Members of the public have been invited to say farewell to musician Sinéad O’Connor in Bray, Co Wicklow on Tuesday morning ahead of a private burial.
The 56-year-old was found dead by London Metropolitan Police officers in her apartment just off Coldharbour Lane in Brixton on July 26th, sparking an outpouring tributes from her fans in Ireland and across the world. O’Connor’s remains were released to her family last week after an autopsy was carried out by British authorities.
A statement issued on Sunday on behalf of the singer’s family said people will have “an opportunity to pay their final respects to Sinéad O’ Connor, when her funeral cortege will progress along the seafront in Bray, past the home that she lived in for 15 years, Montobello, Strand Road in Bray, Co Wicklow.
“The route will begin at the Harbour Bar end of Strand Road and continue along the seafront to the other end of Strand Road where Sinéad and her family will then continue on to a private burial.”
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‘Outpouring of love’
It added: “Sinéad loved living in Bray and the people in it. With this procession, her family would like to acknowledge the outpouring of love for her from the people of Co Wicklow and beyond, since she left last week, to go to another place.
“The gardaí have asked that people gather, if they would like to say a last goodbye to Sinéad from 10.30am on Tuesday morning along the Bray Seafront.”
The acclaimed performer released 10 studio albums during her career. Her song Nothing Compares 2 U, written by Prince, was named the number one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards. In 1991, O’Connor was named artist of the year by Rolling Stone magazine on the back of the song’s success.
O’Connor was presented with the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards earlier this year.
The singer received a standing ovation as she dedicated the award for the album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, to “each and every member of Ireland’s refugee community”.
“You’re very welcome in Ireland. I love you very much and I wish you happiness,” she said.
President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to O’Connor, saying his “first reaction on hearing the news of Sinéad’s loss was to remember her extraordinarily beautiful, unique voice”.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said her music was loved around the world and her talent “unmatched and beyond compare”.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said she was “one of our greatest musical icons, and someone deeply loved by the people of Ireland, and beyond”.
Fellow musicians and celebrities also paid tribute including REM frontman Michael Stipe, Stone Roses lead singer Ian Brown, Canadian artist Bryan Adams, singer Alison Moyet, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, Dublin band Aslan, rapper and actor Ice T, and actor Russel Crowe.
