just down the road…I was there Wednesday evening in 2019.
“She (O’Connor) wasn’t performing at the time, she was in a quiet mode. But anyway, this lady wandered in with a big Quake guitar…and I didn’t recognise her at first. She walked in and she said ‘What are you doing?’
“I said we do the round-robin and we just sing, and she sang the most beautiful song and played the guitar. I’d never heard her play the guitar and many people probably haven’t.
“But anyway, we’re doing the round-robin, and it came around and she sang and it was gorgeous. We went back around again and one of the girls started singing Amazing Grace, she joined in and played and sang, I joined in with her, she sang the second verse, and I sang the last verse. It was absolutely fabulous.”
President Higgins – 'Outpouring of grief demonstrates the profound impact which she had'
The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, and his wife, Sabina, are this morning attending the private funeral service of Sinéad O’Connor in Bray, Co Wicklow.
In a statement, President Higgins said: “The outpouring of grief and appreciation of the life and work of Sinéad O'Connor demonstrates the profound impact which she had on the Irish people.
"The unique contribution of Sinéad involved the experience of a great vulnerability combined with a superb, exceptional level of creativity that she chose to deliver through her voice, her music and her songs.
"The expression of both, without making any attempt to reduce the one for the sake of the other, made her contribution unique – phenomenal in music terms, but of immense heroism.
"However, achieving this came from the one heart and the one body and the one life, which extracted an incredible pain, perhaps one too much to bear.
"That is why all those who are seeking to make a fist of their life, combining its different dimensions in their own way, can feel so free to express their grief at her loss.”
Mourners gather for Sinead
Mourners have started to gather outside Sinead's former home ahead of her funeral this morning.
Speaking to RTE News, the fan said: “It’s a moment in history and Sinead was such a powerful Irish woman. She stood for people who were minorities and were kind of the underdogs.”
Hand written notes left for Sinead
Handwritten notes left outside her former home in Bray, Co Wicklow, thanked her for sharing her voice and her music.
One note said: "You are forever in my heart."
A pink chair was placed outside the pink-framed conservatory of the house, located on the seafront, with pink flowers and a photo of the singer placed at the base of the chair.
One sign left at the wall of the property listed causes that the singer had expressed support for, including welcoming refugees: "Where words fail, music speaks."
- By Louis Allwood
Sinéad was working on a new album when she died
Sinéad had been “completing her new album” according to her management company, along with reviewing tour dates for next year and considering transforming her memoir into a movie, when she was found dead on Wednesday.
“Wonderful plans were afoot at this time,” representatives from 67 Management said after learning of her death.
The management company shared a message on their website sending “love, our thoughts, our prayers” to Sinead's family.
“As tribute to those who were part of Sinead’s team over our tenure it has to be mentioned that Sinead was completing her new album, reviewing new tour dates for 2024 and considering opportunities in relation to a movie of her book," they said.
"It has been an honour to have worked with Sinead professionally, as musicians, producers and her artist managers over the last nine years, but much, much more than that Sinead was family. May she rest in peace," they finished.
- By Louis Allwood
Lead singer of Hot House Flowers arrives ahead of funeral
Liam O Maonlai, the lead singer of the Hot House Flowers has arrived outside of Sinead's former home this morning.
Credit: PA - By Louis Allwood
Sinéad O’Connor was an ordained priest before converting to Islam
Sinéad O’Connor had a complicated relationship with religion throughout her life, often stirring up controversy – like the time she tore up an image of the pope on SNL in 1992.
But the icon said she was fiercely spiritual and worshipped God, albeit in her own way.
She was ordained in a niche sect of the Catholic Church – the Latin Tridentine sect, separate from the Roman Catholic Church – in 1999 and became Mother Bernadette Marie, RTÉ News reported.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
SINÉAD NO LONGER What to know about Sinéad O’Connor and the reason she changed her name
- By Louis Allwood
pals 'blindsided' by sudden death
Pals previously told how they were "blindsided" by her sudden passing at home.
Sinead had excitedly shown off her new flat in a video message to fans at the start of July, and had been planning the release of her new album and a tour in 2024.
Her family last week said they were "devastated" at the death of their "beloved Sinead".
Sinead is survived by three children – Jake, Roisin and Yeshua.
- By Louis Allwood
Fans pay tribute
Mourners have started to gather to pay their respects outside the former home of Sinead O’Connor in Bray.
Credit: PP. - By Louis Allwood
Fans grateful for chance to say goodbye
Councillor for Bray East Erika Doyle, who connected with Sinead when she first moved to Bray, told BBC Breakfast: “We are very grateful to Sinead’s family for allowing us the opportunity to say goodbye this morning.
“The seafront in Bray is over a kilometre long so there is plenty of opportunity for people to gather and already I can see a lot of activity here this morning.
“Last night we ended our summer festival, there was fireworks and a funfair and even as that was going on, there was a constant stream of people turning up with flowers, candles, laying tributes, so we are really happy to be a part of her final journey and say goodbye this morning.
“Sinead, although she was attached to Bray and she was very Irish and that was a huge part of her identity, she was a global superstar and that is easy for us to forget here in Bray where we saw her as a mum and as a neighbour, but she touched lives all across the world so we are expecting people here certainly from Bray, from Wicklow, from across Ireland but also from abroad and even the media interest this morning is global, it’s not Irish.”
- By Louis Allwood
Tributes have been left for Sinead
Tributes to Sinead O Connor have been left outside her former home in Bray this morning ahead of her funeral.
Heart shaped flower wreaths were left along with personal messages to the music icon.
Credit: PP. Credit: PP. - By Louis Allwood
In pictures: Floral tributes for Sinead
Tributes have been left outside late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor’s former home on the day of her funeral procession.
Credit: PA Credit: Reuters Credit: PA - By Louis Allwood
Documentary about Sinéad's life available for streaming now
The documentary, titled Nothing Compares after the icon's first hit cover, was released in cinemas last year and can currently be streamed on Paramount+, or Hulu and Amazon with a Showtime subscription.
The film chronicles Sinéad's life with rarely-seen footage as she rises to stardom in the 90s and faces controversy in both her career and relationships.
"In one way, I loved it. Obviously, I was very a young woman and you kind of fantasize about being famous. In another way, I was frightened by it," she told The Daily Mail about the biopic.
"What maybe was different for me was the timing of the success thing, it meant that I suddenly had this identity."
"I didn't feel like it was really me. To be honest, I also had very little self-esteem and I couldn't understand why anyone liked my records."
- By Louis Allwood
Sinead O Connor's autopsy has been completed
The London Inner South Coroners' Court has confirmed an autopsy has been completed on the singer's remains to secure a "medical cause of death".
But the results may not be available for "some weeks", a statement said.
Court chiefs said the results will be publicly disclosed if an inquest is opened into Nothing Compares 2 U star Sinead's death.
Met Police last week said the legendary singer's death, just weeks after she'd moved to the UK, was not being treated as suspicious.
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