Sinéad O’Connor was snapped beaming as she collected her award (Picture: Redferns)
Sinéad O’Connor’s last picture before her untimely death showed the star smiling and waving as she stood on a podium.
The star, 56, was pronounced dead by her family who released a statement to RTE that said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead.
‘Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.’
In what would unknowingly be her final photo call, the pictures were taken at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize in Dublin last March, where she was awarded the prize for classic Irish album.
O’Connor was snapped as she beamed and raised her hand in a wave at the adoring crowd.
Born Sinead Marie Bernadette O’Connor in Glenageary, County Dublin, in December 1966, the singer had a difficult childhood.
The star waved at the crowd from the podium (Picture: Redferns)
She appeared in high spirits as she accepted her award (Picture: Redferns)
She released her first critically acclaimed album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987.
Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, followed in 1990 and continued the singer’s success as it received glowing reviews.
It contained the hit single Nothing Compares 2 U, originally written by Prince, but O’Connor made it her own and it topped the charts in countries around the world.
The track earned her multiple Grammy Award nominations including for the prestigious record of the year category, as well as best female pop vocal performance and best music video.
O’Connor rose to fame in the 1990s (Picture: Getty Images)
She received global notoriety after releasing her cover of Prince’s song (Picture: Getty Images)
In 1991, she was was named artist of the year by Rolling Stone magazine and took home the Brit Award for international female solo artist.
She released a further eight studio albums, the latest being 2014’s I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss.
Despite her musical success, the singer announced she was cancelling shows following the death of her own son last year.
In January 2022, her Shane, 17, was found dead after being reported missing two days previously.
Officers recovered his body in the Bray area of Wicklow following a huge search.
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The singer described him as ‘the very light of my life’ and said he had ‘decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God’.
O’Connor later cancelled all upcoming live performances for the rest of 2022 due to her ‘continuing grief’.
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MORE : Sinéad O’Connor spoke to Irish presenter Ryan Tubridy just days before her death aged 56
O’Connor died age 56.
