A Brave and Tortured Soul Who Spoke Out Against the Catholic Church’s Child Abuse Years Before It Became Fashionable
Ripping Up John Paul II Photo
When I heard
of the death of Sinéad O'Connor at the all too young age of 56 I felt an
indescribable sadness. It was a shock, although maybe it shouldn't have been given what she went through. There was no one who was as brave and courageous as Sinéad.
When she ripped up a photograph of Pope John Paul II who, like all his
predecessors had presided over a church which was a byword for the abuse of
children and women, she suffered horrific abuse. When I first heard of her
passing I thought of all those who deserve to die, like Kid Starver, yet live
on to cause yet more torment. The world is a cruel place.
Rebel Song
Sinéad is famous for her cover
of Prince’s Nothing Compares to You.
It is indeed a powerful song but my all-time favourite is Rebel Song in which
her love affair with a violent Englishman is the metaphor for England’s
murderous colonisation of Ireland. It is one of three songs that I want to be played at my own funeral when it comes.
Famine
Sinéad was
nothing if not an Irish republican. Her song Famine accurately describes the
so-called Irish Famine. It was of course no more a famine than what happened in
Bengal and other places under British rule.
It was more a case of genocide. Food was being exported at the same time as
Irish peasants were starving. This was Britain’s civilising legacy to the world
and Ireland was foremost amongst those the British considered uncivilised.
Nothing Compares to
You
Sinéad received a standing ovation as she dedicated the Classic Irish Album award she received for 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.”
Sinéad was
nothing if not passionate in her principles.
I am a seed
Sister Sinead is a tribute to Sinéad O'Connor by her friend, Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson comforted Sinéad on stage in 1992 when she was booed by the crowd during a Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary concert a fortnight after tearing up the Pope’s picture on Saturday Night Live. Sinéad regularly shaved her hair as a statement against the superficialities of the record industry, which Kristofferson alludes to in the lyric, "that bald-headed brave little girl."
Sinéad share a thirst for speaking truth to power, no matter the consequences. Kristofferson himself made a lot of enemies with his left-wing political views, particularly on his 1990 album Third World Warrior. One of the tracks is called "Don't Let the Bastards (Get You Down)," which is what he said to Sinéad when she was being booed at the concert.
Kris
Kristofferson - Sister Sinead (2009)
It should be said that
Kristofferson himself is a brilliant country musician. Notable among his songs
include Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night and my favourite
Sunday Morning Coming Down.
Sunday Morning Coming Down
Of her
ripping up of John Paul’s photograph she said “I’m not sorry I did it. It was brilliant,”“But it was very traumatising,” adding “It was open season on treating me like a crazy bitch.”
foggy dew
The year
before that high-profile protest, she boycotted the Grammy Awards, the music
industry’s answer to the Oscars, saying she did not want “to be part of a world that measures artistic ability by material
success.”
She refused
the playing of US national anthem before her concerts, drawing further public attacks.
Sinéad’s life was one of tragedy and abuse. Abused by her mother
she lived to see her son Shane 17 die 18 months before her. She blamed the
Irish health service and said “May God
forgive the Irish State for I never will”.
Pogues singer Shane MacGowan tweeted:
“Sinead
you have always been there for me and for so many people, you have been a
comfort & a soul who is not afraid to feel the pain of the suffering.
“You
have always tried to heal & help. I pray that you can be comforted &
find strength, healing & peace in your own sorrow & loss.
Sinéad O'Connor receives the Classic Irish Album
award for I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize at
Vicar Street on March 9th. Photograph: Kieran Frost/Redferns
Let us hope
that Sinéad has at last found peace. Below are a few obituaries and tributes
Tony Greenstein
Sinéad
O’Connor obituary - Guardian
Sinéad
O’Connor, acclaimed Dublin singer, dies aged 56 - Irish Times
Sinead
O’Connor dead: Irish singer of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ dies aged 56
Acclaimed
and outspoken Irish singer Sinead O’Connor dies at 56
Controversy never drowned out the astonishing songcraft of Sinéad
O’Connor