I lived around the corner from Sinéad O’Connor (Obituary, 26 July) in central London in the early 1990s. I’d see her out and about doing ordinary things with her very young son – like popping into the local delis and cake shops. Like me, she was only in her mid-20s; unlike me, she was already a parent, globally famous and intensely controversial. But Sinéad always had the time to acknowledge a friendly greeting with a smiling hello. She was clearly a devoted mother.
Sinéad was a great singer. She also fearlessly said out loud dark things about Ireland that we all knew were true but wanted to ignore. Now, she deservedly takes her place alongside other great Irish radicals like Constance Markievicz, James Connolly and Jim Larkin in the pantheon of historic figures who dedicated their lives to the betterment of their fellow citizens.
Joe McCarthy
Dublin
