Skip to content

Sinéad O'Connor's life in pictures

On Wednesday, Sinéad O'Connor's family announced her death "with great sadness".

Getty Images Sinead O'Connor at a press conference in downtown Minneapolis, US, in April 1988Getty Images
Minneapolis, US, 1988

The Irish singer-songwriter died at the age of 56.

Here, a selection of images pay tribute to her unforgettable talent and unique style.

Getty Images Sinead O'Connor performs onstage at the Metro in Chicago, Illinois, US, in April 1988Getty Images
Performing at the Metro in Chicago, 1988

Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor was born on 8 December 1966 in the affluent Glenageary suburb of Dublin.

Her debut album in 1987, The Lion and the Cobra, was a storming success, earning O'Connor a Grammy nomination for best female rock vocal performance.

Getty Images Sinead O'Connor on stage at the Olympic Ballroom in Dublin, Ireland, 1988Getty Images
At Dublin's Olympic Ballroom, 1988

Her follow-up album, the Grammy-winning I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, featured her most successful single, a cover of the Prince song Nothing Compares 2 U.

It was propelled to the top of the charts in the UK, Ireland and the US by a haunting video which chiefly featured a close-up of the singer's face as she sang, and - memorably - cried.

Alamy Sinead O'Connor in the iconic video for her song 'Nothing Compares To You'Alamy
O'Connor in the iconic video for Nothing Compares To You
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor at Glastonbury Festival on 27 June 1992Getty Images
Glastonbury Festival, 1992
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Kurt Cobain of Nirvana with wife Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean Cobain, and Sinead O'Connor at the Universal Ampitheater in Universal City, California, US, at the Annual MTV Video Music Awards on 2 September 1993Getty Images
Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, their daughter Frances Bean Cobain and Sinead O'Connor at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1993
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor in concert in 1997Getty Images
In concert in 1997

In 1999, O'Connor was ordained a priest in the Latin Tridentine Church, an independent Catholic church, not in communion with Rome.

Despite her disdain for the Church hierarchy, O'Connor always maintained she was a practising Christian and a devout Catholic.

BBC line

Sinéad O'Connor's death

BBC line
Alamy Sinead O'Connor at Lourdes in France being ordained as a Priest in the Latin Tridentine Church by the Reverend Dr Michael Cox on 21 April 1999Alamy
O'Connor in Lourdes, France, being ordained as a Priest by the Reverend Dr Michael Cox in 1999

O'Connor was outspoken on subjects ranging from religion to women's rights and racism, once tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV.

Reuters Sinead O'Connor hugs her daughter Roisin during an Anti-Racism demonstration in Dublin city centre, Ireland, on 13 May 2000Reuters
O'Connor, with her daughter Roisin, during an Anti-Racism demonstration in Dublin city centre, in 2000
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Singer Sinead O'Connor makes an appearance at Borders to promote her new 2-CD release Theology on 26 June 2007 in New York City, USGetty Images
Promoting her album Theology in New York, in 2007
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor performs on stage during day two of the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival on 21 March 2008 in Byron Bay, AustraliaGetty Images
On stage at the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Byron Bay, Australia, 2008
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor in West Hollywood, California, US, on 6 January 2012Getty Images
West Hollywood, California, 2012
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor posed at her home in County Wicklow, Republic Of Ireland, on 3 February 2012Getty Images
O'Connor at home in County Wicklow, Ireland, 2012
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor performs on stage at Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 28 September 2014Getty Images
Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2014

O'Connor converted to Islam in 2018, and changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat, but continued to perform under her birth name.

Getty Images Sinead O'Connor, aka Shuhada' Sadaqat, performs live on stage during a concert at the Admiralspalast on 8 December 2019 in Berlin, GermanyGetty Images
The Admiralspalast in Berlin, Germany, 2019
BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images The El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, US, in February 2020Getty Images
The El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, US, 2020

In January 2022, O'Connor's 17-year-old son Shane took his own life.

A year later, she received the Classic Irish Album award for I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize in March 2023.

BBC 1px transparent line
Getty Images Sinead O'Connor receives the Classic Irish Album award for I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize at Vicar Street on 9 March 2023 in Dublin, IrelandGetty Images
O'Connor receives her award at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize in Dublin, Ireland

Tributes have poured in for the award-winning artist, with singer Annie Lennox describing O'Connor as "fierce and fragile" with an "incredible voice".

"May the angels hold you in their tender arms and give you rest," she added.

Getty Images Sinead O'Connor performs at Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands on 16th March 1988Getty Images
Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands, 1988

All photos subject to copyright