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'Fearless' Sinéad O'Connor remembered at Dublin, London vigils

Floral tributes to Sinéad O'Connor at the London Irish Centre in Camden
Floral tributes to Sinéad O'Connor at the London Irish Centre in Camden

People in Ireland and the UK gathered to pay their respects to Sinéad O'Connor, who died on Wednesday aged 56.

Hundreds of people gathered at the London Irish Centre, in North London, for an evening celebrating the Nothing Compares 2 U singer's life and music.

Famous members of the Irish diaspora from comedian Sharon Horgan to DJ Annie Mac attended the event.

Fans arrive to pay tribute to Sinead O'Connor at A Gathering for Sinéad in London

Attendees were treated to a reading of one of Ms O'Connor's letters by actress Lisa Dwan, as well as a rendition of Take Me To Church, led by comedian Aisling Bea.

Irish singer Moncrieff said it was "really special" to be at the event.

"It was really special just to be a part of it," he said.

"To be around people who knew Sinéad and were a part of her life was just a privilege.

"I'm an artist from Waterford, I moved to London a few years ago.

"Just to be in that room, in that energy, to celebrate someone so important in Irish culture and the history of Ireland, and Irish music, I wouldn't have missed it."

Sinéad O'Connor died on Wednesday aged 56

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Blanid Lynn, from Northern Ireland, said that the event was "amazing".

"Tonight was really amazing, Sinéad was such a role model and an icon, a fantastic artist, and a voice for everyone who didn't have a voice," she said.

She said that one of the highlights of the evening was Aisling Bea's cover of Take Me to Church.

"And Sinéad's letter to Miley Cyrus, it was great hearing Sinéad's voice in the room."

Musician Niall Jackson, from Dublin, said that the singer was a "legendary" woman.

"A legendary woman, and I know that gets thrown around way too much," he said.

"And I know that the media didn't treat her overly well when she was alive.

"But hopefully now we get to judge her in what she's done, and what she's said, and like I said I think she has always been correct."

Meanwhile in Dublin, dozens of people gathered outside the Wall of Fame to pay their respects to the "beautiful soul" of O'Connor.

Those gathered in Temple Bar spoke about the influence her music had on their lives, and called for her death to "light an absolute fire under all of us" to tackle how mental health and children are treated in Ireland.

A gathering was held in Temple Bar to remember Sinéad O'Connor

On X, formerly Twitter, U2 paid tribute to the singer.

"Touch these eyes with a broken smile, Touch my mouth with your furrowed brow, Lift my heart, heal my shame , Lead me into rest again .. Heroine.. Rest In Peace Sinéad," they wrote.

Musician Peter Gabriel, with whom she worked closely, described her as "an extraordinary talent".

He said: "She could move us with a candour and a passion with which so many people connected. The path she chose was always difficult and uncompromising but at every turn she would show her spirit and her courage.

"I feel lucky to have had the chance to work with her."

Singer Christy Moore described her as "our warrior woman - fearless yet fragile".

US singer P!nk paid tribute with a version of Nothing Compares 2 U alongside Brandi Carlile during a performance in Cincinnati with the same song performed by England's Barmy Army trumpeter Simon Finch at the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval.

Ms O'Connor was found unresponsive at a home in south London on Wednesday.

In a statement, police said her death is not being treated as suspicious.

As no medical cause of death was given, London Inner South Coroner's Court has ordered a post-mortem examination.

"The results of this may not be available for several weeks", it said in a statement.

"The decision whether an inquest will be needed will be decided when these results are known and submissions have been heard from the family."

The crowd in Temple Bar sang two of her most famous songs, Black Boys On Mopeds and Nothing Compares 2 U.

Politicians, musicians, actors and charities from across the world have paid tribute to the Grammy-winning singer for her contributions to the music industry and raising awareness of social issues.

She made headlines in 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live, sparking a ferocious backlash.

The musician frequently spoke out about the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.