On Saturday, Sir Bob Geldof spoke about the death of his ‘good friend’ Sinead O’Connor during a festival performance (Picture: Getty/Rex)
Sir Bob Geldof performed with Boomtown Rats at the Cavan Calling festival on Saturday and while on stage paid an emotional tribute to his ‘good friend’ Sinéad O’Connor.
The legendary Irish musician died on Wednesday at the age of 56, 18 months after losing her 17-year-old son Shane to suicide.
Addressing the crowd, Sir Bob, 71, revealed he had been texting O’Connor shortly before her death and shared details about the content of their messages.
He began by speaking about the importance of ‘keeping face’ in tragic times before saying that some of O’Connor’s texts were ‘laden with desperation and despair and sorrow’.
Sir Bob, who tragically lost his daughter Peaches and ex-wife Paula, said in full according to Dublin Live: ‘There’s no other option, as all of you know, than to just keep on. Many, many times Sinead was full of a terrible loneliness and a terrible despair.’
He went on: ‘She was a very good friend of mine. We were talking right up to a couple of weeks ago.
Sir Bob, 71, revealed he had been texting O’Connor shortly before her death and shared details about the content of their messages (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
The legendary Irish musician died on Wednesday at the age of 56 (Picture: David Corio/Redferns)
‘Some of her texts were laden with desperation and despair and sorrow and some were ecstatically happy. She was like that.’
The Metropolitan Police released a statement on Thursday following the devastating announcement that O’Connor had died.
A spokesperson for the Met Police told Metro.co.uk: ‘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.
O’Connor’s death came 18 months after losing her 17-year-old son Shane to suicide (Picture: Twitter)
‘A file will be prepared for the Coroner.’
After news of her death was first reported by Irish media, O’Connor’s family released a statement confirming the devastating news.
They 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.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Sir Bob’s reps for comment.
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O’Connor died last week aged 56.
