Sinead O’Connor Biography

In 1984, while Sinead  O’Connor was a student at the Newtown School, she was recruited as a member of a band, ‘Ton Ton Macoute’. While singing there, she caught the attention of Ensign Records, a successful music company of the time. She also hired Fachtna O’ Ceallaigh, an experienced manager who had previously worked with the famous band, U2.

With the help of O’ Caellaigh, who persuaded the music company to produce her first album, ‘The Lion and the Cobra’, which came into being in 1987. The album was an instant success and won a Grammy nomination.

In 1990, she came out with her second album, ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’. This album gave her global recognition as well as many awards and nominations, including four Grammy nominations.

In the time that followed, Sinéad was involved in many projects. She was a part of Roger Water’s ‘The Wall’ performance in Berlin and Red Hot Organization’s ‘Red Hot+Blue’ album in 1990. The following year, she sang Elton John’s ‘Sacrifice’ in the tribute album ‘Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.’

In 1990, she also flared up a major controversy when she refused to perform if the US national anthem was played before her concerts. Her statement drew some serious flak from around the world, including the legendary American singer Frank Sinatra who was quite vocal against her statement.

Sinead O’Connor’s next major work was her 1992 album ‘Am I Not Your Girl?’, which was neither a commercial nor a critical success. She also collaborated with other artists for singles and film soundtracks, such as ‘Blood of Eden’, ‘You Made Me Thief of Your Heart’, during this period.

Her 1994 album, ‘Universal Mother’, while securing two Grammy nominations, wasn’t a hit either. It marked a low in her career and she faltered professionally for the better part of the decade. The problem was compounded by her personal issues and the many controversies that arose surrounding her. Apart from her single ‘Gospel Oak’ and a small part in Neil Jordan’s ‘The Butcher Boy’ in 1997, she did not have much else during that time.

O’Connor came out with a new album, ‘Faith and Courage’, in the wake of the new century. In 2002, she released an unconventional version of traditional Irish folk songs in an album named ‘Sean-Nós Nua’.

In 2003, after releasing her double album, ‘She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty’, she announced her retirement. The retirement did not last long and her next album ‘Throw Down Your Arms’ was released in 2005, followed by ‘Theology’ in 2007.

In the next few years, O’Connor came up with a number of well-performed songs despite her disturbed personal life. Her ‘Lay Your Head Down’ won the nomination for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe. Her other albums of the period, such as ‘How About I Be Me’, I’m Not Bossy. I’m the Boss’ and ‘The Vishnu Room’ were quite well-received.

Sinead O’Connor won a number of awards in her career spanning over two decades. She won the Grammy for her ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’ in 1990. She was also nominated for seven other Grammys and one Golden Globe awards.

Sinead O’Connor’s personal life was always eventful and controversial. She married four times and had as many children. Her first husband was John Reynolds, with whom she had her first son, Jake. In 1995, she gave birth to her first daughter, Roisin, with an Irish journalist John Waters.

She married for the second time in 2001 with Nick Sommerlad. In 2004, soon after her marriage ended with Nick she had her third child, Shane Lunny, with Donal Lunny. She had her fourth child with Frank Bonadio in 2006. They named him Yeshua Francis Neil Bonadio.

Her next marriage was in 2010 with Steve Cooney and it ended in 2011. Later the same year, she married Barry Herridge, an Irish therapist but the marriage lasted a mere 18 days.

She became a grandmother in 2015 when her son, Jake and his girlfriend, Lia, gave birth to her first grandson.

In January 2022, her 17-year-old son Shane was found dead by suicide.

On 26 July 2023, Sinead O'Connor was found dead at her flat in Herne Hill, South London. She was 56 years old at the time of her death. 

Sinead O'Connor was ordained as a priest in the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in the late 1990s.

She once famously tore up a photo of the Pope on live television in protest of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

Sinead O'Connor changed her legal name to Shuhada' Davitt after converting to Islam in 2018.

She collaborated with artists across various genres, including Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack, and The Chieftains.

In addition to her music career, O'Connor has also published a memoir titled "Rememberings" in 2021.