Talk:Sinéad O'Connor/Archive 3

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023
Date of death 26 July 2023 https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2023/07/26/sinead-oconnor-acclaimed-dublin-singer-dies-aged-56/ 2001:BB6:B820:F100:21C5:C9DD:2D87:813C (talk) 17:39, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Sinéad has died. Please update. CorkinDublin (talk) 17:40, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Died 26th July 2023 195.188.15.85 (talk) 17:42, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

26 July date of death Ruf222 (talk) 17:44, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Sinéad o Connor passed away. Wikipedia needs to reflect that Insideoutandbacktofront (talk) 17:52, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * It has been included, thank you all for the requests. Fences  &amp;  Windows  18:00, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (2)
Change all present tense regarding her to past tense, as she is now deceased. 47.134.123.53 (talk) 18:14, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting wait.svg Already done but if there are specific instances you've noticed that still need correction, please point them out. Thanks! Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 19:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (2)
add death date of july 26th 2023 35.143.128.12 (talk) 18:14, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Note that current sources do not explicitly list the date of her death. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 19:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (3)
This person is deceased as of today 26th July 2023. 82.21.77.75 (talk) 18:21, 26 July 2023 (UTC)


 * https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/26/sinead-oconnor-dies-aged-56 2600:1700:30D3:CAF:78DB:4033:41FE:5834 (talk) 18:37, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: That article says has died at the age of 56. That it was published 26 July doesn't mean she died 26 July; we need a source that says something like "died today" or "died on Wednesday" or something similar. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 19:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Death of Sinead O Connor
Died on Tuesday 25th July 2023 aged 56

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12341117/amp/Sinead-OConnor-dead-Irish-music-legend-dies-aged-56-years-mental-health-battles-18-months-17-year-old-son-Shane-passed-away.html 92.40.199.126 (talk) 18:35, 26 July 2023 (UTC)


 * I was about to say that too Mashpotatofries29 (talk) 18:38, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * To be clear, the actual day of her death has not been reported or confirmed. -- Zim Zala Bim talk 18:52, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Someone added that she died on 26th July as the date confirmed without any reliable sources. 2601:19C:4A09:435C:5542:4DEA:61C7:D860 (talk) 20:03, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Suicide by intentional overdose 195.252.220.47 (talk) 05:10, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (6)
Either her birthday is wrong or her age at time of death. From what I find she died at the age of 56 not 67! 2601:281:8081:F720:B8C3:2826:8BA4:7D66 (talk) 21:41, 26 July 2023 (UTC)


 * Not sure where you're seeing this; or it's already been fixed. Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 21:49, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023
Change the date of her death from "July 2023" to "26 July 2023" 2603:6011:4504:24C9:64B4:884A:7990:DEE0 (talk) 00:14, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. - FlightTime  ( open channel ) 00:15, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023 (3)
She has died, as reported by NPR, The Guardian, and others. 137.229.82.92 (talk) 04:01, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * And the article has noted this since the news emerged. -- Zim Zala Bim talk 04:02, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (5)
She passed away today at age 56.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66318626.amp 120.28.233.17 (talk) 20:46, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * See all the above. The announcement was today, but the actual date of her death hasn't been released or confirmed. -- Zim Zala Bim talk 20:49, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Is this a duplicated page
There is another wiki page about Sinead that has already had edit protections implemented because of her recent death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin%C3%A9ad_O%27Connor The pages should possibly be amalgamated and one deleted...?

Edit: It's possible this may have been a page stuck in wiki's buffer... apologies 59.102.11.1 (talk) 23:02, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023 (2)
In 1990, she joined many other guests for former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters' massive performance of The Wall in Berlin.[citation needed] Suggested Citation: On the Universal DVD 038 437-9 "Roger Waters THE WALL Live in Berlin" (18 minutes 50 seconds to 25 minutes 34 seconds) she sang "Mother" and on the same DVD, in the documentary "Behind The Wall" (at 23 minutes 40 seconds to 26 minutes 30 seconds her participation is discussed. 2001:8003:595E:2C01:106:D5B3:643A:4FAD (talk) 02:24, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * A source appears to have been added. MIDI (talk) 08:00, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023 (5)
Under the heading "1990s", first paragraph, the link to "Nothing Compares 2 U" should just link straight to the article. In other words, I want to change Nothing Compares 2 U to just Nothing Compares 2 U. Thanks. Occidolophus (talk) 12:03, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 14:33, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023
Add to "Further Reading": McCabe, Allyson. Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters, University of Texas Press, 2023. ISBN 978-1-4773-2570-4. 72.177.89.66 (talk) 15:58, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅. A. Randomdude0000 (talk) 20:11, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

This is peak Wikipedia
The woman is dead and all news stations across the globe are reporting it. This is the most pedantic Wikipediaism I've ever seen. 🤓 2600:4040:A598:3A00:A466:B0DB:5FD0:1BB5 (talk) 01:00, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * What would you like to see done? The death was reported promptly, and over 180 edits followed - that seems a pretty strong response, no? On the date of death, it is a fact that the family's statement does not say when the subject died; no doubt this fact will eventually emerge, and once referenced, will appear here. SeoR (talk) 01:04, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * She is listed as dead. What more do you want? -  FlightTime  ( open channel ) 01:14, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I'm seeing everything in present tense. She recordS under her birth name, etc. If date is disputed at least fix the rest. 137.229.82.92 (talk) 04:04, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

family announcement
they announced she was found unresponsive in her london flat/house 92.40.193.26 (talk) 11:14, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Peter Gabriel
They were NOT partners. Sinead indicated they had weekend flings, I think he should be removed from the partners list 209.6.132.252 (talk) 03:21, 27 July 2023 (UTC)


