Popular Irish singer Sinead O’Connor has passed away at the age of 56 after battling mental health issues, according to The Daily Mail. The cause of death of the Grammy winner is not yet known but comes a little over a year after her 17-year-old son took his life.
O’Connor, who changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat when she converted to Islam, was reportedly distraught over her son’s death. In her last tweet, she expressed how he was the “love of her life.” His death prompted her to share links to songs, with one that was for mothers whose children took their own lives.
The singer was not only vocal in her songs but about her mental health struggle over the years, oftentimes taking to social media to open up about them to her fans. Sometimes she also made jokes about it, but she had admitted to feeling suicidal and announced that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She also opened up about the trauma she experienced as a child, attributing her mental health issues to when her mother would physically abuse her.
The singer would go on to have a troubling childhood, eventually being put in corrective school, An Grianán Training Centre, at the age of 15 after she went on to steal several times.
Her trauma did not abate. She notably canceled a large event in 2012 after a mental breakdown. Three years later, she claims that she overdosed at a hotel. While she was undergoing treatment for addiction and trauma in 2021, she continued to cancel her performances.
Her fans have showered her and her family with support and are paying tribute to the star with kind words. Irish President Michael D. Higgins spoke of O’Connor’s voice and the way she immersed herself in her performances.
