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ByWilliam Kennedy/Updated: Jan. 19, 2022 1:07 pm EDT
In early 2022, Shane O'Connor, the son of Irish musician Sinéad O'Connor, died, as CNN reports. Distraught, O'Connorwas then hospitalized after a series of distressing tweets that have since been deleted, expressing the singer's own suicidal intentions, also via CNN. These are just the latest examples, among many others, of the troubled singer's tragic real-life story, including public controversy and personal struggle beginning when she was only a child.
Born and raised in Ireland, O'Connor's music career began in the 1980s with her debut album, "The Lion and the Cobra," via Biography. Her most well-known work, however, came in the 1990s with "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," featuring the smash hit single, "Nothing Compares 2 U," penned by Prince. O'Connor stayed active as a recording artist up through 2014, but she never matched the critical or commercial acclaim she once enjoyed. Her work has been eclipsed by a tumultuous private life and a contentious public image.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
She was institutionalized as a teenager
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According to Biography, Sinéad O'Connor was born in 1966 in Dublin, Ireland. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she chose to live with her father. By the age of 15, she began shoplifting and was sent to one of Ireland's so-called "Magdalene Laundries," sometimes called "Magdalene Asylums." Most often, young women were sent to these institutions because they were pregnant, or engaged in what were perceived to be some other kind of anti-social behaviors, via The Washington Post.
In many respects, Sinéad O'Connor did well in the roughly year-and-a-half she spent in one of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries, run by the Roman Catholic Church. In this time, she received her first guitar from a nun, as O'Connor herself wrote in The Washington Post. But she also witnessed many instances of abuse at the hands of priests, although how much of this behavior was targeted at O'Connor remains unclear. Nevertheless, exposing abuse in the Roman Catholic Church became one of the singer's overwhelming missions in life, a theme recurring frequently after becoming an established musician.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
Her mother died when she was young
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Sinéad O'Connor may have only witnessed child abuse in her time spent at one of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries, which purportedly included barbaric corporal punishments, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse, as the singer wrote in The Washington Post. One instance in the singer-songwriter's life when it is known she experienced her own abuse was at the hands of her mother, who died in a car wreck when O'Connor was 19 years old, according to People Magazine.
As Sinéad O'Connor revealed to Dr. Phil in 2017, her mother, who experienced mental health and substance use disorder, abused her both physically and sexually, even forcing her to live outdoors in a shed for months at a time. O'Connor's mother, she said to Dr. Phil, "ran a torture chamber. She was a person who took delight and a smile in hurting you. ... We used to be terrified." Looking back, O'Connor somehow managed to forgive her mom. "I hate not being able to take care of her, maybe give her some love back. And help her, nobody helped her," she said (via People).
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
She has beef with Madonna
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Sinéad O'Connor was at the pinnacle of her professional career in 1992. As the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live," she set off a firestorm of controversy by tearing up a picture of Pope John Paul II as a means of protest against alleged abuses within the Catholic Church, via Salon. This act quickly divided her audience, putting O'Connor on trial in the court of public opinion. One of the harshest reactions to the "SNL" appearance came a number of weeks later, when O'Connor appeared at a Bob Dylan tribute concert, only to be roundly booed by the audience, as Rolling Stone reports.
One voice joining the chorus of criticism was none other than the widely popular singer Madonna, who came down on the side of the Catholic Church. "I think there is a better way to present her ideas, rather than ripping up an image that means a lot to other people," she said, via The New York Times. "If she is against the Roman Catholic Church, and she has a problem with them, I think she should talk about it."
She lives with fibromyalgia and possibly bipolar disorder
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On top of personal trauma and professional controversy, Sinéad O'Connor manages physical and mental challenges. She reportedly has bouts with fibromyalgia, causing widespread musculoskeletal pain that's sometimes is a result of stress, per Mayo Clinic, as well as bipolar disorder, characterized by dramatic peaks and valleys of hypomania and depression, also via Mayo Clinic. After briefly retiring from music, O'Connor opened up to HARP Magazine about her experience with fibromyalgia, what she called a "chronic fatigue illness that painfully affects your muscles."
"When you get something like that it's a gift, actually, because you have to reassess your life," she said(via HARP Magazine). "It's purely stress-related, so you have to get out of your life the things that are taking your energy." As far as bipolar disorder, she told Oprah Winfrey in 2007 that she was diagnosed around 2003 after a suicide attempt, according to The Toronto Star. She was later told that she may in fact not be bipolar after further mental health evaluation, as Musicoholics reports.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
She fell out with Prince
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Sinéad O'Connor also had a rocky relationship with Prince, who wrote the singer's biggest hit to date, "Nothing Compares 2 U." The two nearly came to blows early on in her career. "We didn't get on at all. In fact, we had a punch-up," she told the Irish Independent. She also called Prince "a devil worshiper" in her 2021 memoir "Rememberings," according to the Irish Post. "I believe he was involved in devil business because an old girlfriend of his told me he had the power to make s*** move around the room," she said (via Irish Post).