 * In 1993, Peter Gabriel mentioned in an article that him and Sinead broke up implying they had a romantic relationship of some sort Stardomax (talk) 16:08, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 July 2023 (4)
Please remove the reference to "committed suicide" and replace with "died by suicide" 134.126.65.173 (talk) 20:06, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * done --Ekaterina Colclough (talk) 20:13, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Do not include "suicide" at all - cause of death is still unknown. Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 20:37, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Pretty sure this is in reference to the line about her son. I've gone ahead and made the change. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 22:16, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Though looking closer, neither the source currently provided there nor the article it that souce links to to about the son's death  says he died by suicide. It says he went missing and that he'd been on suicide watch, and quotes Sinéad O'Connor's tweets about suicide, but sources I'm finding from 2022 mostly don't list the cause of death or call it an "apparent" suicide (e.g. ).
 * I see some recent sources that do describe Shane's death as suicide, but they all link to articles that don't (e.g. but links to ). I removed it from the article for the moment; if someone has a good source here I'll add it back in.  Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 22:26, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35031186 - "More trauma came in January 2022, when her 17-year-old son Shane took his own life. The musician posted a series of concerning tweets in the wake of his death, indicating she was considering suicide and telling followers she had been admitted to hospital." 213.105.99.162 (talk) 13:37, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * That looks good to me; I've restored "died by suicide" to the article with this source. Thanks. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 16:17, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Sinead Marie-Bernarde Aoibheann O’Connor
Is this her real name, see https://twitter.com/786OmShahid 158.181.71.74 (talk) 15:20, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * What the "real" name is, is not so easy to answer. So multiple media report "Sinead Marie-Bernarde O’Connor" as her birth name. Then there is the widely reported name change in 2017/2018. But in 2021 she gave an interview, that she is still planning to legally change her name. She performed further unter the original name, reffered to herself as Shuhada' Sadaqat in the last years. Legal name I would say unknown.--Maphry (talk) 18:41, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023 (3)
In the top section in the third paragraph beginning "In 1999, O'Connor was ordained"... there is a link on the words "Latin Tridentine Church" to a Wikipedia article "List of communities using the Tridentine Mass". These communities are Roman Catholic orders (communities) that do not have ordination of women. This link is misleading to users, and this link should be removed. If O'Connor did have an ordination ceremony in the past, it would not have anything to do with these groups. Marcifilivs (talk) 16:27, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * A fair point, and true re the link being incorrect - will action. SeoR (talk) 17:56, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ SeoR (talk) 19:03, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Sinead O'Connor Death
Not sure if this is an issue on my end but according to Wikipedia, Sinead O'Connor is still alive. There's plenty of sources to say that's no longer the case, is there a reason I've missed that this article hasn't been updated? 86.19.86.233 (talk) 11:51, 27 July 2023 (UTC)


 * You may be seeing a cached copy - the article has noted her death since minutes after it was announced, and tenses and >200 further edits based on commentary and otherwise have followed. Thanks for making sure, we do aim to be accurate on biographies. SeoR (talk) 12:00, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * @SeoR I'm not sure, I've gone so far as deleting and reinstalling the wiki app, going in different devices etc and it still is present tense. Regardless, thank you! sure this is my issue somewhere, I'll keep looking Sarcasmatbest (talk) 14:27, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * This is indeed strange - I can assure you (and you can see from the edit history) that we are hundreds of edits post-announcement, with constant further work. My app shows the current article albeit I do mostly use Wikipedia from a laptop. SeoR (talk) 16:05, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * @SeoR Yeah I can see all the edits. I may just be going mad. thanks for the time! shame we even have to be doing this for her article Sarcasmatbest (talk) 16:19, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * @Sarcasmatbest, she has died the time it says, I have looked it up. She died almost 11:59pm, the 25. Over5help550 (talk) 22:04, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Draft:Sinead O’Connor Saturday Night Live performance
I just created a draft for the Sinead O’Connor Saturday Night Live performance with the content from the section in this article. I think there is enough out there for expansion to justify a separate article. Thriley (talk) 14:22, 27 July 2023 (UTC)


 * I agree; good work. Incidentally, I've just moved the draft to include the síneadh fada in her first name (Sinéad, instead of Sinead). — OwenBlacker (he/him; Talk) 15:24, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * This is a good idea. I support a separate article. -- Zim Zala Bim talk 22:14, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * But separate article or not it seems a good summary should still exist on this page, and the first two paragraphs already on this page probably should stay as the summary. It is maybe the thing she's best known for, at least in the media, and she knew at the time that her statement would result in a major sacrifice of her career which, at the time, rivaled Madonna as the world's major female singer. In either case the incident could also be summarized in the lead of this page, summarizing her act of concern against the Catholic Church abuse and its ongoing cover-up, with a link to the new article. Randy Kryn (talk) 23:09, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 28 July 2023
I'd like the following be added on top of 2020s musical career section: "In October 2020, O'Connor released a cover of Mahalia Jackson’s Trouble of the World, with proceeds from the single to benefit Black Lives Matter charities. "

It's an important cause, and another strong statement by Sinéad. SoupePrimordiale (talk) 00:52, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ A. Randomdude0000 (talk) 01:02, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 29 July 2023
Sinéad O’Connor age at death ” change 56 to 57 2605:8D80:32F:CDD4:E57D:E83B:ECC5:A036 (talk) 02:08, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: All reliable sources say that she died at 56. They also all say she was born 8 December 1966, meaning her 57th birthday would be on 8 December 2023, which is more than 4 months from today. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 03:38, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 27 July 2023 (4)
--Add to death column-- On July 27th, the day after Sinead's death, Police stated that they found Sinead "unresponsive" at her home in London on the day she died. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:18 BST. Her death investigation is currently ongoing, and Police currently does not consider her death to be suspicious. Essereforzaferrari (talk) 10:57, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

❌ That's not what the article says at all - there is no mention of the date of death. That may be determined following a PM. Will edit to include actually reported details. Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 11:04, 27 July 2023 (UTC)


 * I see my comment above has been overtaken by subsequent verification, but my point about the article not saying what you think it says still stands. Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 11:10, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * "A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: “Police were called at 11.18pm on Wednesday, July 26 to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address in the SE24 area"
 * https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/singer-sinead-o-connor-dead-irish-singer-b1096994.html
 * I hope this helps, if it doesn't I apologise. Essereforzaferrari (talk) 13:25, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting wait.svg Already done The current version of the article contains this information in the death section. If I'm misunderstanding the edit request, let me know. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 03:39, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

More information
this page omits a lot of relevant information about Sinead, such as the recent suicide of her son and her bipolar diagnosis. 51.7.115.204 (talk) 10:53, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Get an account and add it then. Ref (chew) (do) 12:49, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

