Sinéad O’Connor: exact cause of Irish star’s death revealed
The cause of death of the late Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor has been revealed just over a year after her tragic passing at the age of 56.
The ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ singer’s death was confirmed by the Metropolitan Police on July 26th, 2023, after she was discovered unresponsive at her residence in Herne Hill, south London. At the time, her passing wasn’t treated as suspicious, but an autopsy was still conducted.
It was later reported in January this year that O’Connor’s death was ruled to have been from natural causes. In a statement, a spokesperson for Southwark Coroners Court explained: “This is to confirm that Ms O’Connor died of natural causes. The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death.”
Following the coroner’s ruling on natural causes earlier this year, the exact cause of O’Connor’s death has now been revealed. As reported by The Irish Independent, the musician’s death certificate, which was registered by her ex-husband, the producer John Reynolds, in Lambeth on July 24th, states that the precise cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
According to the NHS: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties”. This group includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is common among middle-aged or older adults who smoke; many who have it do not realise they do.
The death certificate confirms that the musician had also been suffering from “a lower-grade respiratory tract infection”. Her death was certified by the senior coroner, Julian Morris, following a post-mortem examination without an inquest.
O’Connor, whose best-known tracks outside of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ include ‘Thank You for Hearing Me’ and ‘Fire on Babylon’, was buried in Bray, County Wicklow, in August last year. The burial, attended by her family, fellow Irish stars and friends Bono and Bob Geldof, and politicians, demonstrated her widespread cultural significance outside of music.
Following the musician’s death, her family released a statement thanking fans for the “outpouring of love” they’d sent in tribute to the late musician and activist, celebrated for tearing up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992 in protest at the ongoing abuse scandal.
Earlier this year, details of a New York tribute concert for O’Connor and the late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan was announced. It took place at the historic Carnegie Hall on March 20th and featured performances from Billy Bragg, David Gray, The Dropkick Murphys and more. The night’s most emotional moment was when O’Connor’s daughter, Roision Waters, stepped onstage to perform ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, the Prince cover her mother made her own in 1990.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.