Sinéad O'Connor's family issue heartbreaking statement one month after star's death

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By Kim Novak

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Sinéad O'Connor's family has released a statement thanking fans for their kindness and support following the singer's death last month.

News of O'Connor's passing at the age of 56 broke after she was found dead at her home in London on July 26, leaving fans across the world heartbroken.

Tributes poured in for the 'Nothing Compares 2 U' singer, including from several of her celebrity supporters, including Russell Crowe, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Toni Collette.

Her family has since thanked her friends and fans for the response, sharing a new statement a month after her passing.

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The singer was laid to rest on August 8 in a private funeral ceremony. Credit: David Corio/Redferns

O'Connor's family shared a notice in The Irish Times, telling her fans: "The children of Sinéad together with Sinéad’s extended family wish to thank the countless kind people who sympathized and offered condolences on Sinéad’s recent passing.

"Their helpful support for the family is much appreciated."

The family also named and thanked the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and his wife, as well as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, for attending the funeral on August 8, as well as the officiants and organizers of her service and interment in the garden in Deansgrange Cemetery in Dublin, Ireland, and the musicians who played while she was laid to rest.

The statement continued: "The family gathering in the afternoon was in Powerscourt House where management and staff were excellent in every respect and Sinéad’s life was celebrated there by a host of her friends in music who helped to ease the burden of sorrow at Sinéad’s passing."

They also thanked the funeral directors as well as those who facilitated O'Connor's body being repatriated from London to Ireland, allowing her to be buried in her homeland.

The heartfelt statement concluded: "Our thanks to the media personnel in general at home and abroad who celebrated Sinéad in song and story while showing respect for the privacy requested by the family. We ask that this privacy continue to be respected.

"Finally, we wish to thank Sinéad’s fans and admirers for the wonderful funeral procession they gave her past her old home in Bray and for the national and international outpouring of love and affection for Sinéad from the time of her passing. The prayers and thanks of the extended O’Connor family are with you all."

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O'Connor's family thanked fans for their support in the wake of her tragic death. Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Thousands of people had lined the streets in the singer's hometown of Bray to pay their respects as she was laid to rest in a traditional Muslim burial at a Catholic cemetery after a private funeral.

The star had converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat - though professionally she still went by Sinéad O'Connor - after expressing her dissatisfaction at certain aspects of the Catholic church.

Shortly before her death, O'Connor had shared a heartbreaking tribute to her late son Shane Lunny, who died by suicide at the age of 17 last year.

She wrote on Twitter in July, alongside a photo of them together: "#lostmy17yrOldSonToSuicidein2022. Been living as undead night creature since.

"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. I am lost in the bardo without him."

She is survived by her children Jake Reynolds, 34, Roisín Waters, 27, and Yeshua Bonadio, 16.

Our thoughts remain with O'Connor's family, friends, and fans at this time.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org 

Featured image credit: Andrew Chin/Getty Images