- Farewell to Sinead O’Connor: Bono, Bob Geldof, and Thousands Remember Her Impact
- Private Ceremony and Public Tribute in Bray, Co Wicklow, Ireland
- Ethereal Resonance and Musical Legacy: Sinead O’Connor’s Lasting Influence
Bono and Bob Geldof attended a private ceremony in Ireland to honor Sinead O’Connor, while thousands lined the streets near her former home in Bray, Co Wicklow, to pay their respects.
Sinead O’Connor was remembered as a singer and activist whose “voice moved a generation of young people,” as Bono and Bob Geldof of U2 and thousands of mourners lined the streets to pay their respects.
Before the funeral cortege passed her former residence in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland, so fans could bid her farewell, a private ceremony was held to commemorate the life of the music star.
As the hearse carrying O’Connor’s coffin passed along the seafront, admirers applauded and threw flowers at it, while her music played from a camper van bearing the Pride flag and the Rastafarian flag.
In addition to Bono and Geldof, President Michael Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended the private ceremony.
Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, an Islamic scholar and Chief Imam at the Islamic Centre of Ireland, conducted Muslim prayers at the service; he first met the celebrity in 2018, the year she announced she had converted to Islam.
She continued to perform and record under the name Sinead O’Connor despite having changed her identity to Shuhada’ Sadaqat.
An “extraterrestrial resonance”
“The more she sang and spoke about her pain, as well as the pervasive sins in society that she witnessed, the more her voice and words resonated with listeners and touched their hearts,” Dr. Umar Al-Qadri remarked in his eulogy.
She inspired a generation of young people with her ethereal voice, which could move listeners to tears.
He added, “I know that people of all faiths will be praying for this beloved daughter of Ireland, including untold numbers of Muslims praying for their sister in faith and humanity.”
“Sinead’s voice contained an undercurrent of optimism, of finding one’s path home. Sinead was no exception to the Irish tradition of seeking solace in song from the tribulations of this world. By sharing that solace, she brought happiness to innumerable people around the globe.
Early Tuesday morning, fans began gathering in Bray in anticipation of O’Connor’s funeral procession.
As it stopped in front of her 15-year-old residence in Montebello, California, fans applauded and threw flowers. While others left handwritten notes thanking the celebrity for sharing her music.
One sign left on the property’s wall listed causes for which the singer had expressed support, including refugee acceptance.
“Where words fail, music speaks,” read the inscription.
O’Connor’s 2021-sold home, which is unoccupied, has received flowers and tributes since her passing.
The Grammy-winning musician, 56 years old, was discovered unresponsive at her home in southeast London on July 26.
