MAKING A SPLASH
Inside Sinead O’Connor’s life from childhood shoplifter to megastar
The controversial singer, who died aged 56, had always been open about her struggles - from her troubled childhood to the devastating loss of her 17-year-old, Shane O'Connor
Born in Glenageary, County Dublin on December 8, 1966, Sinead was one of five children raised Roman Catholic and had a life filled with child abuse, isolation, mental health issues and repeated suicide attempts
The star had previously opened up about the abuse she suffered from her parents - who split up when she was eight. At 15, Sinead's shoplifting and truancy saw her put into an asylum for 18 months
During her time locked up in the Magdalene asylum, the musician began to discover her love of singing before forming a band, and later moving to London to produce her own debut album while pregnant
Her first LP was a success but her breakthrough hit was 1990 ballard Nothing Compares 2 U. The music video is now considered one of the 20th century's most iconic videos. The singer went on to release eight more albums
In her personal life, the singer has been married four times and had four children Jake, Roisin, Yeshua and Shane. Shane was tragically found dead last year following years of struggling with mental health issues
The artist was last pictured accepting a music award at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize in March, where she won the Classic Irish Album award. In the pics, O'Connor can be seen beaming, laughing and waving to fans