Coroner
Coroner is spelled coronor 2A00:23C7:E93B:2401:52A:FF6D:9288:25E9 (talk) 10:57, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * That is totally wrong - check any English dictionary. Ref (chew) (do) 12:49, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I think they were trying to point out that it was spelled incorrectly as "coronor" in the article. This has since been fixed. Ferocious Flying Ferrets 14:45, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Ah, I see. Thanks. Ref (chew) (do) 19:16, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

Missing last child
Can someone please add Sinead's last child to her Marriages and Children section. Here are the links https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12341693/Who-Sinead-OConnors-children.html https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/sinead-oconnor-beloved-kids-tragic-30565444 He is called Yeshua Bonadio. Thank you Veryscarymary (talk) 11:29, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Please always add new sections at the bottom of the page. Thanks. Ref (chew) (do) 12:49, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Are all of her children's names WP:NOTABLE in some way? Is such information relevant to a reader's complete understanding of the subject? See WP:BLPNAME. These are grieving people
 * See also WP:DAILYMAIL: There is consensus that the Daily Mail (including its online version, MailOnline) is generally unreliable, and its use as a reference is generally prohibited, especially when other sources exist that are more reliable. As a result, the Daily Mail should not be used for determining notability, nor should it be used as a source in articles. Kire1975 (talk) 16:44, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I totally agree with the last commenter, on both issues. Minors' names are not advisable and certainly not necessary, and all information gleaned from the Daily Mail should be discounted. Ref (chew) (do) 19:18, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

Excommunication, or not
I removed the category of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church as the present sources didn't support it. This 1999 news source does not mention excommunication and merely says that the CC does not recognise women priests.

In another part of the article it says that O'Connor has written to three Popes to be excommunicated. All three have been on the throne since her "ordination" and quite clearly none of them cared, if she had to keep asking.

This article I found from last December says that any woman claiming ordination will be excommunicated, but doesn't mention O'Connor. Anyone claiming it's the rules that all ordained women are excommunicated is breaking WP:SYNTH WP:OR unless there's a source saying this precise person was excommunicated. Unknown Temptation (talk) 18:22, 31 July 2023 (UTC)


 * That's a misreading of the policy. See also WP:SKYISBLUE. It's a fact that allowing oneself to be ordained by someone not in communion with Rome results in automatic excommunication (and there are other such grounds). In any case, there are other sources - I found these with a cursory search and am tight for time, or I'd post a couple more: 1, 2. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 19:00, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Wearing a wig to spy on protesters
Found this LA Times article about when she wore a wig to observe people protesting her:. Would be good to weave into the article. Thriley (talk) 04:56, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

Don't we have a reliable date and cause of death yet?
Don't we have a reliable date and cause of death yet? It's been 11 days. Aminabzz (talk) 09:27, 6 August 2023 (UTC)


 * No, we don't. There will be a post mortem, which may or not be reported on; there may be an inquest, which will be reported on if one takes place. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 09:57, 6 August 2023 (UTC)

Views on Islam
Has she ever noted how she converted to Islam (a homophobe religion) while she was an LGBT supporter? Aminabzz (talk) 16:54, 7 August 2023 (UTC)


 * Maybe you could research that - and likewise for the other homophobic religion she was ordained into, i.e., Christianity? <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 10:07, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 * She was a critique for other religions (of course not because of their homophobic nature).
 * On the other hand she was praising Islam even with its homophobic nature. Aminabzz (talk) 15:00, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 * This is a place to discuss improvements to the Wikipedia article, not a place to discuss Sinead O'Connor or share your opinions of her (see WP:NOTAFORUM). If you don't have any changes to suggest or sources to base those changes on then there's nothing to discuss here. Popcornfud (talk) 15:02, 8 August 2023 (UTC)

Birth name wrong ?
Her birth name, as given in the intro of this article (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor), seems to be wrong.

In her book Rememberings, Sinéad O'Connor says that her second name is Marie Bernarde, not Marie Bernadette.

"... and because my second name Marie Bernarde is the same as the 19th-Century maiden who saw the Virgin Mary there" (You can listen for yourself here at 16:20 -> Rememberings - Read by Sinéad O'Connor (audiobook sample) -     Direct link to 16:17) And it's true. According to Wikipedia, Bernadette Soubirous' birth name was Marie Bernarde, not Marie Bernadette. -> Bernadette Soubirous - Early life


 * Marie Bernarde Soubirous was the daughter of François Soubirous (1807–1871), a miller, and Louise (née Casteròt; 1825–1866), a laundress.

I also found an example with Sinéad's full name correctly written, except for the diacritics:
 * In This Heart Digital Sheet Music By Sinead Marie Bernarde O Connor

In addition, her last Twitter account which she created in early July, shows her first and her second name written this way:
 * Sinead Marie-Bernarde Aoibheann O’Connor

I have no idea where Aoibheann comes from, but it's clearly Bernarde, not Bernadette.

So, there is evidence that the form Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor isn't the correct one. 2001:9E8:4609:41A8:26D4:16F8:D40E:B99 (talk) 19:36, 8 August 2023 (UTC)

An Grianán Training Centre in Drumcondra
The Early life section states this:

"At the age of 15, following her acts of shoplifting and truancy, O'Connor was placed for 18 months in a Magdalene asylum, the Grianán Training Centre in Drumcondra run by the Order of Our Lady of Charity."

Drumconrath, a village in Co. Meath. has nothing to do with Drumcondra, an inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin.

In this article, published in the Washington Post in 2010, Sinéad O'Connor wrote that An Grianán Training Centre was located in Dublin.

"I experienced this personally. When I was a young girl, my mother -- an abusive, less-than-perfect parent -- encouraged me to shoplift. After being caught once too often, I spent 18 months in An Grianán Training Centre, an institution in Dublin for girls with behavioral problems, at the recommendation of a social worker. An Grianán was one of the now-infamous church-sponsored "Magdalene laundries," which housed pregnant teenagers and uncooperative young women. We worked in the basement, washing priests' clothes in sinks with cold water and bars of soap. We studied math and typing. We had limited contact with our families. We earned no wages. One of the nuns, at least, was kind to me and gave me my first guitar.

An Grianán was a product of the Irish government's relationship with the Vatican -- the church had a "special position" codified in our constitution until 1972. As recently as 2007, 98 percent of Irish schools were run by the Catholic Church."

