Sinead O'Connor Net Worth

What was Sinéad O'Connor's Net Worth?

Sinéad O'Connor was an Irish singer who had a net worth of $1.5 million at the time of her death in July 2023. Sinéad O'Connor rose to fame in the early 1990s with her hit singles "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "The Emperor's New Clothes." She is known for her powerful vocals, her shaved head, and her outspoken political and social views.

Sinéad O'Connor began her music career in the late 1980s as a member of a band called Ton Ton Macoute. Her work with the band earned her a record deal with Ensign Records. Her first major project under Ensign Records was a collaboration with legendary U2 guitarist The Edge, for a song that was used in the 1986 movie "Captive." In 1987, at the age of 20, O'Connor produced her first album, "The Lion and the Cobra." The album was both a critical and commercial success and helped to launch O'Connor's career as a leading figure in the alternative rock scene.

O'Connor's second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, was released in 1990. The album was even more successful than her debut thanks to the hit singles "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "The Emperor's New Clothes." "Nothing Compares 2 U," which was written by Prince, was a global smash hit and made O'Connor a household name. The song's popularity was helped by a now-classic music video which featured a close-up of O'Connor sadly singing the ballad before crying a single tear.

Unfortunately O'Connor's career was marked with significant controversy. In 1992, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II. The incident caused a public uproar and led to O'Connor being dropped by her record label.

O'Connor released 10 studio albums during her career. In 1999, she was ranked #35 on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" list. In December 2020, it was announced that Sinéad's memoir, "Rememberings," would published in June 2021. She was active in activism and spoke out about a number of issues, including child abuse, mental health, and the Catholic Church.

Tragically, Sinéad O'Connor passed away on July 26, 2023, at the age of 56.

Financial Problems & Estate Value

In August 2017, it was revealed that Sinéad had been living in a $70-per-night motel in New Jersey after losing the majority of the fortune she earned at the height of her fame. Adding to her problems was the fact that she was diagnosed as bipolar earlier in life and had struggled with mental issues most of her adult life. These issues caused her to lose custody of her son in addition to experiencing other financial challenges.

In January 2017, O'Connor listed her longtime property in Dublin for $1 million, which was nearly $1 million less than what she paid for the house in 2009. She was somewhat forced to sell the house after settling various tax problems with the government of Ireland.

On the other hand, in January 2025, a year and a half after her July 2023 death, legal filings appeared to show that her estate at that point was worth £1.4million ($1.46 million). And that number was after debts, legal fees and funeral costs were paid. Furthermore, her will read:

"I direct that after my death, and at the discretion of any of my children who are over 18, my albums are to be released so as to "milk it for what it's worth… My children can dispense my ashes as they see fit."

Sinead O'CONNOR in 1990 (Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns)

Early Life

Sinéad O'Connor was born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on December 8, 1966, in Glenageary, County Dublin, Ireland. She had four siblings – John, Eimear, Joseph, and Eoin – and her parents, Marie and Sean (a structural engineer, then barrister), divorced when Sinéad was young. After the divorce, she originally lived with her abusive mother, but she decided to live with her father and stepmother in 1979; her mother died in a car accident a few years later. At the age of 15, O'Connor was sent to Magdalene Asylum, a Catholic Grianán Training Centre, for 18 months due to her truancy and shoplifting; Sinéad said that certain incidents at Magdalene caused her "panic and terror and agony." O'Connor later dropped out of high school and got a job with a singing telegram service in Dublin and began performing music in pubs and on the street.

