Sinéad O'Connor Named Person Of The Year By Love Ireland
Before Christmas, Time Magazine in the United States picks a person who has a significant impact on global events.
Global superstar Taylor Swift was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023 after her Eras tour smashed box office records.
The Time award aims to find the person who has had the most impact on global events each year – and the magazine is known for making some controversial choices.
After his election as US President in 2016, Donald Trump was picked and in 1938, Hitler received the accolade following his annexation of Austria.
But who would be Ireland’s person of the year?
We asked our readers to vote…
In Today’s email
Sinéad O'Connor Named Person Of The Year
Sinéad O'Connor Named Person Of The Year
Sinéad O'Connor emerged a clear winner in our poll getting more than 52% of the vote as person of the year.
About Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor, pronounced shin-AYD, was born on December 8, 1966, and passed away on July 26, 2023.
She was a renowned Irish singer, songwriter, and activist. Her debut studio album, "The Lion and the Cobra," was released in 1987, gaining widespread international acclaim.
The pinnacle of her commercial success came with the 1990 album "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," which sold over seven million copies worldwide. The lead single from this album, "Nothing Compares 2 U," was honoured as the top world single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards.
O'Connor continued to achieve chart success with albums like "Am I Not Your Girl?" (1992) and "Universal Mother" (1994), both certified gold in the UK. "Faith and Courage" (2000) also attained gold status in Australia, while "Throw Down Your Arms" (2005) achieved gold status in Ireland.
Beyond her musical accomplishments, O'Connor contributed to the film industry, collaborated with various artists, and participated in charity fundraising concerts. In 2021, her memoir, "Rememberings," was released and became a bestseller.
Throughout her career, O'Connor consistently used her platform to address critical issues, including child abuse, human rights, racism, organized religion, and women's rights. Notably, during a 1992 Saturday Night Live performance, she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II in protest against abuse in the Catholic Church, sparking controversy.
O'Connor openly discussed her spiritual journey, activism, socio-political viewpoints, and her experiences with trauma and struggles with mental health. In 2018, she converted to Islam and adopted the name Shuhada' Sadaqat while continuing to perform and record under her birth name.
Death
On July 26, 2023, O'Connor was discovered unresponsive at her residence in Herne Hill, South London, and was officially pronounced deceased at the age of 56.
The cause of death was undisclosed. Authorities, including the Metropolitan Police, stated that her death was not considered suspicious, as reported the following day. On July 28, the London coroner declared the specific date of her demise as still undetermined. Despite this uncertainty, her burial at Dean's Grange Cemetery on August 8 officially marked her date of death as July 26.
A private funeral transpired on August 8 in Bray, County Wicklow, with the presence of Ireland's President, Michael D. Higgins. O'Connor's family extended an invitation to the public to pay their respects along the seafront, where the funeral procession passed. The event drew thousands of attendees displaying signs and tributes.
More on Wikipedia
One thing about Sinéad remains clear - Ireland will never forget
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