The China Mail - Irish singer Sinead O'Connor dies aged 56

Her family said it was 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," Irish national broadcaster RTE reported.

Born in County Dublin, O'Connor made 10 albums in her career from "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" to 2014's "I'm not Bossy, I'm the Boss", and was best known for her cover of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U, released in 1990.

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar led tributes to the singer saying her "music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare".

"Condolences to her family, her friends and all who loved her music," he added.

Instantly recognisable with her trademark shaved head, O'Connor courted controversy throughout her career, speaking out frequently against the Catholic Church.

Musical icon

Beginning her career busking on the streets of the Irish capital and performing in pubs, she recorded her first album "The Lion and the Cobra" -- a punk cult classic released in 1987 -- in London.

The artist said she had been abused by her mother as a child and in 1992 protested the abuse of children by the Catholic Church tearing up a picture of Pope John Paul II performing on US television programme Saturday Night Live.

In recent years O'Connor had melded her outspoken political views with spiritualism and was ordained as a priest amid controversy in 1999.

She later converted to Islam, changing her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat in 2018.

Writing on Twitter, which is being rebranded as ‘X’, Irish comedian Dara O'Briain said O'Connor's death came as "just very sad news. Poor thing.

"I hope she realised how much love there was for her."

Ireland's deputy premier Micheal Martin called the singer "one of our greatest musical icons, and someone deeply loved by the people of Ireland, and beyond".

"Our hearts goes out to her children, her family, friends and all who knew and loved her."

Lead singer for 90s rock band The Charlatans Tim Burgess wrote: "Sinead was the true embodiment of a punk spirit.

"She did not compromise and that made her life more of a struggle. Hoping that she has found peace."

'Cultural impact'

"It is hard to think of an artist who has had the social and cultural impact of Sinead," Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland wrote in reaction to her death.

"What a loss. Heartfelt condolences to her children, her family and all who loved her," he added.

O'Connor had also spoken publicly about her mental health struggles, telling Oprah Winfrey in 2007 that she struggled with thoughts of suicide and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

She had shunned the limelight in recent years in particular following the death of her son Shane from suicide last year at the age of 17.

In a July 17 post on social media, O'Connor published a photo of Shane and said she had been "living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul".

O'Connor is survived by three children and had reportedly been dividing her time between Ireland and Britain prior to her death.

P.Deng--ThChM