Dave Fanning has revealed Sinéad O’Connor “wasn’t in the greatest space” before she died.
The singer, who shot to fame in the 90s for her cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U, sadly passed away in London on July 26th – aged 56.
The presenter previously worked with Sinéad on a documentary about her life, but production was abandoned after filming proved too difficult.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Dave said he saw Sinéad “more than anyone else really” in the last few years of her life.
“It was only because we were supposed to be making a documentary of her life. It was difficult,” he explained.
“It was fraught with her changing her decisions and her mind all the time. She was really good a lot of the time – and not good. She sent emails and texts. Some of them were the nicest things ever and some of them simply weren’t.
“We were up in her house in Bray and then up in her new house past Roundwood. It was like she needed more than she could get. She needed more than she was getting.”
“She really wasn’t in the greatest space,” he continued.
“I was the one who was trying to keep it together in some ways, trying to do the production, and there was American money in it.
“She liked the whole idea and signed contracts and everything. It was great because it was going to be focused on her music.
“It just proved pretty difficult after a while. It really did. We threw our hat at it. We just couldn’t keep going. But, I mean. Sinéad was famous for that.”
“She was her own worst enemy in some ways, but she was really troubled. It wasn’t easy for her. She had a heart of gold in so many ways. She really did.
“And such an amazing, amazing singer. And the fact that she followed her own muse and brought out a reggae album, and the last two albums were pop albums – and there was some brilliant stuff on them…”
Sinéad’s funeral took place on August 8th, and thousands turned out to pay their respects as the hearse carrying her coffin passed through Bray.
Sinéad’s death is not being treated as suspicious, but an autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of her death – which won’t be made public unless an inquest into her death is opened.
Sinéad had only recently moved to London, and shared a video showing off her new flat just two weeks before she died.
The musician, who changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat in 2018 after converting to Islam, is survived by three of her children – Jake, Roisin and Yeshua.
The news of Sinead’s death came over a year after her 17-year-old son Shane took his own life in January 2022, after he left a hospital in Dublin – where he had been admitted for care.
At the time, she wrote on social media: “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God.”
“May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.”
In one of her last tweets, which was posted on July 17, 2023, Sinead posted a photo of herself and Shane and wrote: “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.”
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭#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 pic.twitter.com/aC8BOmLQ9N— Sinead Marie-Bernarde Aoibheann O’Connor (@786OmShahid) July 17, 2023
Following her son’s passing last January, the singer cancelled her scheduled gigs for the rest of the year.
A statement released by her management at the time said: “We would like to respectfully announce that due to continuing grief over the tragic loss of her beloved son Shane earlier this year, Sinead O’Connor will not be performing live in 2022.”
The singer’s management added that it was not “an easy decision”, but it was necessary for her “own health and wellbeing”.
The statement continued to thank Sinéad’s worldwide agency ICM, who handled the situation “with the utmost respect and dignity,” and thanked “local and international promoters” for the continued “support and understanding.”
Her management team concluded, “Thank you also to Sinead’s friends and fans whose support and understanding we hold in the highest esteem throughout this period.”
“The love being shown has been a source of great comfort and peace for Sinead.”
Her last public appearance took place back in March, when she was presented with the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards.
Sinéad O’Connor last March.
Via RTE Choice Music. pic.twitter.com/MiYnJqBjIX— Martine St-Victor (@MartineMontreal) July 26, 2023
Sinead received a standing ovation at the event, as she dedicated the award tp “each and every member of Ireland’s refugee community”.
“You’re very welcome in Ireland. I love you very much and I wish you happiness,” she said.
In 2021, the songstress released a memoir called Rememberings.
The following year, a docu-film called Nothing Compares, directed by Kathryn Ferguson, was released about her life.