In 2019, TheJournal.ie published two articles highlighting unsolved problems related with An Grianán Training Centre:

"An Grianán Training Centre was attached to St Mary’s High Park Convent’s Magdalene laundry in Drumcondra.

An Grianán - Irish for ‘sunny place’ – was used as a training centre for young girls and was adjacent to the High Park Magdalene Laundry in Drumcondra.

Having consulted the nun who ran An Grianán from 1980 onwards, a representative of the Sisters advised that the unit “was an entirely separate unit from St. Mary’s even though they shared the large building”. “I have advised in the past how the physical layout of the of the teenage unit cut them off completely from the refuge and laundry,” the order’s representative replied to the department."

"The Department [of Justice] is currently [2019] questioning a number of women’s claims, Lyon claims. They are specifically related to An Grianán Training Centre and the period of time women were admitted to the adjacent High Park Convent’s Magdalene laundry. In more than one case the department is citing information provided by religious orders which contradicts the women’s claims, says Lyon. She has called on the department to furnish the religious orders’ contradictory information to the women and/or their legal representation."

And here is the location of High Park: openstreetmap

There are however inconsistencies within the timeline.

In Feb 1990, John O'Connor, Sinéad's father, gave an interview to The Independent. He told them this: ""... Then Sinead was caught knocking off a pair of shoes in town.

" ... We heard about this school in Dublin for girls with behavioural problems, run by Sister Margaret, and we decided to send her there for six months. She used to stay there at night, continuing to go to Maryfield School by day and coming home to us at weekends. [...] "Sister Margaret bought her a guitar for Christmas and she used to sing for the other kids. [...]

"At the end of her six months with Sister Margaret, we had to find another school for Sinead. We wanted a boarding school, an understanding one, where she could be with us at weekends. [...] "Then we heard about Newtown College in Waterford. It's run by Quakers [...]

"... She was there for two years and the high point was the school concerts. The best part of her school reports was the bit that said: 'Thanks for the exhilarating performances'. She used to sing in a folk club in Waterford and I still have the copy of the Waterford Star in which the reviewer said that she would go places. [...] "One of the songs on 'The Lion and the Cobra' she wrote while she was there. She was 17, CND in Waterford was running a competition for an anti-atomic weapons song and that was when she wrote 'Drink Before the War'. She didn't win the competition."

Sister Margaret, mentioned by Sinéad's father, is also mentioned in one of the articles published by TheJournal.ie in 2019. "The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, the order that ran An Grianán and High Park, claims it stopped sending girls to the laundry after 1980 when Sister Margaret took over its operation."

While Sinéad in 2010 said, she spent 18 months in An Grianán Training Centre, her father said in 1990 that she spent 6 months in An Grianán and two years at Newtown College in Waterford.

I think there is more information and clarification needed in order to get a consistent timeline.

2001:9E8:4614:B7BC:2D33:8652:C782:672 (talk) 22:09, 9 August 2023 (UTC)


 * Well caught on both - the timing inconsistencies must be checked and sorted, while on the link, that piped erroneous link is just bizarre, and I will sort it right away. SeoR (talk) 22:37, 9 August 2023 (UTC)

Date of death
I presume we're still not at the point at which we can WP:V? I'm aware that people are adding the date (26 July) in good faith, but WP:3RR and all that... MIDI (talk) 20:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)


 * Can the date be removed until we get verification? 2601:19C:4A09:435C:5542:4DEA:61C7:D860 (talk) 20:06, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes, it should be. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to make any more reverts to the article for the time-being. But as it stands, the claim of the date fundamentally fails WP:V. MIDI (talk) 20:08, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * The date has been verified to be 26 July according to BBC:
 * https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66318626 73.89.128.20 (talk) 20:30, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Where in that link does it confirm the day she died (vs the day her death was announced, which isn't the same thing). -- Zim <b style="color:darkgreen">Zala</b> Bim <sup style="color:black">talk 20:39, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * An editor added that the date was confirmed to be 26 July, even though the article doesn’t mention a date of death. 73.89.128.20 (talk) 20:47, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Indeed, the date of her death is nowhere confirmed, i'll remove it from the article. Saschaporsche (talk) 20:42, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I have also removed it. We need to wait until there's a WP:RS reporting the actual date. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 21:50, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * The Guardian confirms her date of death to be 26 July:
 * https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/26/sinead-oconnor-obituary 2601:19C:4A09:4585:643B:3AA7:97AD:FFD1 (talk) 21:53, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Any site will tell when she died. It was yesterday morning. 2600:6C46:587F:C375:4D4A:45B0:F3EE:481A (talk) 21:32, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Regarding 3RR; this might fall into the BLP exemption, but I've also put a message at WP:BLPN since I share your discomfort with making reverts even if it's exempt from 3RR and I'm hopeful others can help. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 23:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * The actual time of her death and date was the 25, at 11:22 pm I'm pretty sure. Over5help550 (talk) 22:02, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Where can this be confirmed? Magnus Bodin (talk) 19:25, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Per The Guardian: Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, or Shuhada’ Sadaqat, musician, born 8 December 1966; died 26 July 2023. Rusted AutoParts 21:54, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I'm not entirely sure they have that actually from a source or are just deriving it from the date of the family's announcement (which didn't specify a date of death). -- Zim <b style="color:darkgreen">Zala</b> Bim <sup style="color:black">talk 22:04, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * That is original research on your end. Guardian make clear distinction's when a date of death was still unknown. Rusted AutoParts  22:16, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

(Copied from Rusted AutoParts talk page:) "People have been adding a supposed date of death all evening, even though there was no article stating that today was the date of death. See the Talk page. Yes, I missed your addition - apologies - but I have a sneaking suspicion that The Guardian didn't properly fact-check that date either and just made an assumption; it's still not live on any Irish news website, with most still saying "The death has been announced..." and giving no date of death - see RTÉ as of 20 minutes ago, The Irish Times, and The Irish Independent (around an hour ago). As this is still effectively a BLP, you need better sourcing than the final line of one obit from a different country."

