Sinéad O’Connor’s exact cause of death has been disclosed one year after her death.
The Irish singer died aged 56 in July 2023. She was found unresponsive at her home in Herne Hill, south London, and pronounced dead at the scene.
Six months later, in January this year, a coroner stated that the “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer had died of natural causes.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Southwark Coroner’s Court said: “This is to confirm that Ms O’Connor died of natural causes. The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death.”
Now, as reported by The Irish Independent, the death certificate for O’Connor – which was registered by her ex-husband John Reynolds in Lambeth, London, on Wednesday – has revealed the exact cause to be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
As explained by the NHS, COPD applies to a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.
The death certificate states that the musician had also been suffering from “a lower-grade respiratory tract infection”.
Her death was certified by Julian Morris, a senior coroner for Inner South London, after a post-mortem examination without an inquest.
The Brit Award winner was buried in Bray, County Wicklow, in August last year, in a ceremony attended by Irish government officials, family, friends and her fellow musicians.
U2’s Bono, Bob Geldof and Irish president Michael D Higgins were among the guests, with a procession passing by O’Connor’s old home in Bray, where thousands of fans lined the streets.
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Earlier this week, Dublin’s wax museum was forced to remove a newly unveiled figure of O’Connor after the late singer’s family complained that it looked “nothing like her”.
When the figure was unveiled on Thursday, many complained it did not resemble O’Connor, with her brother John deeming it “hideous”.
He said he was shocked when he first saw a picture of the figure online and said that it did not look like her “at all”.
“When I saw it online yesterday I was shocked. I thought it looked something between a mannequin and something out of the Thunderbirds,” he said during an appearance on RTE Radio’s Liveline programme on Friday.
The museum’s team met on Friday morning and decided to pull the waxwork, admitting that they “can do better” and pledging to create a “more accurate representation”.
O’Connor’s death last year followed the death of her 17-year-old son Shane, who took his own life in January 2022.
In the wake of Shane’s death, O’Connor said that she would never perform again as there was “nothing to sing about”, and subsequently cancelled her planned tour dates. She published a heartfelt post about her son’s death in the days before her own death.
One month after their mother died, her three surviving children issued a public statement thanking the “countless” supporters who had shared their condolences and well wishes after her death.
“The children of Sinéad together with Sinéad’s extended family wish to thank the countless kind people who sympathised and offered condolences on Sinéad’s recent passing,” they wrote in The Irish Times.
“Their helpful support for the family is much appreciated.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.