Sinead O’Connor Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Mourning an unimaginable loss. Sinead O’Conner’s son Shane has died. He was 17.
“My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” the songstress, 55, tweeted the somber news on Friday, January 7. “May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.”
In a separate message, the Grammy nominee dedicated Bob Marley’s “Ride Natty Ride” to her late son, writing, “This is for my Shaney. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us.”
Sinead O’Connor’s son Nevi’im. Courtesy of Sinead O’Connor/Twitter
Before Shane’s death, he had been reported missing in Newbridge, Ireland, earlier this week. The singer begged for her son to check in with the Irish police, known as the Gardaí.
“This is a message for my son, Shane. Shane, it’s not funny anymore all this going missing. You are scaring the crap out of me,” the songwriter tweeted on Thursday, January 6. “Could you please do the right thing and present yourself at a Gardai station. If you are with Shane please call the Gardai for his safety.”
She added at the time: “Shane, your life is precious. God didn’t chisel that beautiful smile on your beautiful face for nothing. My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don’t stop it from beating. Please don’t harm yourself. Go to the Gardai and let’s get you to hospital.”
O’Connor, in a series of tweets, alleged that her son — whom she shares with ex Dónal Lunny — had been a patient at Tallaght Hospital’s Lynn Ward in Dublin on “suicide watch” before his disappearance.
After announcing his death, the “Nothing Compares to U” musician claimed that he died in the care of Tusla, Ireland’s Child and Family Services agency, tweeting, “I was informed by Gardai of my son’s death and later I spoke with the GAL.”
“I have now formally identified the remains of my son, Shane. May God forgive the Irish State for I never will,” she later tweeted on Saturday, January 8.
The Irish police had previously been searching for Shane’s whereabouts on Thursday.
“Gardaí are renewing their appeal for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of Shane O’Connor, aged 17 years, missing from Newbridge, Co. Kildare, since the 6th January 2022. Shane was last seen this morning in the Tallaght, Dublin 24 area. Shane is described as being 5’ 6” in height with short brown hair and blue eyes,” a statement from the Gardaí read at the time. “When last seen, he was wearing a black hoodie with a large print design in the centre, dark tracksuit pants, a wine-coloured t-shirt and white runners. Gardaí are concerned for Shane’s welfare.”
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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