Fans in both London and Dublin gathered on Thursday night to pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor following her death at her London home at the age of 56.
Hundreds of people turned out to celebrate the Nothing Compares 2 U singer’s life at an event at the London Irish Centre in Camden.
Among famous members of the Irish diaspora at the event were DJ Annie Mac and comedian Sharon Horgan.
Attendees were treated to a reading of one of O’Connor’s letters by actress Lisa Dwan, as well as a rendition of Take Me To Church, led by comedian Aisling Bea.
Irish singer Moncrieff said it was “really special” to be at the event.
“It was really special just to be a part of it,” he said. “To be around people who knew Sinead and were a part of her life was just a privilege.
“I’m an artist from Waterford, I moved to London a few years ago. Just to be in that room, in that energy, to celebrate someone so important in Irish culture and the history of Ireland, and Irish music, I wouldn’t have missed it.”
Blanid Lynn, from Northern Ireland, said that the event was “amazing”.
“Tonight was really amazing, Sinead was such a role model and an icon, a fantastic artist, and a voice for everyone who didn’t have a voice,” she said.
Musician Niall Jackson, from Dublin, said the singer was a “legendary” woman.
“I know that gets thrown around way too much,” he said. “And I know that the media didn’t treat her overly well when she was alive.
“But hopefully now we get to judge her in what she’s done, and what she’s said, and like I said I think she has always been correct.”
Meanwhile in Dublin, dozens of people gathered outside the Wall of Fame to pay their respects to the “beautiful soul” of O’Connor.
Those gathered in Temple Bar spoke about the influence her music had on their lives, and called for her death to “light an absolute fire under all of us” to tackle how mental health and children are treated in Ireland.
On X, formerly Twitter, Irish rock band U2 paid tribute to the singer.
“Touch these eyes with a broken smile, Touch my mouth with your furrowed brow, Lift my heart, heal my shame , Lead me into rest again .. Heroine.. Rest In Peace Sinéad,” they wrote.
Musician Peter Gabriel, with whom she worked closely, described her as “an extraordinary talent”.
He said: “She could move us with a candour and a passion with which so many people connected. The path she chose was always difficult and uncompromising but at every turn she would show her spirit and her courage.
“I feel lucky to have had the chance to work with her.”
Sinéad was an extraordinary talent. She could move us with a candour and a passion with which so many people connected. The path she chose was always difficult and uncompromising but at every turn she would show her spirit and her courage. I feel lucky to have had the chance to… pic.twitter.com/nSwZ4fTU64
— Peter Gabriel (@itspetergabriel) July 27, 2023
O’Connor died on Thursday aged 56.
The Grammy-winning singer, originally from Dublin, was found unresponsive at a home in south London on Wednesday.
Politicians, musicians, actors and charities from across the world have paid tribute to O’Connor for her contributions to the music industry and raising awareness of social issues.
She made headlines in 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live, sparking a ferocious backlash.
The musician, who spent time in a notorious Magdalene laundry, set up to house “fallen women”, frequently spoke out about the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
