Sinéad O'Connor has been remembered as a "beloved daughter of Ireland" with "a poet's heart" whose "voice moved a generation of young people" at her funeral service, after which large crowds turned out to pay their respects on the streets of Bray.
The singer's life was celebrated at a private ceremony, before the funeral cortège travelled past her former home in Bray so fans could pay their respects before a private burial.
President Michael D Higgins, his wife Sabina, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar were also in attendance, where Muslim funeral prayers were led by Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, Chief Imam at the Islamic Centre of Ireland.
In a eulogy he shared online after the ceremony, Dr Al-Qadri said: "The more she sang and spoke about her own pain, as well as about the pervasive sins in society that she witnessed, the more her voice and her words resonated with listeners and touched their hearts.
"Sinéad never stopped her search to know God fully, exemplifying a life marked with a deep communion with God.
"Gifted with a voice that moved a generation of young people, she could reduce listeners to tears by her otherworldly resonance."
He added: "I know that peoples of all faiths throughout the world will be praying for this beloved daughter of Ireland, among them will be countless Muslims praying for their sister in faith and humanity."
Roads were closed so fans could line the streets to pay their respects as the hearse bearing her coffin passed by her former home on the seafront.
As it stopped outside the property, Montebello, where she lived for 15 years, fans applauded and threw flowers.
Her coffin was covered in blue and pink flowers.
A Volkswagen camper van decorated with the Pride flag and the Rastafarian flag drove in front of the hearse, with songs playing from speakers mounted on the roof.
Fans had gathered from early this morning outside the house to wait for the cortège to pass by.
Many laid flowers and handwritten notes, thanking Ms O'Connor her for sharing her voice and her music.
One note said: "You are forever in my heart."
A pink chair was placed outside the pink-framed conservatory of the house, with pink flowers, candles and a photo of the singer placed at the base of the chair.
A heart-shaped floral bouquet featured a picture of the star and two Irish flags.
One sign left at the wall of the property listed causes that the singer had expressed support for, including welcoming refugees.
Read more:
As it happened: Sinéad O'Connor remembered in Bray
Sinéad: Universal Mother Éire
It read: "Where words fail, music speaks."
A neighbour was also seen putting candles on the wall that separated the two properties.
The cortege later moved on to a private burial.
Sla'n abhaile, Sinead; Dia leat.
— Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri (@DrUmarAlQadri) August 8, 2023
💚☘️🇮🇪#SineadOConnor pic.twitter.com/i6LEmyGGKr
Since her death was announced on 26 July, people have been leaving flowers and paying their respects at the house in Bray, which the singer sold in 2021 and now lies empty.
The Grammy-winning singer was found unresponsive by police at her home in southeast London, with her death at the age of 56 being treated as not suspicious.
People have travelled far and wide to Co Wicklow today to pay their respects to Sinéad O'Connor. The singer’s funeral cortége will pass through Bray after a private funeral service to allow her fans to say a final farewell. pic.twitter.com/HRlntAS4BK
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 8, 2023
She had been propelled to international stardom in 1990 with her version of Nothing Compares 2 U.
The news of her death sparked a host of tributes from fans and famous faces from around the world.
Ken Doyle, of the band Bagatelle, was a neighbour of Ms O'Connor's when she lived on the Bray seafront.
He said: "Sinead was a very private person and me being in the music business in Bagatelle as well, I know when people need their space.
"She had the quoin stones painted with the Rastafarian flag and I met her at the gate and I just said: 'Hi Sinéad, you must be a big Bob Marley fan with the Rastafarian flag on the quoin stones.'
"And she said 'I am. I'm a huge fan. He's my hero really.'
"And I said, 'Well I had the honour of supporting him at Dalymount Park in 1980.'
"And she looked at me and took a puff from her cigarette, and said: 'You lucky fecker.' And she walked away and that was our conversation."
Sinéad O'Connor’s funeral cortége will pass through Bray today. Ken Doyle of the band Bagatelle was her neighbour on the seafront. He remembers a shy person who considered Bob Marley her hero. pic.twitter.com/hAzbYaN14m
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 8, 2023
Liam Ó MaonlaÍ, leader singer of The Hothouse Flowers, said Ms O'Connor was "up against it from the get-go".
Speaking ahead of the funeral procession in Bray, he said he hoped she smiled in her last moments.
"The career-minded (musicians) who stay within a parameter of what they're told to do, they find a formula and they stick to it," Mr Ó Maonlaí said.
"She didn't do that."
He said he last spoke to Ms O'Connor at a birthday party either last year or the year before.
Asked why so many people had gathered at her home, Mr Ó Maonlaí said "everyone has their own reasons".
"I think it's love is why people are outside the house today. They loved her. I admired her."
Local Green Party councillor and a former Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District Erika Doyle said the town is incredibly grateful to Ms O'Connor's family for allowing them to be a part of her final journey and to stand and mind Ms O'Connor on that final journey along the seafront.
Councillor Doyle also explained that everyone who lived in Bray felt a strong connection to Ms O'Connor and tried to "protect her" from prying eyes where they could.
"I think, after the initial 'wow’ that we all did when she moved to Bray, we all left her alone and looked out for her.
"I like to think that she knew that, and I think that the family’s decision to have Sinéad pass by the seafront on her way home is maybe testament to that. That she did feel some sort of peace when she was here," Ms Doyle added.
