Sinead O’Connor Was a Devoted Mother: Details on the ’90s Singer’s Family and Children

Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor had four children from different relationships, and she loved them all dearly. The songstress died at the age of 56 according to reports on July 26, 2023. 

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Sinéad shared her first child, Jake, with music producer John Reynolds, Roisin with journalist John Waters, Shane with fellow musician Dónal Lunny and Yeshua with Frank Bonadio. 

What Happened to Sinéad O’Connor’s Son Shane?

Unfortunately, Sinéad announced on January 7, 2022, that Shane had been found dead after going missing two days prior. 

“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,” Sinéad wrote via Twitter that day on an unverified account, which was confirmed to be hers through her official Twitter. “May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.”

Sinéad then followed up her announcement with a tribute for her late son. “This is for my Shaney,” the “Nothing Compares 2 U” artist wrote on Twitter, attaching a video of Bob Marley’s “Ride Natty Ride” song. “The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us.” 

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One day prior to the news of Shane’s tragic death, Sinéad tweeted he had been missing and pleaded for him to return. 

“This is a message for my son, Shane,” she wrote on Twitter on January 6. “Shane, it’s not funny any more all this going missing. You are scaring the crap out of me. Could you please do the right thing and present yourself at a Gardai [Irish Police] station. If you are with Shane, please call the Gardai for his safety.”

After that, Sinéad publicly commented on her concern over her son harming himself in a separate tweet. “My world would collapse without you,” she wrote, also calling Shane her “heart.” 

“Please don’t harm yourself,” she added in the tweet. “Go to the Gardai and let’s get you to hospital.”

Amid Shane’s missing status, the Dublin native alleged that the Tallaght Hospital was “refusing to take any responsibility” after questioning how a “traumatized young person WHO WAS ON SUICIDE WATCH” was “able to go missing” in a tweet that was posted the morning of January 6. 

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Once news broke of Shane’s death, Sinéad revealed via Twitter she was approached about doing a “media release,” by the Tusla Child and Family Agency, which she alleged was a way to “have me join in their efforts to make this death of my child seem like it wasn’t at the hands of the Irish State.” 

Just days after Sinéad’s son’s death, the “All Apologies” singer revealed that she would be admitted to a hospital after sharing several cryptic messages in a series of since-deleted tweets.

“I’ve decided to follow my son [Shane O’Connor]. There is no point living without him. Everything I touch, I ruin. I only stayed for him. And now he’s gone,” the Grammy nominee wrote via Twitter on Thursday, January 13, 2022. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I am with cops now on way to hospital. I’m sorry I upset everyone.”

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She added in a separate tweet, “I am lost without my kid and I hate myself. Hospital will help a while. But I’m going to find Shane. This is just a delay.”

Reps for Sinéad, Tusla and the Tallaght University Hospital did not immediately respond to In Touch’s request for comment. 

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).