Nothing compared to her: Sinead O’Connor’s tearful fans gather outside the Wall of Fame in Dublin’s Temple Bar where Irish singer used to record
- The crowd sang her hits Black Boys On Mopeds and Nothing Compares 2 U
- Mourners also created a small memorial using newspapers, flowers and photos
- Ms O’Connor death: Follow the developments on MailOnline’s live blog HERE
Tearful fans have gathered outside the Wall of Fame in Dublin’s Temple Bar neighbourhood today to pay tribute to the late Sinead O’Connor.
Mourners spoke of the influence her music had on their lives, and called for her death to ‘light an absolute fire under all of us’ to tackle how mental health and children are treated in Ireland.
The crowd sang two of her hits – Black Boys On Mopeds and Nothing Compares 2 U – and created a small memorial at the foot of the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum building using today’s newspapers, flowers and photos of the singer.
The Grammy-winning Irish singer, 56, was found ‘unresponsive’ at a flat in south-east London after police were called but detectives are not treating the star’s sudden death as suspicious.
The coroner was notified of her death yesterday, after police found the her unresponsive at a home in Herne Hill.
Gathering outside the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, where Ms O’Connor used to record, today fans paid tribute to the musician who they say will be ‘deeply missed by all’
A teary-eyed fan is pictured outside the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum today as fans pay tribute to Sinead O’Connor
Dozens of tearful fans have gathered outside the Wall of Fame in Dublin’s Temple Bar neighbourhood today to pay tribute to the late Sinead O’Connor (pictured in 2005)
Mourners spoke of the influence her music had on their lives, and called for her death to ‘light an absolute fire under all of us’ to tackle how mental health and children are treated in Ireland
The world is mourning the death of Ms O’Connor, who was propelled to international stardom in 1990 with her version of Prince’s hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U – which topped charts around the world.
Gathering outside the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, where Ms O’Connor used to record, today fans paid tribute to the musician who they say will be ‘deeply missed by all’.
Neighbours reveal Sinead O’Connor was ‘smiling and happy’ and chatting to them days before she was found dead: READ MORE
An eyewitness who lives close to the flat where Sinead O’Connor was found dead has told of his shock after seeing the response to the shock discovery
One mourner hailed her as ‘an incredible artist, an incredible lyricist’, adding that she was ‘gone too soon’.
The fan said: ‘She stood up for people, she stood up for what was right. She always did what she thought was the right thing, she acted without consequence or without thought of what might happen to her.’
Another claimed that Ms O’Connor was a ‘model and activist that I always look up to. I never got the opportunity to meet her in person but I would like to honour her beautiful soul today and hopefully she is in a better place and God bless her’.
Speaking of the singer’s social impact, another said: ‘Those conversations I don’t have, but Sinead the celebrity did, the A-list celebrity. Let’s have those conversations every day, let’s keep that up, let’s not stop it.
‘Let’s listen to her music, it’s a banger, it’s so good.’
The portrait of Ms O’Connor in the area was lit up, with flowers and photographs left at the foot of the wall which features other stars of the Irish music industry such as U2, Bob Geldof and Luke Kelly.
Text on a mural of Ms O’Connor reads: ‘Sinead you were right all along. We were wrong. So sorry.’
A woman at the vigil spoke of the impact of O’Connor speaking out about institutional abuse, saying: ‘I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much for a stranger but I think she held bits of generations of this nation in her heart.
‘She was saying things before we could say them. She held our pain about the institutionalised sexual abuse, the threat of being sent… to a Magdalene laundry if you misbehaved, and she held that along with the courage that we weren’t able to fully live, and so when she died yesterday it felt like that part of us went with her.’
The vigil heard a poem written in memory of Ms O’Connor.
‘She kicked down the barriers in her Doc Marten boots, bald-headed deliverer of unwanted truths,’ the speaker read. ‘The industry wanted her to change who she was, so she shaved off her hair and broke unwritten laws.
‘Truthful witness, fiery, fierce and bold to the core, goddess of 90s she bellowed her roar. The world wasn’t ready for what she had to say, stifled by a church that hurts us to this day.
‘Nothing compared to her and no-one came near, her voice was her weapon and her words are her spear.
‘For Sinead, our sister, was always ahead of her time, love and human compassion perhaps her only crime. She used her music to protest, to open our eyes, I hope the next generation will learn from her cries.
