Sinéad O’Connor Has Died At The Age Of 56

Legendary Irish musician Sinéad O’Connor died on Wednesday. She was 56 years old. The “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer left behind a legacy of advocacy, philanthropy, beautiful music, and a family who will miss her deeply.

The Irish Times first reported the singer’s death, sharing a statement from her family reading, “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 cause of death has not been released at this time.

The Dublin-born singer first garnered international attention in the early ‘90s, when she performed a stunning rendition of Prince’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U.” She went on to record 10 more albums over the span of the last three decades, and became somewhat notorious for ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II in 1992 over charges that the Catholic church covered up instances of sexual abuse of children at the time. A moment she never once regretted, as she explained in her 2021 memoir Rememberings: Scenes From My Complicated Life. “Far from the pope episode destroying my career, it set me on a path that fit me better,” she wrote at the time, per CBC News. “I’m not a pop star. I’m just a troubled soul who needs to scream into mikes now and then.”

She was more than a pop star. She was a passionate advocate for children’s rights, a staunch feminist, an outspoken supporter of refugees, and perhaps most of all, a mother of four. Here’s what you need to know about O’Connor’s children.

Jake Reynolds

O’Connor was just 22 years old when she became a first-time mom and gave birth to her son Jake Reynolds in 1987. She shared Jake with then-husband and record producer John Reynolds. Jake has since gone on to have his own child, making O’Connor a grandmother. Jake has kept out of the spotlight for most of his life, but brought his child and wife along with his mother to Las Vegas in 2015 to watch her perform, according to The Independent.

Roisin Waters

O’Connor went on to marry again after her 1991 divorce from Reynolds, this time to Irish journalist John Waters. The two welcomed their daughter Roisin in 1995, before sadly separating in 1999. Young Roisin was embroiled in a bitter custody battle that left O’Connor attempting suicide, according to Biography. While she, like her older brother Jake, tends to live a private life, she sang with her mother at a concert in Iceland in 2014.

Shane Lunny

In early 2022, O’Connor’s 17-year-old son Shane Lunny, who she shared with Irish folk singer Donal Lunny, went missing from an Irish hospital. The distraught mother shared a message at the time for her missing son on social media, telling him, “My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don’t stop it from beating. Please don’t harm yourself. Go to the Gardai and let’s get you to hospital.”

After police searched for the teenager for several days, he was sadly found dead, reportedly by suicide. Since then, O’Connor went on to cancel her summer 2022 tour dates. The last social media post she made before her death was a photo of her with Shane and the message, “Been living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him.”

Yeshua Bonadio

O’Connor’s youngest child, 15-year-old son Yeshua Bonadio, whom she shared with Frank Bonadio, was born in 2006. She has not shared much about her youngest child beyond a sweet photo of him winning a cake-decorating competition in 2019.

Yeshua is so young to lose a parent, as are his siblings. What a difficult time for the whole family.