Agree with ZimXalaBim. The final line of a foreign obit is not enough. Reverting. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 22:07, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Having a "sneaking suspicion" does not merit discrediting a reputable outlet like The Guardian who, as stated, make clarification about if a DOD is known or not, see their obituaries for Sean Connery (DOD eventually corroborated via death ceritificate) or Leonard Cohen (whose obituary they updated when the proper DOD was stipulated). They don't just guess. Even so, making that assumption is OR. So I fail to see why the inclusion of a DOD is being withheld, outside of you already making investment in the stance that it's unknown. Rusted AutoParts  22:16, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Also, dismissing the outlet as a "foreign obit" feels....prejudiced, don't you think? Are they not able to write a correct report just because they aren't Irish? Rusted AutoParts  22:23, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * It is reasonable to question whether the last line in an obit (and only one obit as far as can be discovered) has a source that actually confirms the date of death, when the official statement released by the family (and reported on by local outlets) don't indicate that date. What is the harm in waiting for a confirmed reporting of the date? -- Zim <b style="color:darkgreen">Zala</b> Bim <sup style="color:black">talk 22:27, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Because The Guardian is a verifiable source? Why is their stating the DOD disqualified in favor of "waiting for a confirmed reporting"? This has always been their format, and as demonstrated they do not introduce a DOD without reason. If it was unknown they state as such. Rusted AutoParts  22:34, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I agree that The Guardian is a reliable source, but it's also noteworthy that no other sources are listing a death date yet. The "recently died" part of WP:BLP applies here; Wikipedia must get the article right (emphasis is part of the original). It doesn't harm the article if we don't have an exact date at the moment nearly as much as it does if we're wrong about that date. We don't need to be first, we need to be right. Once a couple reliable sources are reporting the date, we can update it. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 22:46, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I agree. -- Zim <b style="color:darkgreen">Zala</b> Bim <sup style="color:black">talk 23:28, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

second article from The Guardian unambiguously stating 26th as DOD. NME had also published their articles unambiguously stating 26th. Rusted AutoParts 08:26, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Agree with, plenty of reliable sources confirming 26 July was the date of death. In addition to the NME and 2x Guardian articles above, The Times makes four with "Sinéad O’Connor, musician, was born on December 8, 1966. She died of undisclosed causes on July 26, 2023, aged 56". The Times are very specific about death dates and they will use "death announced on XXX" if they're uncertain. Thanks --Jkaharper (talk) 10:44, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I think we have to run with the 26th (as has been edited back in), given the sources - but keeping in mind that we have a day of finding and a time of pronouncement, but there is no definitive timing of the actual event pending medical input, so this may alter. There was reason to be careful and respectful about this point. SeoR (talk) 12:10, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes, it makes sense to include now, as it's being reported in reliable sources that she died on July 26, see also BBC, Police say she was found "unresponsive" and "pronounced dead at the scene" at 11:18 BST and her family had been notified. It might be possible that an autopsy changes that but at this point we are matching reliable sources and not just matching the date of announcement. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 14:40, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * De date of death is still unknown. The individual journalists who wrote that she died on 26 July didn't do a properly fact-check. The police report is clear. They were called in, so probably not a doctor or ambulance. So she was already dead. The police reported that the investigation will take weeks (here). The coronor's office mentions the same (here). We can only write that she was found dead on 26 July. And we will have to wait for more news from the coronor or police. Happytravels (talk) 07:16, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * The individual journalists who wrote that she died on 26 July didn't do a properly fact-check is a claim requiring at least some source of its own, seeing as The Guardian and The Times are both generally reliable. And from the BLPN discussion: We certainly use "best known" dates of death, very often. Short of sources stating the 26 July date is specifically questioned, I don't believe there's a WP:V issue here anymore. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 20:59, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * And is that source, for anyone coming to this discussion late. Which seems enough to say again that at the moment, sources do not agree on a death date and we should not include one.  Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 03:36, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

A question so I can learn: Why was her death not simply stated as 'found dead on July 26' and left alone? When the official announcement of the actual date was made then do an edit to reflect that announcement. Is this a clear policy issue? It seems a whole lot of concern was misspent. I'm am not an expert, but in my years of editing here I was always under the impression that articles could be edited to reflect the truth about a subject when known. Wikipedia is not a newspaper. O'Connor's passing should be noted with current information and then the actual date clarified when it has been made official. THX1136 (talk) 16:00, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Because at the time there had been no specific stipulations from the coroner that there was room for uncertainty about when she died, it was just reported as her being discovered unresponsive and then pronounced dead. Reliable secondary sources attributed the DOD as being the 26th without ambiguity, and couple with what I said about there being no prior stipulations of doubt, that is why. The coroner has since reported cause and date are still unknown. Rusted AutoParts  23:05, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * No dead body's should be left alone. There should be investigations on unknown causes of death. Over5help550 (talk) 16:32, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Or, in other words, Rusted AutoParts was wrong to simply accept the first statement of a "Reliable Source", even though other editors had proposed awaiting actual proper clarification in a publication, rather than accepting mere assertion. Still - it's a learning experience? <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 23:06, 1 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Yeah, no. I do not have a crystal ball in my possession, I can’t predict whether or not a coroner will make a specific clarification as to whether there’s doubt about a death date or a death cause. Sometimes that happens sometimes that doesn’t, we just have what is presented with the sources. Sources say this was the date of death? Alright we mark that. New details emerge suggesting that’s not the case, alright mark that. The sources should do better due diligence, but I will also not be making it a habit to go “oh, they’re saying this, but can we truly know that?” Rusted AutoParts  07:18, 11 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Nobody is expecting you to doubt everything, obviously, but sometimes a little dash of healthy skepticism, or "let's wait and see" is better than "I read it on the internet so it must be true." If a source is reporting "X said she had died on...", that's one thing. A news outlet just asserting a date without any attribution? Time to wait, maybe. There is no deadline. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 09:44, 11 August 2023 (UTC)
 * It was right to be cautious; such dates are usually clear but this case was an exception. It just meant cautious wording. It may now be time to conclude, pending any surprise input. The autopsy was completed, the body released, and the family proceeded with the funeral. And they ordered the gravestone, with a permanently carved date - and this has been reported. So now the 26 July looks firm… SeoR (talk) 10:27, 11 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Agreed. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 10:42, 11 August 2023 (UTC)

Further agreed that 1) caution was correct and 2) we should have the date as 26 July now. As Vaticidalprophet noted in the BLPN discussion, We certainly use "best known" dates of death, very often. Most subjects are not internationally famous, and the best source you ever get on when they died is when they were "found dead".

