Sinead O’Connor death: Irish singer of Nothing Compares 2 U dies aged 56

Sinead O’Connor, the Irish singer who found fame with her 1990 rendition of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and fervently challenged the Catholic church, has died aged 56.

The singer’s death comes a year after her 17-year-old son Shane died after escaping hospital while on suicide watch.

In a statement shared with Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE, the singer’s family said: “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.”

The Independent has reached out to O’Connor’s representatives.

Responding to the news, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.”

O’Connor was born in Dublin in 1966. Around the age of 13, she left her mother and went to live with her father, who had married a new wife in Virginia, USA.

At 15, her shoplifting and truancy led to her being sent to a Magdalene asylum in Dublin for “fallen women” where she lived for 18 months. Despite later detailing the institution’s “odd” punishments, it was here that a nun spotted O’Connor’s musical talent and bought her a guitar.

Through an advert she placed in a local music magazine, O’Connor met Colm Farrelly and formed a band called Ton Ton Macoute, which led to her getting music industry recognition.

She was soon signed to Ensign Records with whom she released her first three studio albums.

She released 10 studio albums over the course of her career, the second of which, 1990’s I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got sold more than seven million copies.

She is survived by her three children, Jake Reynolds, Roisin Waters and Yeshua Bonadio.

This story is being updated