From a difficult childhood to professional troubles stemming from her outspoken beliefs, the road so far has not been easy for the Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor,who has changed her name twice since converting to Islam, but still performs as Sinéad O'Connor, via the Irish Post. Hopefully, she'll recover from her latest tragedy, and that we'll hear new music from Sinéad O'Connor soon, sharing her important perspective on the world for many years to come.
FAQs
What is Sinead O Connor's problem? ›
Having been raised in a strictly religious family with the Catholic church, O'Connor later detailed her own relationship with the religion and, subsequently, her own abuse as a child at the hands of those who were there to protect her. “Sexual and physical. Psychological. Spiritual.
What did Sinead O Connor say about the Pope? ›While singing the word “evil,” O'Connor held a picture of Pope John Paul II. After tearing the photo into pieces, she said “Fight the enemy,” and threw the pieces toward the camera. Someone who had worked with O'Connor at the time of the performance provided additional context in the trailer.
Where can I watch Sinead Oconnor documentary? ›The documentary “Nothing Compares,” about the career of Sinead O'Connor, premieres on Showtime on Oct. 2, 2022.
Why was Sinead O Connor cancelled? ›Sinead O'Connor Cancels Tour to Battle Bipolar Disorder – NBC4 Washington.
Does Sinéad O Connor have a partner? ›Sinéad O'Connor
What happened to Sinead O Connor's hair? ›SINEAD O'Connor says shaving her head was her way of giving two fingers to the patriarchy — and proving she was not like other pop stars. The Nothing Compares 2 U singer shot to fame in the late 1980s with a unique sound and image.
What did the Pope apologize? ›Francis on Monday apologized for the “evil” of church personnel who worked in the schools and the “catastrophic” effect of the school system on Indigenous families.
Why did Sinead rip? ›During an a cappella rendition of Bob Marley's “War,” Irish singer Sinead O'Connor tore a picture of Pope John Paul II in half. The act was a sign of protest against generations of abuse toward children within the Catholic church. In 1992, these terrible actions against children were far less known than they are today.
Does the Pope listen to music? ›The least surprising appearances on the saintly shuffle are Mozart and Bach. His holiness is a fan of all things classical, and he's called Bach's Mass in B Minor and Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor 'sublime' and 'unsurpassable'.
Where can I watch documentary for free? ›- Netflix.
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What happened between Sinead and Prince? ›
O'Connor and Prince didn't meet until after her “Nothing Compares 2 U” success and, according to her 2021 memoir, Rememberings, it did not go well when they did. In the book, O'Connor writes that Prince chastised her for swearing in interviews and then challenged her to a pillow fight.
What happened with Sinead O Connor on Saturday Night Live? ›Thirty years ago, a young Sinéad O'Connor shocked America with her political protest on 'Saturday Night Live'. She was promptly banned for life by broadcaster NBC, pelted with eggs in the street and booed during live shows.
Is Sinead O'Connor vegan? ›It is widely reported that Sinead is a vegan, although there doesn't seem to be any first-hand confirmation of this.
What does the name Sinead mean? ›Sinéad (/ʃɪˈneɪd/ shin-AYD, Irish: [ˈʃɪnʲeːd̪ˠ, ʃɪˈnʲeːd̪ˠ]) is an Irish feminine name. It is derived from the French Jeanette, which is cognate to the English Janet, itself a feminine form of the Hebrew Yohannan, "God forgave/God gratified".
What happened to Sinead O Connor's son Shane? ›Sinead O' Connor revealed Saturday morning that her 17-year-old son Shane has died by suicide days after he went missing from an Irish hospital's suicide watch ward.
Who is the father of Sinead O Connor's son Shane? ›Following the tragic passing of her 17-year-old son Shane, Sinead O'Connor has thanked his father Dónal Lunny. Taking to Twitter, the Irish singer-songwriter paid tribute to Lunny, for doing "his best" by their son. She said: "'I'd like to thank Shane's father, Dónal Lunny. You did your best too, Dónal.
Who was the father of Sinead's baby Katie? ›Katy O'Connor was the daughter of Sinead Shelby and the late Rhys Ashworth, and the half-sister of Hannah Hay-O'Connor. Sinead discovered that she was pregnant during a bus crash in November 2012, which killed Katy's father.
Is the Pope OK with condoms? ›The previous pope later admitted that using condoms was justified in some cases, but insisted they were not a "moral solution." The Church discourages Catholic believers from using artificial birth control methods. Instead, the Vatican recommends abstinence as a way to stop AIDS. Have something to say?
