Sinead O’Connor, who stirred controversy by tearing a picture of Pope Paul John Paul II, has passed away at the age of 56. She is survived by her three children. Confirming her death, her family requested privacy at this difficult time. Paying his tribute, Prime Minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed his sorrow at the death of the singer and said that her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare. Foreign Minister Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that she was one of the greatest musical icons and the people of Ireland loved her deeply. Sinead O’Connor released ten studio albums and the Billboard Music Awards named her song ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ as the number-one world single in 1990. Her version of the ballads fetched her three Grammy nominations and topped the charts across the world. Rolling Stone magazine named her the Artist of the Year in 1991. Earlier this year, she was bestowed with the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards. Sinead O’Connor created controversy in 1992 when participating in a television show she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II in protest against sexual abuses in Roman Catholic Church. Later she refused to apologize and said that she was not sorry for what she did as it was brilliant. She also said that she was traumatized as she ‘was treated like a crazy bitch’. O’Connor raked up further controversy by refusing to play up the U.S. national anthem before her concerts. She told Oprah Winfrey that she was suffering from bipolar disorder and she thought of committing suicide. She supported Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus when the performers faced intense public scrutiny.
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