Sinéad O’Connor, renowned for her angelic voice and activism, overcame a tumultuous upbringing to become a global protest singer and advocate for social justice.

Sinéad O’Connor achieved worldwide success as an angel-voiced, shaven-headed Irish singer of heartfelt songs, but she was far more than just a pop star – she was also an activist and a survivor. Reeling from a troubled childhood at the hands of her violent mother, she spent 18 months living in a former Magdalene Laundry due to her truancy and shoplifting, and suffered her mother’s death in a car crash – all by the age of 18.

Her pain, anger and compassion would turn her into one of the world’s greatest protest singers and activists. She would release ten studio albums during her 36-year music career - the second of which (I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got) would reach number 1 across the world and earn her ten million pounds, half of which she gave to charity. During this time, she would also advocate for survivors of child abuse and racism, and stand up for the LGBT community and women’s reproductive rights.

Most notably, she would tear up a picture of Pope John Paul II during an episode of Saturday Night Live in order to protest at child sex abuse within the Catholic church, creating headlines around the world and derailing her career.

Featuring six exclusive interviews with friends and peers who knew her, this is the true story of her extraordinary and courageous journey.

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• About the Author
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1. Childhood (1966–1978)
• 2. Adolescence (1979–1985)
• 3. Starting Out (1985–1986)
• 4. Recording Her Debut (1986)
• 5. Affinity with Rastafari and Black Music (1986)
• 6. ‘Heroine’, and a Fight with U2 (1986)
• 7. First Child and First Marriage (1986–1987)
• 8. The Lion and the Cobra (1987)
• 9. Interviews (1987–1988)
• 10. Support for the IRA (1989)
• 11. Hush-a-Bye-Baby (1989)
• 12. ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ (1990)
• 13. Finding a New Manager
• 14. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990)
• 15. Commemorating the Fall of the Berlin Wall (1990)
• 16. A Run-In with Madonna (1990)
• 17. Affair with Hugh Harris (1990)
• 18. Refusing the US National Anthem (1990)
• 19. On Abortion (1990)
• 20. Breaking a Mic (1991)
• 21. A Tribute to Elton John (1991)
• 22. A Fist Fight with Prince (1991)
• 23. Boycotting the Grammys (1991)
• 24. Saddam Hussein Incident on MTV (1991)
• 25. Am I Not Your Girl? (1992)
• 26. Ripping Up the Pope (1992)
• 27. The Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert (1992)
• 28. Supporting Peter Gabriel (1993)
• 29. Advert in Irish Times (1993)
• 30. Universal Mother (1994)
• 31. Reconciling with U2 (1994)
• 32. A Second Child (1995)
• 33. Guesting on Broken China (1996)
• 34. Represented by O’Ceallaigh a Second Time
• 35. Gospel Oak (1997)
• 36. So Far. the Best Of (1997)
• 37. Changing Record Label (1998)
• 38. Her First Suicide Attempt (1999)
• 39. Being Ordained as a Priest (1999)
• 40. Dating Dermott Hayes (1999)
• 41. Faith and Courage (2000)
• 42. Saving Shane MacGowan (2000)
• 43. Coming Out. And Coming Back In (2000)
• 44. Nursing Steve Fargnoli (2001)
• 45. Getting Married Again (2001)
• 46. Sean-No´s Nua (2002)
• 47. She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty (2003)
• 48. Early Retirement. But Not for Long (2003)
• 49. A Third Child (2004)
• 50. Advert in Irish Examiner (2004)
• 51. Collaborations (2005)
• 52. Throw Down Your Arms (2005)
• 53. A Love Rivalry and Fourth Child (2006)
• 54. Theology (2007)
• 55. Live at the Sugar Club (2008)
• 56. Represented by O’Ceallaigh Again (2008)
• 57. Collaboration with Mary J. Blige (2009)
• 58. Song Used Without Permission on Real IRA Website (2009)
• 59. A Third Marriage (2010)
• 60. Vindication (2010)
• 61. Looking for Love on Twitter (2011)
• 62. A Cry for Help (2011)
• 63. A Fourth Marriage (2011)
• 64. How About I Be Me (and You Be You)? (2012)
• 65. Splitting with O’Ceallaigh for the Second Time (2012)
• 66. A Very Candid Interview on Mental Health (2012)
• 67. An Argument with Miley Cyrus (2013)
• 68. Getting Face Tattoos (2013)
• 69. Recognition of Misdiagnosis of Bipolar (2013)
• 70. I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss (2014)
• 71. A Second Neil McCormick Interview (2014)
• 72. Interest in Sinn Fe´in (2014)
• 73. Blasting Rolling Stone and Reality Shows (2015)
• 74. Becoming a Grandmother (2015)
• 75. Being Shafted by Her Agent (2015)
• 76. A Radical Hysterectomy (2015)
• 77. Suicide Attempt (2015)
• 78. Letters to Her Family (2016)
• 79. Surgery and Complications (2016)
• 80. Dispute with Arsenio Hall (2017)
• 81. Sued by O’Ceallaigh (2017)
• 82. Charity and Trans Rights (2017)
• 83. Breakdown in Motel (2017)
• 84. Dr. Phil Interview (2017)
• 85. Change of Name (2017)
• 86. Conversion to Islam (2018)
• 87. One More Yard (2018)
• 88. Performing Live Again (2019)
• 89. Studying Healthcare (2020)
• 90. ‘Trouble of the World’ (2020)
• 91. Rememberings (2021)
• 92. A Retirement Announcement and Retraction (2021)
• 93. Putting Her Own Stamp on the World (2021)
• 94. Shane (2022)
• 95. Nothing Compares (2022)
• 96. Choice Music Prize (2023)
• 97. Struggling with Grief (2023)
• 98. Death (2023)
• 99. Tributes (2023)
• 100. Pushback to Tributes (2023)
• 101. Pushback to Obituary (2023)
• 102. Funeral and Further Tributes (2023)
• 103. Family Statement (2023)
• 104. Legacy (2023)
• Author’s Note
• Bibliography