Sinéad O’Connor, the renowned Irish singer, passed away due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma, according to her death certificate. The confirmation comes a year after the iconic artist was found unresponsive at her London residence at the age of 56.
The Irish Independent broke the news on Sunday, highlighting the official cause of death for O’Connor, whose music and activism left an indelible mark on the world. Her first husband and close confidant, John Reynolds, registered the death certificate in London last Wednesday.
The certificate detailed that O’Connor succumbed to “exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma, together with low-grade lower respiratory tract infection.”
O’Connor was discovered unresponsive in her south London home on July 26 of the previous year. At the time, police stated there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. In January, a coroner concluded that she died of natural causes.
O’Connor’s career spanned over three decades, during which she achieved global fame with her 1990 cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” This track catapulted her into the international spotlight, a position she sometimes found challenging.
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Beyond her music, O’Connor was known for her bold activism. One of her most memorable acts was tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II during a 1992 performance on “Saturday Night Live,” a move that sparked widespread controversy.
Her passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from friends, peers, collaborators, and public figures. Ireland’s Taoiseach at the time, Leo Varadkar, remarked, “Her music was loved around the world, and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.”
O’Connor’s death came just 18 months after the tragic loss of her 17-year-old son, Shane, who went missing and was later found deceased. She is survived by her three living children, who continue to honor her legacy.