FERMANAGH cleric Fr Brian D’Arcy has said how much he greatly admired the late Sinead O’Connor for her ‘angelic’ singing voice and strong beliefs.
Last Wednesday, the music world and fans of the late Dublin singer united in grief following the death of Ms O’Connor who passed away, aged just 56.
Fr Brian D’Arcy, pictured below, met Ms O’Connor many times, with their last meeting around 15 years ago.
“Personally, I admired Sinead even though she challenged my role and my opinions. Her singing voice though, is the most otherworldly, angelic instrument ever recorded,” said the Graan cleric.
The mother-of-four is one of Ireland’s most recognisable and much-loved singers. In 1990 she released her version of the Prince classic ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ and the song propelled the singer to stardom.
Fr Brian respected her ability to speak out on a range of different matters in question.
“Her criticisms of religions were fundamentally valid and prescient. She understood, religion in itself is often an addiction, especially for those who make a career out of vocation,” explained the local priest.
“Religious groups create their own gods that they can control for their own ends.
“They often make it impossible for ordinary people to have meaningful relationships with the genuine God of compassion, love and mercy,” added Fr Brian.
During a performance on US TV show ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1992, the Dublin vocalists tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II, sparking controversy and backlash.
“She said she did it to highlight institutional violence towards women,” recalled the Fermanagh priest.
“More importantly, she pointed the finger at the Vatican itself as being ultimately responsible for the sexual abuse of children across the world.”
Fr Brian, who was himself censored by the Catholic Church for speaking out about the sexual abuse crisis, felt that the singer was ‘cruelly ostracised’ by the public.
“In my own insignificant way, I wrote that the Vatican covered up the truth about the sexual abuse of children by priests and religious,” said Fr Brian.
“I pointed out the obvious truth the Pope himself had to change the governance of the Church to convince us he was serious about outing abuse.
“That resulted in the Vatican’s attempt to silence me threatening me with excommunication if I continued to tell the truth.
“It was a tough time for me, as friends and colleagues disappeared down rabbit holes.
“It was nothing compared to what happened to Sinead. I don’t know how she survived it – or if she did,” he added.
In her later life, the Irish singer-songwriter claimed that she had been abused by her mother, as a child. Fr Brian, who was also a victim of sexual abuse as a child, said the singer ‘remained damaged’.
“Sinead was the victim of abuse herself as was I, we had different experiences of abuse but remained damaged by the abuse,” he explains.
“The picture she tore up was one that hung in her mother’s home throughout her childhood. Her mother, she said, abused her emotionally and physically for years.
“Sinead understandably associated the picture with child abuse. She ripped the picture in October 1992, declaring ‘Fight the real enemy’,” added the Bellanaleck priest.
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