The messiness here is because this reporting went through several phases, and in each the right thing to do was subtly different:
 * 1) First, no reporting listed a death date. At this time, the correct thing was to not include any specific date. MIDI, who started this discussion, has a good essay on this. Here, most of the conflict came from editors confusing date of reporting with a date of death.
 * 2) Second, one obituary (the Guardian one, ) had a death date of 26 July listed. It was reasonable to treat this as a reliable source, and similarly reasonable to be concerned that no other sources were reporting a date of death. That's where most of the talk page back and forth here happened. IMHO once concerns were expressed about the accuracy, the correct thing to do would be to not include any specific date. The "recently died" part of BLP certainly applied at this point, and as many editors have noted, Wikipedia's principles emphasize accuracy, not speed of reporting.
 * 3) Third, multiple reports stated O'Connor was declared dead on 26 July (e.g ). At this point we had a legal date of death stated in multiple reliable sources. A medical time of death was still not definitively known, which some editors expressed concern over. It's iffy whether or not that concern was substantial enough to override including a known legal date of death, as medical times of death are often unknown. Personally, I feel that including the date of death in the article at this phase was appropriate.
 * 4) Fourth, a report from the Irish Independent stated that the date of death was still unknown . At this point we again had conflicting reporting, concerns were raised, and the date was removed from the article again. I think this is where the right thing to do is murkiest. Options include leaving the date alone, adding a footnote that the medical date is still unknown, using circa (which ultimately is what was done), or completely removing the date.
 * 5) Fifth and currently, no further reporting has suggested any other date of death, reporting continues to use the 26 July date of death, and that date has been used on her headstone. At this point, there is no reason to remain cautious; 26 July is the broadly accepted date of death.

Note that the right thing to do was never to edit war over the inclusion of the date. In the first phase (and only the first phase), removing the date may have been 3RR exempt (exemption 7), but even then, the edit warring was unnecessary and disruptive at a time when this article had substantial attention from readers. Dylnuge (Talk • Edits) 18:44, 11 August 2023 (UTC)


 * Sinead did pass away on July 26. Her death date is displayed on her grave stone.
 * https://extra.ie/2023/08/10/news/irish-news/sinead-oconnor-final-resting-place 78.77.214.214 (talk) 15:48, 12 August 2023 (UTC)

RfC: New infobox image?
I think the older photo on the infobox is not fine, the newer one is better. Like these examples.

The photos of Elizabeth II and Tina Turner were discussed via the talk page. Why not have a vote once and for all for the final infobox image?

 RM X Y  (talk) 04:57, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Please vote below this line
Option 2, until a better early photo becomes available, although this one is very good for portrayal. Randy Kryn (talk) 11:43, 28 July 2023 (UTC)


 * w@Randy Kryn a 5.210.187.168 (talk) 12:46, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * @5.210.187.168 n 5.210.187.168 (talk) 12:48, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Option 1 for now. 113.211.210.224 (talk) 14:18, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 I am a strong supporter of the "when a notable person dies, make the infobox image a photo of them in their prime" concept. I think this image is not the best, but Option 1 is also not the best image either. So I'm settling on Option 2 but hopefully a better image from the 1980s/1990s will become available to replace it with. <b style="color: #AB2B2B;">{ [ ( jjj</b> <b style="color: #000000;">1238 ) ] }</b> 14:20, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 as per above Edl-irishboy (talk) 16:24, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 1: We should use the best quality and most recent photo of the person in the infobox. This photo clearly shows the whole of her face and both eyes, unlike the other. I support the 1987 black-and-white photo being placed in the "1980s" section of the page. Helper201 (talk) 17:43, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 per Jjj1238, including “hopefully a better image from the 1980s/1990s will become available to replace it with” — OwenBlacker (he/him; Talk) 17:53, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 Closer to her prime. Nice artistic photo for a musical artist that reflects her character. TarkusAB talk / contrib 18:50, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Note: Two "prime" images of Sinéad O'Connor have become available: Edl-irishboy (talk) 18:20, 28 July 2023 (UTC)


 * Some of these images are very, very poor quality. The black & white image number 2 is terrible for contrast and detail, ruining the two most important features of monochrome film. Image 3 is fuzzy and criminally cropped. I prefer images 1 and 4. Binksternet (talk) 18:25, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Comment: I personally disagree with either of these two being "prime" images or using either in the infobox. Helper201 (talk) 18:26, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Comment: There is also a close-up and colour verson of image 4, seen here.

Helper201 (talk) 18:33, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 is my preference. Options 1 and 4 are acceptable but not my preferences. Option 3 is entirely inappropriate—beyond the extremely low resolution, it's cropped out of a "photo collage" that is literally just a screenshot from a Google Images search, making the licensing information suspect (and indeed, the uncropped version shows some sort of watermark on the right side of that specific image File:Sineád O´Connor collage.jpg. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 03:48, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

Option 1. Not only is the first photo better, there is also no reason at all to change pictures upon death. Str1977 (talk) 11:15, 30 July 2023 (UTC)


 * Just to be clear, images (can) become fair use when the person dies, so that could be a reason to change from a worse free image to a better fair use image. Valereee (talk) 19:36, 30 July 2023 (UTC)