Does the Pope like condoms? ›Pope Benedict XVI has said the use of condoms is acceptable in exceptional circumstances, according to a new book. He said condoms could reduce the risk of HIV infection, such as for a male prostitute, in a series of interviews given to a German journalist.
Does the Pope approve of condoms? ›The pope's statement on condoms was extremely limited: he did not approve their use or suggest that the Roman Catholic Church was beginning to back away from its prohibition of birth control. In fact, the one example he cited as a possibly appropriate use was by male prostitutes.
What did Prince say about Sinead? ›
In an interview with the New York Times, the Irish singer said Prince “chastised her for swearing in interviews, harangued his butler to serve her soup though she repeatedly refused it, and sweetly suggested a pillow fight, only to thump her with something hard he'd slipped into his pillowcase.”
What time does the Pope go to bed? ›But he said that falling asleep during prayer actually pleased God and that Christians were called to "feel like children lying in their fathers' arms". Reports say that the pontiff usually goes to sleep at about 21:00 local time (20:00 GMT), but wakes up at around 04:00 (03:00 GMT) every morning.
What religion does not recognize the Pope? ›Eastern Orthodox understanding of Catholicity
It is the position of the Eastern Orthodox Church that it has never accepted the pope as de jure leader of the entire church.
While many of his advisors clamored for the Pope to ban the controversial drink, he refused to do so before trying it himself. The Pope was brought a steaming mug of java and he took a sip. He was immediately delighted, and according to legend, he declared, “This devil's drink is delicious.
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Did Prince and Michael like each other? ›Though the rivalry snowballed in the media, both artists challenged each other, and they both seriously disliked each other. In recordings for his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk, Jackson slammed Prince saying: "He was so rude, one of the rudest people I've ever met. He has been very mean and nasty to my family."
Did Prince sue his fans? ›Prince to Do a Guest Spot on 'New Girl'
To avoid Facebook reinstating the content, Prince filed his lawsuit. But efforts to serve Chodera in France and Jindrova in the Czech Republic have so far been unsuccessful, the lawsuit said. Reached by email for a comment, Chodera and Jindrova responded with "We love Prince!"
The Purple Rain singer dated a bevy of beautiful stars throughout his life, including Kim Basinger, Shelia E, and Carmen Electra.
Who is the most successful Saturday Night Live cast member? ›Today, Sandler is reportedly worth an incredible $420 million (£331.1m), making him the wealthiest SNL alum by far.
Why did the weekend have a bloody nose on Saturday Night Live? ›For everyone who's wondering, The Weeknd's face looks bloody & messed up on SNL because he's promoting his new short film “After Hours”, which precedes his new album of the same name. He wears the same bloody makeup & bandage in the After Hours clip.
Is Sinead Oconnor rich? ›According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sinead O'Connor is estimated to be worth around $1.5million. Sinead shot to fame in the 1990s, after record labels started to recognize her for the work she did with a band called Ton Ton Macoute.
What celebrities are no longer vegan? ›- Miley Cyrus's “brain wasn't functioning properly” due to a vegan diet: ...
- Ellen DeGeneres is a confused vegan, who eats fish once in a while: ...
- Liam Hemsworth and Chris Hemsworth had to quit due to health concerns:
Brad Pitt is said to have been a vegan for years, although his ex Angelina Jolie isn't.
Is Miley Cyrus still vegan? ›Miley and Others Quit Eating Vegan. Expert Advice On How to Keep Going. Whether motivated by health, environmental, or ethical reasons, more and more people are choosing to adopt a partly plant-based or fully vegan diet.
What happened between Sinead O Connor and Prince? ›
O'Connor and Prince didn't meet until after her “Nothing Compares 2 U” success and, according to her 2021 memoir, Rememberings, it did not go well when they did. In the book, O'Connor writes that Prince chastised her for swearing in interviews and then challenged her to a pillow fight.
What happened with Sinead O'Connor on Saturday Night Live? ›Thirty years ago, a young Sinéad O'Connor shocked America with her political protest on 'Saturday Night Live'. She was promptly banned for life by broadcaster NBC, pelted with eggs in the street and booed during live shows.
Why did Sinead Oconnor tear? ›During an a cappella rendition of Bob Marley's “War,” Irish singer Sinead O'Connor tore a picture of Pope John Paul II in half. The act was a sign of protest against generations of abuse toward children within the Catholic church. In 1992, these terrible actions against children were far less known than they are today.
Where was Shane Oconnor found? ›The body of Shane O'Connor was found by gardaí near Bray, Co Wicklow, before midnight on Friday, more than a day after gardaí issued a missing person's appeal for the 17-year-old.
Where was Sinead O Connor's son found? ›Sinead O'Connor's 17-year-old son, Shane, was found dead in Ireland on Friday after the Irish singer-songwriter notified authorities that he had gone missing. Police said the missing person case was closed after a body was found in the eastern coastal town of Bray, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Dublin.