A Sinead O’Connor waxwork has been unveiled in honour of Ireland’s “warrior of peace”, marking the one-year anniversary of the death of the singer.
Some of the Dublin star’s clothes were donated to the National Wax Museum, in order to capture the essence of O’Connor, who died on July 26 last year.
Paddy Dunning, director of the Dublin museum, who was friends with the singer for 40 years, said: “We really became friends and she was going through hard times a lot with the passing of her son, Shane, who I spent time with as well.
“She had a tough life. Some of it was created by herself, she wasn’t just a victim of circumstances.
“She was a tough cookie on many levels. But she had such talent with her voice. She was a warrior of peace and inclusivity and love and we will miss her forevermore.
“She was a friend, not just to me, but to an awful lot of people. Who have missed her and will continue to miss her.”
Museum Director Paddy Dunning and the new wax figure of Sinead O’Connor at the National Wax Museum. Sam boal /Collins Photos
Mr Dunning earlier today unveiled the waxwork, created by artist P.J Heraghty and incidentally this is his last sculpture.
“It’s a serious image of Sinead,” Mr Dunning said. “We decided not to have her with a big smiling face. We really focused on the period of her life where she really shot to fame with the song Nothing Compares 2 U, written by Prince.
“That really really shot her to fame. On many levels her singing was perfect, it was pitch perfect.
“The lyrics of that song are fantastic. She really owned that song. She cried in that song with that tear that was real, and that touched everyone’s hearts. To this day when you look at that (video), no one gets bored of that song.
“I knew her for 40 years, from when she came in and rehearsed with us as a 17-year-old as a naive innocent girl. She was quite forceful though. And with some confidence.
2I do remember her coming and saying ‘I want to book a room for rehearsal.’ And she booked a room for, I think it was, 10 pounds at the time. She got a room, microphone and PA. She was set up, so happy.
“She stayed there for a long, long time. She was rehearsing with us for 40 years and recording with us for 40 years.”
The new wax figure of Sinead O’Connor at the National Wax Museum. Sam Boal /Collins Photos
Several Sinead O’Connor fans, including one woman who’d travelled from America, attended the event.
And Mr Heraghty said he’d tried to capture the emotion of the singer to the best of his ability.
Mr Heraghty described as “amazing” that fans had come from across the globe to mark her anniversary.
“She spoke her mind and she told the truth a lot of the time. I think a lot of people knew what was going on and they didn’t say anything,” he added, referring to the sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church over the decades.
A cheer went up as the waxwork was unveiled to the backdrop of the haunting song that inspired the art.
The launch of the new wax figure of Sinead O’Connor at the National Wax Museum. Sam Boal /Collins Photos