Sinéad O’Connor died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma, her death certificate has confirmed.
The news was first reported on Sunday by the Irish Independent, one year after the Irish artist and activist’s death at age 56.
O’Connor’s first husband and close friend, John Reynolds, registered the death certificate in London last Wednesday.
The document noted that O’Connor died from “exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma together with low grade lower respiratory tract infection”.
O’Connor died on 26 July last year in her south London home, where police found her “unresponsive”. At the time, they said they did not treat her death as suspicious.
In January, a coroner determined that she died of natural causes.
During her three-decade career, O’Connor had a global hit with her 1990 cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U – a track which propelled her into the spotlight, sometimes against her wishes.
In the public eye, she became known as an outspoken activist – including, famously, for ripping up a picture of Pope John Paul II during a Saturday Night Live performance in 1992.
Her death drew an outpouring of tributes from friends, peers, collaborators and public figures.
Ireland’s taoiseach at the time, Leo Varadkar, said: “Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.”
O’Connor’s death came 18 months after her 17-year-old son, Shane, died after going missing. She is survived by her three living children.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
