Thousands of mourners lined the streets of the Irish coastal town of Bray on Tuesday to pay their final respects to Sinéad O'Connor as her funeral cortege passed through. The procession paused outside the singer's former home in County Wicklow, where a rapturous round of applause broke out, and fans spontaneously sang her 1990 hit 'Nothing Compares 2 U'.
O'Connor died aged 56 a fortnight ago after being found unresponsive at her London home. Her death prompted an outpouring of tributes from Ireland and around the world. The funeral service and burial were private, but the cortege made its way along the seafront, allowing the public to say goodbye.
Among those in the procession was fellow Irish rock singer Sir Bob Geldof. Mourners described O'Connor as a trailblazer for women and a powerful voice for social justice. One woman who attended said: 'She was beyond brave. She used her talent for the betterment of society globally, but particularly in Ireland and among women.'
Maureen Sullivan, a survivor of the Magdalene Laundries—Catholic-run institutions where O'Connor was placed as a child—paid tribute, calling the singer 'a powerful woman, ahead of her time' who understood the suffering of those incarcerated there. Another former inmate recalled receiving VIP tickets from O'Connor for a 1989 gig and later meeting her in Bray, describing her as 'just a normal person' who was kind and generous.
Fans shared memories of seeing O'Connor at local open mic nights and spoke of her kindness. 'I don't think she ever knew how good she was,' said one fan. 'I hope she's up there looking down, smiling, seeing how many people came out for her.'
