Sinéad O’Connor ‘happy and smiling’ days before her death, say her new neighbours
After moving to London from her native Ireland for the first time in 23 years, Sinéad O’Connor’s neighbours said she was “happy and smiling” days before her shock death.
Sinéad O’Connor’s neighbours say she was “happy and smiling” in the days before her death.
The ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ singer was found dead on Wednesday (26.07.23) after years of suffering mental health issues and 18 months after the mum-of-four’s son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping hospital while on suicide watch in his tribute.
In the weeks before her death she had moved to a humble flat in south-east London to finish working on her latest record, and local Farath Moragammanage told MailOnline about their world-famous neighbour: “I last saw her about two weeks ago. She seemed happy and was smiling and waved. “She was with a friend and she said she was going to Brixton with a friend from Ireland. She told me she was a famous singer and she must have moved in about weeks six weeks or so ago. She was living there on her own.
“Around 5pm on Wednesday I saw a private ambulance turn up and it was there for a few hours before leaving. I didn’t make the connection until I saw the news and realised it was my neighbour. It’s so sad. I feel so sorry for her.”
Another neighbour told MailOnline: “I would often see her on the street smoking a cigarette and we would exchange a few words every now and then.”
Clyre Day, 71, said: “I used to see her looking over the balcony and I remember she used to keep her lights and windows open all night.
“She would talk to the locals and people knew who she was but I don't think she had lived here very long.
“I saw all the police outside on Wednesday, there must have been about six of them.
“It’s very sad. I wouldn’t say I was a fan but I loved that one song that made her famous.”
The new build block where Sinead lives is a converted 1940s warehouse just a few minutes walk from Brixton.
Police said on Thursday (27.07.23) they are not treating Sinéad’s death as suspicious.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Police were called at 11.18hrs on Wednesday, 26 July to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address in the SE24 area.
“Officers attended. A 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Next of kin have been notified. The death is not being treated as suspicious. A file will be prepared for the Coroner.”