Can we wrap up this RfC? Option 2 appears to have it. The votes are tallied 6 for Option 1, 8 for Option 2. Holidayruin (talk) 02:13, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 * From most-preferred to least-preferred: Option 5, Option 1 (Cropped), Option 4 (Colored), Option 2. Endof  talk  14:15, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I'd added some more options for us to choose from (see above). And to comment, for infobox pictures I believe Wikipedia should choose the picture that's the most easily recognizable of the subject, so that readers can immediately identify the subject. I'm not exactly against the concept of choosing image in someone's prime. Although it fits in well with the concept of choosing a easily recognizable picture, other criteria should also be considered such as lighting, color, blurriness, etc. Although Option 2 has her during her prime years, the argument for "prime years" fails here because she kept the same appearance in the newer pictures, which have her in the same appearance during her prime years and also have color and better lighting, thus more easily recognizable. I believe option 5 is the best b/c out of all the pictures available, it provides the the clearest view of her, although admittedly the closed eyes is a bit of a concern. Endof talk  14:15, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 6 As well as my previous vote for option 1, I also think option 6 is a good option and vote for this as well and would advocate for either of these two. Like option 1 this clearly shows her face and both eyes with them open. Helper201 (talk) 17:55, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Is your vote for Option 1 or Option 6? You only get one. Holidayruin (talk) 04:31, 3 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 1. Apologies for any confusion, I didn't realise you could only vote for a single option. Helper201 (talk) 21:16, 3 August 2023 (UTC)
 * There is no such rule; you can absolutely express a preference for various options in any discussion (also they're not votes, technically). In a discussion like this it can actually be quite useful to list various options you support. Common wiki etiquette is to only have a single bolded comment on a discussion. The typical way to add on to your original comment is just to reply to it (and revise your original comment in the event you wanted to strike part of it). Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 17:45, 11 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 1. It's a good, clear image. For the main infobox picture we should not be showing her in Christian priest's collar, something she moved away from. Option 5 would also be acceptable for the infobox. Option 2 should absolutely be kept for the 1980s section. <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 18:30, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Comment: It looks far worse to be actively edit warring over the photo than any of these photos do. I've glanced at this page a couple times today and the photo has changed back and forth; I don't care who is changing it or why you're convinced you're in the right, just please stop. It is one of the most visible aspects on a page that is currently receiving hundreds of thousands of views a day. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 23:40, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Agreed! <span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif">Bastun Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ! 10:30, 31 July 2023 (UTC)
 * No change, which is option 1. There's no need for an arbitrary change, the image (albeit [artistically?] on the wonk) is one of sufficient quality showing what this person looked like and doing what they were known for doing. MIDI (talk) 08:55, 1 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2 is a wonderful image. Not to mention, the examples of the infobox pictures of Elizabeth II, Tina Turner, and Tony Bennett all ended up more like Option 2. Holidayruin (talk) 02:03, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Comment The above is Arguments to avoid on discussion pages and WP:OTHERCONTENT. Helper201 (talk) 07:49, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
 * This is an extraordinarily bad reason to discount comments here. An RfC of "what image should we use" is generally personal taste by nature; short of things that are explicitly inappropriate to use (Option 3 due to licensing, see my !vote), these are always going to come down to preference. How detailed someone is in expressing their preference or why they believe photo X is higher quality than photo Y does not change that it is a subjective matter in the first place.
 * Further, looking at what was done on other articles for an example is not a reason to discount an opinion on its own; the very essay you linked clearly says: While these comparisons are not a conclusive test, they may form part of a cogent argument; an entire comment should not be dismissed because it includes a comparative statement like this. The RfC statement itself uses those exact examples (an FA and two GAs) to illustrate the consensus that has been reached in other biographies where the subject recently died. Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 17:15, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Comment I am shocked there isn’t a photo available of her at the height of her fame circa 1992. Has anyone done a deep search? Thriley (talk) 18:54, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 2. I don't have strong feelings here, but... I think from an encylopedic perspective, we should choose an image that represents the most notable version of the subject. Option 2, which starkly illustrates O'Connor's famous skinhead and "confrontational" gaze, and was taken when she was more notable than at other periods in her life, fits that bill. (It's also simply a better photograph than the others, IMO.) BTW, is there no guidance or policy around this issue? If not, there probably should be. Popcornfud (talk) 19:02, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Option 1 has my vote. I recognize O'Connor only in options 1 and 2. None of the other options had that impact on me. After the historic moment during which she tore a photo of the pope, O'Connor got shunned by mainstream media, which lead to the majority of people losing contact. It wasn't until recent years that that started to change. So for us older people, option 2 is how we remember O'Connor. Younger people may only recognize her from option 1. The people who recognize her from the other photos will be more dedicated fans. Wandermunch (talk) 02:29, 4 August 2023 (UTC)
 * It hasn't been 30 days, but the discussion has died down, so closure might be appropriate (though, looking again at this, it doesn't seem like it's actually a listed RFC; @RapMonstaXY was your intent to list it?). It should be closed by someone uninvolved in the original discussion though, and you shouldn't be re-bolding your preference here (especially after you told off others for doing the same). Dylnuge  (Talk • Edits) 17:48, 11 August 20:23 (UTC)


 * No need to change anything. I'll go with Option 1 (cropped), i.e. the status quo, none of the other photos are as good.  --  SashiRolls 🌿 ·     🍥 18:39, 11 August 2023 (UTC)

1987 Portrait
Should we pay respect to O'Conner by using her 1987 portait or are we going to keep it as the 2014 picture? WiinterU (talk) 19:58, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 * We don't choose images based on paying respect; an image should be chosen on its encyclopaedic merit. There is a discussion above which (although it seems to have gone a bit stale) you're welcome to add your opinion to. MIDI (talk) 20:02, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 * I understand that the discussion has now been closed, but since she passed while holding the position that she did not want her hair shown publicly because of her religious beliefs, would it not make sense to have the picture representing her one that covers her hair? Using an image of her with her hair could be seen as something offensive due to it going directly against her privacy. FactchecktruthME (talk) 18:23, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

Religious Observance For Shuhada
Shuhada was a practicing Muslim woman who in recent years covered her hair as a sign of her faith. While she wore it when she wanted and whatnot, it's still an important part of who she is and I'm asking for the picture to be changed to something more respectful for her where her hair and bare skin are covered such as the picture used by the NYT There should also be a note closer to the beginning and not the personal life section where her name that she chose after converting, Shuhada Sadaqat, is listed as that was the name she was known as before her death though she still responded to Sinead. All I'm asking for is an observation and respectful following of her beliefs for her wikipedia page especially since she's since passed and cannot ask for changes herself. Isiah9903 (talk) 17:50, 16 September 2023 (UTC)


