Sinead O’Connor has opened up about her decision to become a healthcare worker.
The singer spoke about the very personal reason that inspired her to become a healthcare assistant, focusing in the area of palliative care.
Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on his RTÉ Radio 1 show this morning, Sinead said: “That’s something that I wanted to do for years, it’s not because of the Covid thing, it’s not that I’m rushing to the frontline.”
“The area that I want to work in ultimately is palliative care. The 28th of September, that’s it, head down,” she continued.
“It’s just one year – that’s how I’m making use of the time. I had a whole year of shows booked…that’s how I’m making use of the fact that I’m unemployed for the year.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child was work in the area of palliative care. There are also personal reasons, the first song I ever wrote in my life when I was 14 was exactly about this.
“A huge impetus for me was one of my best friends in the world actually died about five years ago.”
“He asked me one night would I sleep in the bed with him when he found out he was dying and I told him I would but in the end, I was too frightened and I didn’t.
“I felt from then I would never leave a person alone and I let my friend down very badly. I didn’t get into the bed with him because I was so frightened – of death and dying and of him dying,” she admitted.
Sinead said the first step is getting her healthcare assistant diploma, and admitted it would most likely be 3-4 years before she gets to do the work she wants to do.
