X Factor’s Mary Byrne reveals the special moment she shared with Sinead O’Connor as she pays an emotional tribute after the singer’s death aged 56
X Factor star Mary Byrne has spoken out about the special moment she shared with Sinead O’Connor as she paid an emotional tribute to the late singer.
Sinead died at the age of 56 after years of mental health battles, her ‘devastated’ family confirmed on Wednesday.
The Irish Grammy-winning singer, whose cause of death is not yet known, became world famous in 1990 with her heartrending cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U.
It comes 18 months after the mother-of-four’s son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping hospital while on suicide watch.
Appearing on Vanessa Feltz’s TalkTV show on Thursday, Irish singer Mary, 63, who rose to fame in the 2010 series of The X Factor, spoke about how they went out for coffee after bonding at the Irish World Awards.
Memory: X Factor star Mary Byrne has spoken out about the special moment she shared with Sinead O’Connor as she paid an emotional tribute to the late singer
Tragic: Sinead died at the age of 56 after years of mental health battles, her ‘devastated’ family confirmed on Wednesday
Mary said: ‘I remember meeting her at the Irish World Awards over in the UK and afterwards we went out and had coffee and we talked about mental health and women being suppressed.
‘She just had such conviction about women’s health and abuse in the church and all that.
‘She was a lovely lady, really lovely. Apart from being the most fantastic singer ever, she was a lovely person as well.’
Asked by Vanessa what Sinead brought to a song, Mary explained: ‘When she sang, and she sang the belter songs she was brilliant, but she could bring it back down, she could make you feel the pain she was in she could make you feel the love she had she could make you feel the happiness.
‘She just had a very, very unique voice which I don’t think anyone will ever have that voice again.
‘She’s one of those stars that has just died too young. A beautiful butterfly with broken wings that’s what she was like. A sensitive soul with a magnificent voice.’
Mary made it through to the semi-finals of The X Factor after her employer, Tesco Ireland, started a campaign to persuade all staff to support her.
On the first live show, she gained the most public votes by singing ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.
Mary’s tribute comes as the coroner revealed on Thursday no medical cause for Sinead’s death has been given, with a post-mortem examination now needed and the results likely to be ‘several weeks’ away.
The star was found ‘unresponsive’ at a flat in south-east London after police were called but detectives are not treating the star’s sudden death as suspicious although the cause remains a mystery.
Bond: Appearing on Vanessa Feltz’s TalkTV show on Thursday, Irish singer Mary, who rose to fame in the 2010 series of The X Factor, spoke about how they went out for coffee
Talented: Mary made it through to the semi-finals of The X Factor in 2010 (pictured 2010) and met Sinead at an awards ceremony
Heartbreaking: Sinead’s death comes 18 months after the mother-of-four’s son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping hospital while on suicide watch
The coroner was notified of the death on Wednesday, after police found the Grammy-winning singer unresponsive at a home in Herne Hill, south-east London.
A statement on London Inner South Coroner’s Court website said: ‘No medical cause of death was given. The Coroner therefore directed an autopsy to be conducted. The results of this may not available for several weeks.
‘The decision whether an inquest will be needed will be decided when these results are known and submissions have been heard from the family.
‘If an inquest is to be opened, the date of the brief public hearing will be provided on our website.’
Scotland Yard has confirmed that the Irish singer died in the British capital on Wednesday morning – just weeks after she moved into a new flat and spoke of writing songs and a 2024 tour.
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘Police were called at 11.18am on Wednesday, July 26 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.’
Watch or listen to Vanessa’s drivetime show from Monday to Friday, 5-7pm, on TalkTV.
Available on Sky 522, Sky Glass 508, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237 and Freesat 217 as well as on DAB, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung TV Plus, YouTube, the Talk.TV website and TalkTV iOS and Android apps.
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