 * @Isiah9903 First, regarding the name. It is mentioned in the introduction section and listed in bold. It's arguable that it should be mentioned in the first sentence, but since she continued to perform under her birth name, the current approach is not unreasonable.
 * Second, re …especially since she's since passed and cannot ask for changes herself. Changes to articles are based on Wikipedia policy and not the requests of subjects. There is a policy-based reason to mention her name in the intro, and it is. There are also policy-based reasons that limit our choice of images.
 * As for the image. The current image is a free image, so any replacement image would also need to be under a free license. That is the first consideration: is an image of her with her hair covered available under a free license? The second consideration is, what image is most representative of her? Given that her hair was arguably an identifying characteristic of her, an image with her hair exposed is appropriate to accurately represent her for encyclopedia purpose. As to …observation and respectful following of her beliefs…, we do not delete articles on indigenous Australians just because they pass away, even though that is disrespectful for both mentioning their names and, where they articles have images, showing their pictures. Our purpose as an encyclopedia sometimes goes against being respectful of subjects' beliefs (not to mention readers' beliefs, which there is no way to practically respect all of at once). —C.Fred (talk) 17:59, 16 September 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 4 December 2023
Death: According to the Independent UK, on 27 July 2023, singer Morrissey — despite showing little support for Sinéad O’Connor when she was alive — issued a withering statement to some stars and members of the press who commemorated her.

Death: Writer Helen Brown remembered O'Connor as a figure who walked alone, “outwardly fearless although often fearful”. “So she was messy. Confused. But I don’t think she was capable of telling a lie,” Brown wrote. “In between the mess was an extraordinary, smart, but damaged human searching fiercely for a truth to cling to. Not to mention the many great records she made along the way.”

On Madonna: In an interview with Spin magazine in 1991, O’Connor directly referenced Madonna and called her out for allegedly making unkind comments about her appearance while being a promoter of women’s rights. “Madonna is probably the hugest role model for women in America,” O’Connor noted. “There’s a woman who people look up to as being a woman who campaigns for women’s rights. A woman who, in an abusive way toward me, said that I look like I had a run-in with a lawnmower and that I was about as sexy as a Venetian blind. Now there’s the woman that America looks up to as being a campaigner for women, slagging off another woman for not being sexy.”

On Miley Cyrus who, on social media, mocked people with reported mental health issues: “Miley, I have no interest whatsoever in meeting you,” O’Connor wrote in a third open letter to singer Miley Cyrus posted on 4 October 2013. “You had plenty of time yesterday to abuse Amanda Bynes an entirely innocent party and myself who also did nothing to deserve your abuse, along with every other sufferer of mental health problems and every person who suffered abuse at the hands of priests.”

Politics: In June of 2021, O'Connor launched a petition calling for the arrest of her far-right ex-partner John Waters and far-right conspiracy theorist Gemma O'Doherty "for incitement to racial discrimination," after they questioned Leo Varadkar's right to serve as Tanáiste on the basis that "he is not Irish". (Varadkar was born in Dublin's Rotunda Hospital to an Irish mother and an Indian father.) After five days, the petition had already received more than 1,400 signatures.

Garbage lead vocalist Shirley Manson on Sinéad O'Connor: "The problem is, our society is so primitive and so cruel — especially the entertainment industry. There’s a lust for shaming because it creates scandal, and scandal sells. That’s, I think, why the world enjoys destroying people: They make money from it. There is still very little interest in adulating women. The world is very quick to fetishize and idolize the male rock star, but won’t do it with the female rock star who has agency. They’re happy to promote the sexy kittens who wear nice clothes, smile a lot, and look fuckable, but who don’t really write and have very little to say. But they’re not comfortable with the idea of someone like Sinéad O’Connor — who was confident enough in her own intellect and her beliefs and her moral compass to stand up and protest against what she saw as flagrant human rights abuses around the world. They hated her for it. They hated that she wasn’t looking to be told what to say. They hated that she wasn’t looking for approval. They loathed that she shaved her head and basically put her finger up to the culture in which we all exist. And they made her pay for that. They punished her over and over and over again. No punishment was ever enough."

Valencabal (talk) 04:28, 4 December 2023 (UTC) Valencabal (talk) 04:28, 4 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. Shadow311 (talk) 17:09, 6 December 2023 (UTC)

natural causes
She died of natural causes. 216.164.254.3 (talk) 16:45, 9 January 2024 (UTC)

1987 Photo Revert
I'm confused about the 1987 image being reverted and I will explain why: The general reason given for the revert is "no consensus" and to maintain the status quo, but there is a Wikipedia article called "Wikipedia:Don't revert due solely to "no consensus." Here's a quoted summary of the page: "This page in a nutshell: If the only thing you have to say about a Wikipedia edit is that it lacks consensus, it's best to not revert it." Misterspaceman (talk) 20:28, 28 January 2024 (UTC)


 * , the conclusion/consensus of Talk:Sinéad O'Connor/Archive 3 was to maintain the existing photo. Helper201 (talk) 22:02, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

Legal name in first line
Since "Sinéad O'Connor" continues to be the name by which she's best known, it makes sense for it to be the title of the page and the name by which she's called throughout the article. However, most Wikipedia articles about people who are best known by something other than their legal name still refer to them by their legal name on first reference. In this case, that would look something like "Shuhada' Sadaqat, more commonly known as Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor, was..."

In fact, looking at the talk page archives, it looks like this page at one point DID refer to her as Shuhada' Sadaqat on first reference. Is there a good reason this changed? I looked up the Wikipedia policies I could find on biographies and naming conventions, and they all seem to support using "Shuhada' Sadaqat" in the first sentence of the article. At the very least, it seems bad that right now this name isn't mentioned until the very end of the third paragraph. Skathelen (talk) 14:14, 13 February 2024 (UTC)


 * I have boldly updated this. I think the article perhaps still needs some consideration. She was unquestionably best known as "Sinéad O'Connor", but her preferred/legal name should perhaps be used more throughout. The Cat Stevens article is at "Cat Stevens", but refers to him as "Yusuf Islam" throughout. McPhail (talk) 10:04, 13 March 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 25 March 2024
In this sentence: "On 9 January 2024, it was announced that a tribute concert for O'Connor and Shane MacGowan from The Pogues who also passed away in 2023 would take place on 22 March in Carnegie Hall in New York City."

"22 March" should be changed to "20 March".

Source: both linked sources have 20th as the date. I have also been to the show, so can definitely confirm that it happened on the 20th. 173.52.60.179 (talk) 17:57, 25 March 2024 (UTC)
 * ✅ Jamedeus (talk) 18:03, 25 March 2024 (UTC)