Career

When Sinéad was 15, the sister of In Tua Nua drummer Paul Byrne heard her sing Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen" at Magdalene Asylum and put her in touch with Byrne. O'Connor recorded the song "Take My Hand" with the band, and in 1984, she started her own band, Ton Ton Macoute, and caught the attention of the owners of Ensign Records. Sinéad soon signed a record deal, and Ensign released her debut album, "The Lion and the Cobra," on November 4, 1987. The album went Gold and peaked at #3 on the Irish Albums Chart and #4 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart. Her follow-up, 1990's "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" reached #1 on the charts in several countries and was certified Platinum or higher in the U.K., the U.S., Australia, Germany, Canada, and France. The single "Nothing Compares 2 U" topped the charts in more than a dozen countries and was named the year's #1 World Single at the 1990 "Billboard" Music Awards. O'Connor followed the massive success of "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" with the albums "Am I Not Your Girl?" (1992) and "Universal Mother" (1994), and in 1997, she played the Virgin Mary in the film "The Butcher Boy."

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

In 2000, Sinéad released her first album in six years, "Faith and Courage," and 2002's "Sean-Nós Nua" was an album of traditional Irish songs. In 2003, she covered Dolly Parton's "Dagger Through the Heart" for the tribute album "Just Because I'm a Woman" and released the compilation album "She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty" before announcing her retirement. O'Connor's retirement didn't last long, and in 2005, she released the reggae album "Throw Down Your Arms." She then released 2007's "Theology," 2012's "How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?," and 2014's "I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss." In 2014, Sinéad took part in the recording of the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?," which raised funds to fight the Ebola virus in Africa.

Personal Life

Sinead O'Connor married music producer John Reynolds in 1987. They welcomed son Jake on June 16th of that year, when Sinéad was 20 years old. They divorced in 1991. O'Connor had a daughter, Roisin, with journalist John Waters on March 6, 1996. Sinéad and John entered into a custody battle over Roisin that ended with O'Connor attempting suicide and agreeing to let Waters have custody of Roisin.

Sinéad was married to journalist Nick Sommerlad from July 2001 to February 2004. She had a son, Shane, with musician Donal Lunny on March 10, 2004. Tragically, Shane died by suicide in January 2022.

On December 19, 2006, O'Connor gave birth to her fourth child, son Yeshua, whose father is businessman Frank Bonadio.

Sinéad married her friend/collaborator Steve Cooney on July 22, 2010

On December 8, 2011 she wed therapist Barry Herridge. O'Connor and Herridge split up 16 days after their Las Vegas wedding but reportedly reconciled in 2014.

Sinéad was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003 and said that she's an agoraphobic. In 2015, she underwent a hysterectomy and said that she believes her mental health issues were exacerbated by her medical team's refusal to give her hormonal replacement therapy, saying that her procedure resulted in "surgical menopause" and caused her to become suicidal.

In 2016, O'Connor sought treatment at a rehabilitation center because she wanted to end her dependence on cannabis, which she had smoked for three decades. In 2017, Sinéad posted a video on social media in which she stated that losing custody of her son Shane had caused her to feel alone and that she'd been wanting to kill herself for the past two years. O'Connor attempted suicide in 2012 and 2015, and in November 2020, she announced that she was entering a one-year rehabilitation program to treat addiction and trauma.

Sinéad changed her name twice. In 2017 she changed her name to Magda Davitt. In 2018, after converting to Islam, she changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat.

Awards and Nominations

O'Connor was nominated for eight Grammys, winning Best Alternative Music Performance for "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" in 1991. She also earned six MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning Video of the Year, Best Female Video, and Best Post-Modern Video for "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1990. In 2012, Sinéad received a World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written for a Film for "Lay Your Head Down" from the "Albert Nobbs" soundtrack, and the song earned her a Golden Globe nomination as well. O'Connor won Rock Female Artist and No.1 World Single at the 1990 "Billboard" Music Awards, and that year she also received a Rockbjornen award for Best Foreign Artist. In 1991, she earned a Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist and a Danish Music Award for Foreign Female Artist of the Year, and "Nothing Compares 2 U" was named the Danish Music Awards Foreign Hit of the Year. Sinéad won a Goldene Europa Award for Best International Singer in 1994, and she earned nominations from the Juno Awards, American Music Awards, International Dance Music Awards, and Meteor Music Awards.

Who's Richer?

Sinead
O'Connor

Compare!

Shane
MacGowan