Russell Crowe Recounts Enchanting Night Out With Sinéad O'Connor As Tributes Flood In

Jul 28, 2023 by apost team

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide that may be troubling for some readers.

At 56, Sinéad O'Connor passed away after a long struggle with her mental health condition. She will surely be remembered for her impact on the music industry, her activism, and especially as an Irish music icon. 

Born Marie Bernadette O'Connor on Dec. 8, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland, O'Connor gained international fame in the late 80s through the early 90s. Her music was known for its emotional intensity and powerful vocals, spanning various genres such as pop, rock, and even folk.

It wasn't until her 1990 record "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" that O'Connor's popularity skyrocketed. Her most popular song was "Nothing Compares 2 U," which was written by another late music icon Prince. It catapulted her to international stardom. 

However, O'Connor's career hit a down low when she notoriously tore a photo of then-Pope John Paul II in a "Saturday Night Live" skit, which shocked many of her fans worldwide. Since then, she suffered backlash and animosity from people inside and outside the music and entertainment industry. O'Connor's faith was also put under the microscope in 2018 when she converted to Islam. She called the conversion to be "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey." 

Besides the controversies she had faced when she was still alive, O'Connor also suffered from many mental health problems as early as 2007. Her family life was also riddled with difficulties and struggles as she faced many custody battles, divorces, and even the death of her son by suicide in 2022. 

Keep on reading to learn more about O'Connor, her mental health struggles, and her death. 

O'Connor suffered a tough childhood growing up. It was revealed that her mother physically and sexually abused her as a child. She then went with her father and stepmother. However, life with her father brought her more difficulty. She learned how to shoplift and became an absent student at a tender age. 

O'Connor then landed in a Magdalene asylum called the Grianán Training Centre run by the Order of Our Lady of Charity. In a stunning turn of events, the singer found peace and stability there. In fact, her talent in singing and songwriting was fostered in the Asylum. She was discovered by the sister of In Tua Nua's sister Paul Byrne who heard her singing "Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand. 

In 1990, she released "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," the sophomore album that launched her to mainstream popularity. She was known for her trademark shaved head, angry expressions, and shapeless clothing in her performances. 

O'Connor's impact on the music industry did not go unnoticed. Her album won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1991, making her one of the three elite solo female singers who have won in the said category, mostly dominated by males. But according to Entertainment Weekly, O'Connor denounced the nominations and her eventual win in protest to The Recording Academy. 

More so, O'Connor's marriage and family life were also plagued with controversy and battles. She married and divorced four times and had children with each one of her husbands. She also faced messy and bitter divorce proceedings and challenging custody battles for her children. The painful journey of keeping her family together drove O'Connor to attempt suicide multiple times.

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In 2007, she confessed to "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and even attempted to take her own life on December 1999. However, seven years later, she revealed to Winfrey again that she sought three "second opinions" from other doctors and admitted that she was not bipolar. In 2021, she also revealed that she was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. She also underwent a hysterectomy, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and considered herself agoraphobic.

Since then, she has spoken sternly against the Catholic Faith, emphasizing the sexual abuse and the Catholic church in Ireland. In an episode of "Saturday Night Live" in 1992, O'Connor tore a photo of Pope John Paul II while speaking in protest against the Catholic Faith. 

Many perceived that this sparked the eventual decline of her music career as she became a controversial icon in the music industry. In 2018, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada' Davitt. 

However, in 2022, her mental health worsened when her 17-year-old son Shane was found dead and was ruled out as suicide by hanging. O'Connor lost her son in 2013 in a bitter custody battle. A week after her son's suicide, O'Connor was hospitalized after a series of worrying tweets surfaced, all indicative of her taking her own life. 

The Irish Times confirmed her death on Jul. 26, 2023. 

"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," O'Connor's family said in a statement. As of the time of writing, her cause of death has not yet been specified.

Many have mourned the passing of O'Connor, including the Irish Government, her fans, and other personalities in the entertainment industry. 

Among those who paid tribute to the “Fire on Babylon” singer was Bryan Adams, who tweeted that he “loved working with you making photos, doing gigs in Ireland together and chats,” while “Jeopardy!” host Mayim Bialik remembered O’Connor for her “fierce fearlessness.”

“She was ahead of her time in so many ways and gone far too soon. Rest in power, Sinead O’Connor,” Bialik added.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis shared a moving story about meeting the singer and recalled she “once heard Sìnead sing acappella in an empty chapel in Ireland... It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard in my life.” 

One of the most poignant tributes came from Flavor Flav, an artist O’Connor supported during a boycott of the Grammys in the 90s for not recognizing rap music. He wrote:

“On behalf of my group Public Enemy and myself Flavor Flav,,, The passing of Sinead O’Conner (sic) breaks my heart. She was very supportive of Public Enemy,,, and she was a legend that’s gone too soon.”

Actor Russell Crowe shared an especially touching story about a chance meeting with O’Connor on a night out in Ireland. When his friend spotted her, they invited her to sit with them and proceeded to spend the night deep in meaningful conversation.  

“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,’” he wrote. 

He added: “I had the opportunity to tell her she was a hero of mine. When her second cup was taking on the night air, she rose, embraced us all and strode away into the fog-dimmed streetlights. We sat there the four of us and variously expressed the same thing. What an amazing woman.”

“Peace be with your courageous heart Sinéad.”

Rest In Peace, Sinéad O'Connor. Are you a fan of hers? What was your favorite song of hers? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Sinéad O'Connor fans out there!

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit Befrienders Worldwide - Global Suicide Prevention to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones and best practices for professionals.