Watch: Hillside tribute unveiled close to town where Sinead O’Connor will be buried
Fans have lined the streets of Bray, Co Wicklow, ahead of Sinead O’Connor’s funeral today (Tuesday 8 August).
The Irish singer’s funeral procession will pass through the seafront in the town where O’Connor lived for 15 years. Plans for her funeral were shared by her family, in a statement issued to Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTE.
Ahead of the funeral, fans packed out the Strand Road, leaving emotional notes of tribute and flowers for the singer by her former home.
After the public pay their respects, O’Connor will be buried in a private service attended by close friends and family.
On Sunday (6 August), a large tribute to O’Connor appeared on a hillside in Bray, reading “ÉIRE SINÉAD” with a heart emoji between the two words, the word “Eire” being the Irish name for Ireland.
“We just wanted to take the opportunity to mark the moment with a bold statement that symbolises what she meant to this little country of ours,” Richard Seabrooke, executive creative director of The Tenth Man, told CNN in a statement.
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Sinead O’Connor’s funeral procession was attended by emotional fans who left notes and flowers for the singer.
Sinead O’Connor fans line streets of Bray during funeral procession
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 13:48
Bob Geldof has been pictured riding in a taxi as part of the funeral cortege for Sinead O’Connor ahead of her funeral.
“Many, many times Sinead was full of a terrible loneliness and a terrible despair,” he said. “She was a very good friend of mine.
“We were talking right up to a couple of weeks ago. Some of her texts were laden with desperation and despair and some were ecstatically happy. She was like that.”
(PA)
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 13:09
Bob Geldof and U2 musician Bono are understood to be among the mourners at O’Connor’s private funeral.
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:48
Huge crowds gather as funeral procession moves through Bray
The size of the crowds coming to pay their respects can be seen in the pictures below.
(PA)
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:43
Delivering the eulogy, Imam Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri said: “Just as Sinead O’Connor brought diverse souls together through her art, so have you orchestrated a symphony of unity during her final journey.
“Your noble gesture has transcended boundaries and connected strangers, echoing the very essence of Sinead‘s legacy.”
He continued: “In this shared moment of remembrance and prayer, we find ourselves united in a tapestry of love, compassion, and reverence.
“May this ceremony be a testament to the enduring power of humanity’s collective spirit, as we bid farewell to a remarkable soul who touched us all.”
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:37
Sinead O’Connor remembered for her ‘otherworldly resonance’ in funeral eulogy
Sinead O’Connor was remembered for experiencing “more than her share of hardship and adversity” during a eulogy at her funeral.
Speaking during the private service, Imam Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri said: “Gifted with a voice that moved a generation of young people, she could reduce listeners to tears by her otherworldly resonance.
“One need only listen to her a cappella version of ‘Danny Boy’ or the traditional Irish tune ‘Molly Malone’ to know this about her gift. Sinead‘s voice carried with it an undertone of hope, of finding one’s way home.
“The Irish people have long found solace in song from the sufferings of this lower abode, and Sinead was no exception, and in sharing that solace, she brought joy to countless people the world over.”
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:32
Watch below as Sinead O’Connor’s funeral procession passes through Bray, the Irish town she lived in before her death.
Mourners gather for Sinead O’Connor’s funeral procession in Bray
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:21
Sinead O’Connor’s funeral cortege has passed in front of her former home in Bray, Co Wicklow.
Fans, who have been gathering outside the house since this morning, applauded and threw flowers at the hearse. Many are now following the vehicle as it makes its way down the seafront.
(PA)
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:19
Sinead O’Connor funeral procession begins as coffin makes its way along seafront
The hearse bearing Sinead O’Connor’s coffin is making its way along the Bray seafront.
The coffin is adorned with blue flowers, with mourners throwing red and yellow flowers onto the roof of the vehicle.
The hearse is followed by a campervan playing her music.
(PA)
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 12:04
Fans sing ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ outside Sinead O’Connor’s home
Fans gathered outside Sinead O’Connor’s home in Bray, Co Wicklow, have started singing her hit song “Nothing Compares 2 U”.
First recorded by Prince’s band The Family in 1985, the song became a hit for O’Connor in 1990 and topped the charts in Ireland, the UK and US.
Isobel Lewis8 August 2023 11:57