BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead

Subject: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Jan 22 - 04:37 PM

Sinead O'Connor announced on social media
the death by suicide of her
seventeen-year-old son Shane.
His father I believe was Donal Lunny.
I put this in BS as it is not strictly a music thread;

for one thing,
Sinead O'Connor has long connected with, and spoken for,
marginalized people, with or without music involved;
and there are many whose opinion of her, positive or negative,
respond to her words as much as / sometimes more than / her music.

By the time Ms. O'Connor actively and persistently sought
treatment and care for mental illness (hospitalizations and so on),
she was the mother of four children
and because of illness had had a hysterectomy.
That major surgery only added to the stress and strain of her condition.
It was about that time that she put her third child, Shane, in care,
and he was never the same afterwards.

I am certain that Sinead wished not to repeat the mistakes, with her children,
that her parents made during her formative years.
With the best of intentions things can still go very wrong.
Thanks for listening.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: Mrrzy
Date: 08 Jan 22 - 04:52 PM

So sad.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Jan 22 - 06:24 PM

I'm afraid that Sinead doesn't appear to inhabit the kind of world that I inhabit (which is code for saying that I don't understand her one little bit). But, as a dad, I can't imagine how hard it must be to see the loss of your child, so my heart goes out.

Without wishing to steer away from the thread's theme, I've just finished watching the TV drama "Anne", about a single-minded woman who, for over 25 years, fought for justice over the death of her son in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. It was a most wonderful and heart-rending watch, and Maxine Peake in the lead role was superb. Naturally, as a Liverpool fan, I'm completely unbiased....

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Jan 22 - 06:15 PM

Irish Central reports on how Sinead O'Connor has been in touch with the child-and-family-care agency
whom she held responsible for her son Shane's (failed) suicide watch at the hospital.
After hearing their side of the story, she apologized for venting, on Twitter, her fury with the agency.


Meanwhile, Shane MacGowan shows his capacity for loyalty and stands beside his friend.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Jan 22 - 10:55 PM

The cremation ceremony for Sinead O'Connor's third child,
Shane O'Connor, has taken place.
Sinead, his mother, needed attention beforehand --
a trip with police to an ER, if I understand right --
but she was present at the ceremony
and greeting the people who paid their respects.
That was Saturday (UK time).

It is on Sunday that
a memorial has been arranged, near Dublin,
for which many more people are expected to be present.
A lot of affection is going out to the deceased
and to his bereaved parents, along with
what I am sure feels like intrusive press coverage.

Hope that Sinead O'Connor has all the company and support she needs
as this is no time for her to be abandoned or alone.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: Thompson
Date: 17 Jan 22 - 04:31 AM

It's not always, or even often, a parent's fault when someone takes his or her life. Life is hard. Not everyone makes it through, even with the very best mothering, which I'm sure this lad had.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: Felipa
Date: 17 Jan 22 - 06:08 PM

Keberoxu, Sinéad O'Connor is not a very private person (unlike Dónal Lunny). She is constantly pouring out her thoughts and feelings on twitter and facebook. As I understand it, the reason the police took her to hospital was because she wrote that she was a terrible person and was going to join Shane (in the afterlife). Troubled as she is, I am sure suicide would not help her other three children and I hope she realises that.

I once saw a mother whose son had been shot dead at a riot prostrate herself on his open grave, crying "take me too."

I'm not one bit sure Shane had the best mothering, but I do believe his mother loved him and that he knew that. And Sinéad said that Dónal was a good father (though how much contact he had with Shane I don't know). A lot of people in all sorts of circumstances - and especially a lot of young men - commit suicide. I don't blame Sinéad for her son's death, nor that she deserves such punishment; I hope she can be kind to herself.

Subject: RE: BS: Shane O'Connor and mother Sinead
From: meself
Date: 17 Jan 22 - 10:54 PM

That poor woman seems to have had more than her share of suffering. Sad story.