An event to commemorate the life of singer Sinéad O'Connor was held in Dublin this afternoon.
Organised by feminist-socialist group ROSA, crowds gathered at Barnado Square on Dame Street to honour “an incomparable artist and activist”.
ROSA Spokesperson Ruth Coppinger said Sinéad “raised so many vital issues that are still so relevant to today”.
“The treatment of women, the institutional abuse, the failure of the Catholic Church to expose it,” she said.
“But also questions for the Irish state in its mental health services... [they’re] non-existent, [it’s a] massive issue today.”
#FightTheRealEnemy — we tear up misogynistic headlines about #SineadOConnor in Dublin today to pay tribute to her & to vow to continue to fight all the injustice & oppression she fought against so bravely pic.twitter.com/5UYOlIZTvP
— ROSA - Socialist Feminist Movement (@RosaSocFem) July 30, 2023
ROSA members tore up previous “misogynistic” headlines criticising Sinéad and urged people to “fight the real enemy”.
This was in honour of a 1992 episode of ‘Saturday Night Live’ where Sinéad ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II in protest of abuse in the Catholic Church.
“[We] vow to continue to fight all the injustice and oppression she fought against so bravely,” ROSA said in a statement on Twitter/X.
The crowd also sang a rendition of Sinéad’s hit song ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’.
Sinéad died suddenly on Wednesday evening at the age of 56.
Main image: Splitscreen of ROSA members Bee Pierotti and Ais Flattery, and a performance of 'Nothing Compares 2 U' in memory of Sinéad O'Connor.
