Details of Sinéad O’Connor’s cause of death have been revealed, reports say

Sinéad O’Connor’s death certificate confirmed that she died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, the Irish Independent and The Guardian reported on Sunday.

The Irish singer-songwriter, who died almost exactly a year ago at the age of 56, was also suffering from a respiratory infection at the time of her death, according to the Irish Independent, which first reported the news.

Her first husband, John Reynolds, who remained a friend, registered the death certificate in Lambeth, London, last Wednesday.

The document said O’Connor died of an “exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma along with a low-grade lower respiratory tract infection,” according to reports.

Southwark Coroner’s Court told HuffPost on Monday that O’Connor “died of natural causes” and the coroner had dropped his involvement in her death. He declined to comment further.

A representative from Lambeth Register Office told HuffPost they could not confirm the details of the death certificate.

O’Connor, who changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat in 2018 after converting to Islam, died on July 26, 2023, at her home in London.

Her son Shane O’Connor died in early 2022, aged 17.

Known for her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and her shaved head look, the singer achieved worldwide success in 1990, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her death sparked an outpouring of love and tributes from around the world.

Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s prime minister at the time, said her “talent was unmatched and without comparison”.

O’Connor was also known for her outspoken stances on social and political issues. In 1992, she caused major backlash when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a “Saturday Night Live” appearance. She later explained that it was a statement against child abuse in the Catholic Church, which she personally experienced.

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