Sinead O’Connor’s cause of death finally revealed

Details of Irish music legend Sinead O’Connor’s death have emerged on the anniversary of her tragic passing.

Sinead O’Connor’s exact cause of death has finally been revealed, one year after the Irish music legend was found “unresponsive” in her London apartment.

O’Connor, 56, died due to a combination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, the Irish Independent reported.

The beloved singer, who shot to global fame in 1990 with her haunting cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U, had also been suffering from a respiratory tract infection at the time of her death.

Sinead O’Connor performing at the Sydney Opera House. Picture: WireImage

O’Connor left behind three children, daughter Roisin and sons Jake and Yeshua. Another son, Shane, tragically took his own life in 2022 at the age of 17.

In January a spokesman for London’s Southwark Coroners Court released a statement confirming the star had died of “natural causes”.

The star’s cause of death was formally registered in London’s Lambeth last week by John Reynolds, her first husband and the father of her eldest son, who she shared a close bond with despite their divorce in 1991.

A lifelong smoker, O’Connor’s death certificate noted she died from “exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma together with low grade lower respiratory tract infection.”

The exact cause of the star’s death has been revealed, one year after her passing. Picture: Getty Images

The beloved singer was the mother of four children. Picture: Getty Images

Police were called to O’Connor’s rented penthouse apartment in south-east London on July 26, 2023 after receiving reports of an unresponsive woman at the scene.

In the weeks before her death, the singer revealed to fans on social media that she had moved into a new home and was writing material again after a tumultuous few years.

She had been struggling with depression since the death of her teenage son and was looking forward to a fresh start, she said.

Sinead O’Connor had her struggles and spoke openly about her abusive childhood. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The singer was left devastated by the death of her teenage son. Picture: AFP

In her heartbreaking final post on X, O’Conner described son Shane as “the only person who ever loved me unconditionally.”

She said: ‘He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally.’

Known for her skinhead haircut and outspoken political views, O’Connor was spending her time between Roscommon in Ireland and London at the time of her dead.

She spoke openly about her abusive childhood and frequently criticised the Catholic Church and the child abuse scandal.

In 1992, she caused controversy on an infamous Saturday Night Live appearance in which she ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II on live TV.

Originally published as Sinead O’Connor’s cause of death finally revealed