Remembering Sinéad O’Connor: musical icon, fearless feminist, woman of courage

Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor died this week at the age of 56.

A trailblazer, feminist and advocate for social change, O’Connor will be remembered for her outstanding contribution to music and her courage in speaking out against the status quo.

A fond friend of The Women’s Podcast, O’Connor last joined podcast presenter Róisín Ingle for an interview in 2021, while promoting her memoir Rememberings.

The interview was recorded in the conservatory of her home in the Wicklow countryside. It explored her life in depth, from her early childhood and her time spent living in a Magdalene laundry, to the struggles she faced after an emergency hysterectomy in 2015.

Sinéad O’Connor obituary: ‘Proud to be a troublemaker’

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Sinéad O’Connor 1966-2023: A life in pictures

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What Ireland Can Teach the World About Music: showing the magical power of musicians to soundtrack our lives and times

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O’Connor also delved into the ways women are treated in the music industry, her escape from Ireland and how tearing up the photograph of the pope”rerailed” as opposed to “derailed” her career.

To pay tribute to the acclaimed singer, we are republishing that episode today. You can listen back to it in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for The Women’s Podcast in your podcast app.