Mourners created a small memorial at the foot of the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum building using today’s newspapers, flowers and photos of the singer
People gather to pay tribute to Sinead O’Connor at the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum in the Temple Bar area of Dublin
Mourners place flowers, newspapers and cards outside the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum in the Temple Bar area of Dublin in remembrance of Sinead O’Connor
Tributes to Sinead O’Connor were left outside the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum today
Tearful fans embrace each other as they pay tribute to Sinead O’Connor today
Anna McCarthy, from Drimnagh, Dublin, pays tribute to Sinead O’Connor at the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum with a sign that read: ‘Thank you, Sinead. We heard you’
‘She, a young woman, was what was needed back then, so let’s rip up more pictures, expose the corruption of men and women who have lost their souls to greed. For they tried to bury Sinead, and forgot she is a seed.’
The museum, which is located in the Temple Bar neighbourhood, praised the singer for ‘contributing greatly with her talent to the Irish music industry’ and applauded her ‘strong connection’ to its studio.
In a statement issued to Dublin Live, the museum shared how Ms O’Connor shared a ‘friendship’ with Temple Lane Studios and Grouse Lodge that ‘spanned many decades’.
‘Throughout the 80s and 90s Sinead could be considered a resident artist at Temple Lane studios both rehearsing and recording with us,’ the museum said.
‘At Grouse Lodge she was part of the family, having spent many years recording at the studios as well as making videos in the grounds of the studio. She will be deeply missed by all.’
The firm issued its ‘heartfelt condolences’ to her loved ones and added: ‘Her music and accomplishments will continue to be shared by us to visitors from all around the world.’
The museum has opened a book of condolences where fans can share their memories of the singer. It will remain at the front desk over the coming weeks.
Fans gather at the London Irish Centre in Camden, north London today to pay tribute to award winning singer Sinead O’Connor
Tributes to Sinead O’Connor were placed at the London Irish Centre in Camden, north London today, including a card that hailed her as a ‘warrior princess’
People arrive to attend a vigil for Irish singer-songwriter and activist Sinead O’Connor at the London Irish Centre today
Floral tributes in memorial of Sinead O’Connor were placed at the London Irish Centre today
Members of the Irish community gathered together to mourn singer Sinead O’Connor in London today
Ms O’Connor died yesterday morning. Police were called to her home in the SE24 area of London, which sits between Brixton and Dulwich. Notable SE24 residents include actors Mark Rylance, Olivia Colman and James Nesbitt.
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘Police were called at 11.18am on Wednesday, July 26 to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address in the SE24 area. Officers attended. A 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘Next of kin have been notified. The death is not being treated as suspicious. A file will be prepared for the Coroner.’
A post-mortem examination to confirm the cause of Ms O’Connor’s death appears likely. It is not yet confirmed that she died in her own home.
It came as MailOnline revealed that Ms O’Connor said she wanted to go on tour next year in a buoyant post a fortnight ago, writing: ‘The b*tch is back’.
The star had struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, especially after the death of her son Shane last year at the age of 17.
Family, friends and fans have been left heartbroken by her death yesterday. REM frontman Michael Stipe, US singer Tori Amos and Irish musician Shane MacGowan are among those who paid tribute to O’Connor’s talent and legacy.
Sinead O’Connor, pictured at MTV Video Music Awards in 1990, has died aged 56
At the time of her death O’Connor, pictured in 2020, had homes in Co Roscommon, Ireland, and London
Politicians, musicians, actors and charities from across the world have paid tribute to Ms O’Connor for her contributions to the music industry and raising awareness of social issues.
She made headlines in 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live, sparking a ferocious backlash.
The musician, who spent time in a notorious Magdalene laundry, set up to house ‘fallen women’, frequently spoke out about the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
There is also the question of her fortune, which some say could be £4million but others estimate may have dwindled to nothing despite royalties from her biggest hit Nothing Compares 2 U, originally written by Prince.
Nothing Compares will be available from Saturday on Sky Documentaries and Now and will also be shown on Sky Showcase and Sky Arts.
In a statement yesterday evening, her family said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.’
At the time of her death, the musician, who changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat in 2018 when she converted to Islam, was spending her time between Roscommon and London.
Mother-of-four Ms O’Connor is survived by her three remaining children.
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