‘Totally devastating news that is breaking’: The moment Irish Radio 1 breaks listeners’ hearts revealing Sinead O’Connor had died – as the country’s President leads tributes to ‘one of our most gifted performers of recent decades’
- Regular broadcasting on RTE Radio 1 was interrupted as presenters announced her death
One of Ireland’s ‘greatest musical icons’, Sinead O’Connor, has died and the news has rocked the nation.
The Dublin-born singer who was best known for her hit single Nothing Compares 2 U passed away last night at the age of 56.
Regular broadcasting on RTE Radio 1 was interrupted as the presenters read out O’Connor’s family’s statement, which said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead.
‘Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.’
Paul McLoone described it as ‘totally devastating news’ which broke during the daily arts and popular culture show.
Broadcaster and DJ Dave Fanning who was speaking on the show mirrored the reaction of so many others as he choked up whilst talking of O’Connor.
‘The first interview she did was with us actually, it was around the time she was in a band – Ton Ton Macoute – and she was making her solo album and all that,’ he said.
The presenter cuts in as Mr Fanning struggles to gather his words due to emotion, he said’ I can hear that this is difficult Dave, I’ll give you time to gather’.
Mr Fanning went on to describe her as ‘her own woman’ who was ‘distinctive’, ‘very fiery’ and ‘just fantastic’.
He added: ‘As a person, I mean my God, everything she did was just so her own person you know.
‘Sure, the fiery temperament. But you have the heartache of growing up and the family falling apart etc, and the Dublin music scene and all the rest she was involved in.’
Mr Fanning spoke of O’Connor accepting an award for the album ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’ at the RTE Choice Music Prize earlier this year.
He said: ‘She was thrilled to get the first famous album award and she was in a really good mood that night, and she was so lovely, and her son had died some time before that called Shane, and she dedicated the whole thing to the refugee community and walked off stage smiling.’
On Twitter Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar led the tributes to O’Connor. He said: ‘Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.
‘Condolences to her family, her friends and all who loved her music.’
He added, ‘Ar dheis Dé go Raibh a hAnam,’ which translates to ‘At the right hand of God rest her soul.’
The Irish singer shot to stardom across the world in 1990 by her heartrending cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U.
Ireland’s President, Michael D. Higgings, wrote a lengthy tribute, in it he praised her for her ‘fearless commitment to the important issues which she brought to public attention, no matter how uncomfortable’.
He added: ‘Sinéad O’Connor’s voice and delivery was in so many different ways original, extraordinary and left one with a deep deep impression that to have accomplished all she did while carrying the burden which she did was a powerful achievement in its own way.’
The remainder of his tribute, including an acknowledgement of O’Connor’s father, can be read further down.
DJ Kate Brennan-Harding also spoke about O’Connor on RTE Radio 1’s show, she said: ‘She was always fresh.
‘The shaved and the people talking about her and people talking about her look and then her sounds and the stunning visuals in that video where the teardrop falls down her eye.
‘I remember I was so young but I was captivated by her.’
