Sinéad O’Connor

Birth Name: Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor

Date of Birth: 8 December, 1966

Place of Birth: Glenageary, County Dublin, Ireland

Date of Death: 26 July, 2023

Place of Death: Herne Hill, London, England, U.K.

Ethnicity: Irish

Sinéad O’Connor was an Irish singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. She achieved worldwide success in 1990 with an arrangement of Prince’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U.” She often spoke out about child abuse, human rights, women’s rights, menthal health, racism, and religion. She collaborated with other artists and performed at charity concerts.

Sinéad was the daughter of Johanna Marie O’Grady and John Oliver “Seán” O’Connor, a structural engineer, barrister, and chairperson of the Divorce Action Group. Her brother, Joseph O’Connor, was a successful novelist. Sinéad spent some time living in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. in the late 1970s with her father, who had re-married. In 1999, she was ordained a priest in the the Latin Tridentine Church, not recognized by the Catholic Church. She took the name Mother Bernadette Mary. In 2017, she changed her name to Magda Davitt. in 2018, Sinéad converted to Islam, and changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat, though she was professionally known as Sinéad O’Connor.

She was married to therapist Barry Herridge, until her death. She had a son with her former husband, record producer John Reynolds; a daughter with her former partner, journalist John Waters; a son with her former partner, musician Donal Lunny; and a son with her former partner Frank Bonadio.

Sinéad’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fifth great-grandfather, James O’Connor.

Sinéad’s paternal grandfather was Thomas O’Connor (the son of William O’Connor and Margaret McDonnell). Thomas was born in Dublin. William was the son of Thomas O’Connor and Mary “Polly” Gavin. Margaret was the daughter of Bartholomew McDonnell and Margaret Carroll.

Sinéad’s paternal grandmother was Ellen “Nellie” O’Neill (the daughter of John Joseph O’Neill and Ellen Howlett). Nellie was born in Dublin. John was the son of William O’Neill and Catherine Devereux. The surname Devereux is of Norman French origin. Sinéad’s great-grandmother Ellen was the daughter of William Howlett and Mary Newman.

Sinéad’s maternal grandfather was named Patrick O’Grady (also known as Seán O’Grady, the son of Thomas O’Grady).

Sinéad’s maternal grandmother was Kathleen “Kit/Kitty” Roche (the daughter of Matthew Roach, later Roche, and of Johanna Kehoe). Kathleen was born in Tiny Hawk, Waterford, County Waterford. Matthew was the son of Matthew/Mathew Roche and Catherine Alyward. Johanna was the daughter of Patrick Kehoe and Jane Duff.

Sources: Genealogy of Sinéad O’Connor – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of Sinéad’s paternal grandparents, Thomas O’Connor and Ellen O’Neill – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal grandfather, Thomas O’Connor – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Sinéad’s paternal grandfather, Thomas O’Connor, on the 1911 Irish Census – http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie

Marriage record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandparents, William O’Connor and Margaret McDonnell – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandfather, William O’Connor – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Marriage records of Sinéad’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Thomas O’Connor and Mary Gavin – https://www.ancestry.com (church)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie (civil)

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandmother, Margaret McDonnell – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Marriage record of Sinéad’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Bartholomew McDonnell and Margaret Carroll – https://www.ancestry.com

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal grandmother, Ellen O’Neill – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Sinéad’s paternal grandmother, Ellen O’Neill, on the 1911 Irish Census – http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie

Marriage record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandparents, John Joseph O’Neill and Ellen Howlett – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandfather, John Joseph O’Neill – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Marriage records of Sinéad’s paternal great-great-grandparents, William O’Neill and Catherine Devereux – https://www.ancestry.com (church)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie (civil)

Birth record of Sinéad’s paternal great-grandmother, Ellen Howlett – https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Marriage records of Sinéad’s paternal great-great-grandparents, William Howlett and Mary Newman – https://www.ancestry.com (church)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie (civil)

Genealogy of Sinéad O’Connor (focusing on her mother’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com