Sinead O’Connor’s Cause of Death Revealed

WARNING: This article discusses suicide and suicide ideation. 

The official cause of death for Sinéad O’Connor has been revealed, and it was reported that she died of natural causes. “The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death.”

It was confirmed on July 26th, 2023 that the singer had passed away at the 56. 

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."

Best known for her rendition of Prince's song 'Nothing Compares 2 U,' which earned her nominations for Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Grammy Award Best Music Video, Short Form in 1990. 

She also saw her fair share of ups and downs throughout her career. 

When she performed her rendition of Bob Marley's 'War' on SNL in 1992 as an act against the Catholic Church, she held up a photo of Pope John Paul II, and tore it to pieces. 

This led to a permanent ban from the show, and despite public criticism, she has since been praised by many for speaking out about important issues. 

Shortly before her death, she revealed she had moved back to London, and was working on a new album, set for release in 2024. 

After her death, many have paid tribute to her in various different ways.

P!nk and Brandi Carlile honoured her by performing 'Nothing Compares 2 U' together during P!nk’s concert in July. 

“When I was a little girl … I used to go down to the Ocean City boardwalk with my 10 dollars and I would make a demo tape. And it would always be either ‘Greatest Love of All’ by Whitney Houston or ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ by Sinéad O’Connor.”

Russell Crowe recalled running into her in a pub in Ireland.

“There under streetlights with mist on my breath, I met Sinéad. She looked in my eyes, and uttered with disarming softness,‘Oh, it’s you Russell.’ She came with us back to the table and sat in the cold and ordered a hot tea,. In a conversation without fences we roamed through the recent Dublin heatwave, local politics, American politics, the ongoing fight for indigenous recognition in many places, but particularly in Australia, her warm memory of New Zealand, faith, music, movies and her brother the writer. I had the opportunity to tell her she was a hero of mine.”

Bob Geldof told fans he had been in touch with her shortly before her death, sharing she was experiencing a wide range of emotions in her final days.

“She was a very good friend of mine. Some of the texts [she sent] were laden with desperation and despair and sorrow and some were ecstatically happy. She was like that.”

\

Almost a year before her passing, she lost her son Shane to suicide. He was 17 years old. 

“My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God. May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.”

Later, she was briefly hospitalised after sharing a series of since-deleted tweets about taking her own life.

She is survived by her three children, Jake, Roisin and Yeshua.