Sinéad O’Connor’s exact cause of death has been disclosed a year after her passing.
The Irish singer passed away on July 26 last year at the age of 56, found unresponsive in her home by police. She was laid to rest in Bray, Ireland, last August, with tributes from Bob Geldof and Bono at her funeral.
Coroners initially confirmed in January this year that O’Connor had died of natural causes. Now, the exact causes have been released.
According to the Irish Independent, her death certificate, registered by her ex-husband John Reynolds, states that Sinéad O’Connor died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. The certificate also mentions she had been suffering from “a lower-grade respiratory tract infection.” Julian Morris, senior coroner for Inner South London, certified her death following a post-mortem examination without inquest.
Sinéad O’Connor, ranked No. 9 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums Artist Year-End chart in 2006, told her children to contact her accountant before dialing 911 in the event of her untimely passing. She wanted to prevent record companies from exploiting her music without her family’s knowledge, citing the posthumous success of artists like Tupac as a concerning practice by record labels.
O’Connor leaves behind a rich musical legacy, known for her distinctive voice and songwriting that explored politics, spirituality, history, and philosophy. Her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra” (1987), received critical acclaim, and her 1990 album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” brought her widespread fame.
