My friend Jessica Murray emailed me this yesterday and I asked her if I could repost here:
"Like all genuine icons, O’Connor was able to inspire each of us to identify with different aspects of her; in your case, maybe especially the Catholic part & the suicide part. But every one of us identified with the Uranus part.
I’ll warrant even those of her admirers who didn’t have Sadge in them responded to that rarity among celebs, the courage-of-convictions.
And the Irish aspect. As you say, she personified that tragic land.
The historical event that rips my heart out more than any other is The Easter Rebellion. Have you ever heard her acapella ode to it?
RIP Daughter of Fire, (and for all the martyrs and freedom fighters everywhere.)"
This is so beautiful. I agree with you about honoring her need to end it, though I sincerely wish she hadn't felt that way. Her son's death seemed like it was too much for her to live through. Thank you for sharing this.
"This is one grieving process I won't relinquish until I'm ash in my backyard." Absolutely agree with this. The purity of her voice, the consummate artistry, her collaborations. RIP Sinéad
Your words here today say it all. To get to a point of acceptance that this was her choice, the final say in a deeply challenging yet explosively authentic life. Regardless of how she died, I too, feel it was on her terms.
When the aftereffect of suicide, (if indeed this is how she took exit) sets up shop in one’s heart, there is only one true response, as I see it, to honor the person’s life and choice — to welcome them into the peace and cessation they sought. After that nothing more is to be said. There’s no place for judgments.
Beautiful, best thing I've read so far for her. This line got me from Sara..."there is a kind of terrible beauty in the larger picture but we’re still down at the bottom of the cosmic painting scratching about trying to find the signature.” It needs to be spread far and wide. But then... your closing...and that released the damn. Thanks for your wiriting and share <3
Ugh, welp, we water people must help water to flow. Thank you for that recommendation, I will definitely read it! Blessings on your day, thanks again <3.
Jul 27, 2023·edited Jul 27, 2023Liked by Frederick Woodruff
Very well said, those Irish girls had it rough, Dolores too. I was just listening to Sinead’s autobiography on audible, such a talent, and complicated woman. She was very much loved, admired, and appreciated, I hope she knew that.
I spent last night watching endless vids of her on YouTube—performances, interviews—my god, she gave 180% all of the time. Lived four lives in one! Her cumulative age was more like 256. No wonder she was ready to lift off.
Jul 27, 2023·edited Jul 27, 2023Liked by Frederick Woodruff
I did not know until I saw this. Devasating. I saw her perform in Jerusalem in the '90s. She did not perform 'Jerusalem,' but 'The Israelites' played as walk-in music.
Agonizing. Agonizing. Reports are saying 'Nothing suspicious' - as in, they don't think she was murdered? WTF does that mean?
Even in death she confounded the media (that hounded her continually.) I remember once the Italian press had a meltdown because she walked into a luxury hotel, barefoot.
Jul 27, 2023·edited Jul 27, 2023Liked by Frederick Woodruff
Another absolutely brilliant reflection. I was taken back by your musing about listening to "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" while admiring the view of Waikiki--there was no view of Waikiki and the lanai was on the other side of the house. Until I realized you were talking about THAT house...the one overlooking the graveyard. As they say in Hawaiian pidgin lingo, "Go figgah..." Remembrance of things past?
I've been thinking about her since hearing the news and now about suicide since reading your post earlier today. People commit suicide for a lot of reasons and, sometimes, for no reason. I've known many people who have done so. I've been trying to find a common denominator and, if there is one, it may have simply to do with balance. The pros vs the cons in a life. There was certainly profound sorrow in her beautiful voice. And then, also, she had that "Irish thing" to contend with. I suspect it was simply her time to let go and I am reminded of this, "I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving rally fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us." Kazuo Ishiguero, "Never Let Me Go"
It’s not official re suicide, tho it’s been on her mind ever since she lost her son to suicide last year.
That’s the thing about a suicide within a family unit, the notion becomes much more of a possibility for the survivors. My god, look at Sylvia Plath’s story re her son and then her husband’s second wife and her daughter. A contagion.
My friend Jessica Murray emailed me this yesterday and I asked her if I could repost here:
"Like all genuine icons, O’Connor was able to inspire each of us to identify with different aspects of her; in your case, maybe especially the Catholic part & the suicide part. But every one of us identified with the Uranus part.
I’ll warrant even those of her admirers who didn’t have Sadge in them responded to that rarity among celebs, the courage-of-convictions.
And the Irish aspect. As you say, she personified that tragic land.
The historical event that rips my heart out more than any other is The Easter Rebellion. Have you ever heard her acapella ode to it?
RIP Daughter of Fire, (and for all the martyrs and freedom fighters everywhere.)"
Rebellion is a pitfall for a Taurus North Node
OMG, right—you know how that makes me cray-zee, Louise. 😩
Thank you for your comment.
This is so beautiful. I agree with you about honoring her need to end it, though I sincerely wish she hadn't felt that way. Her son's death seemed like it was too much for her to live through. Thank you for sharing this.
Yes, the seeds are there in her song Black Boys on Mopeds: “I love my boy, and that’s why I’m leaving…”
Goddamn I’m sad.
Thank you for your comment, Judy.
"This is one grieving process I won't relinquish until I'm ash in my backyard." Absolutely agree with this. The purity of her voice, the consummate artistry, her collaborations. RIP Sinéad
Bravo , Woodruff! I couldn’t imagine a better eulogy.
Where there is grief there is healing.
Your words here today say it all. To get to a point of acceptance that this was her choice, the final say in a deeply challenging yet explosively authentic life. Regardless of how she died, I too, feel it was on her terms.
Absolutely, Lenaleah (what a beautiful name!)
When the aftereffect of suicide, (if indeed this is how she took exit) sets up shop in one’s heart, there is only one true response, as I see it, to honor the person’s life and choice — to welcome them into the peace and cessation they sought. After that nothing more is to be said. There’s no place for judgments.
Beautiful, best thing I've read so far for her. This line got me from Sara..."there is a kind of terrible beauty in the larger picture but we’re still down at the bottom of the cosmic painting scratching about trying to find the signature.” It needs to be spread far and wide. But then... your closing...and that released the damn. Thanks for your wiriting and share <3
Your comment got me bawling again Christine. 😢
Thank you.
Yes, when Tara texted me that today I dropped through my chair. She’d just last year gotten me to read Sinead’s auto-bio. A fabulous read! Find it.
Ugh, welp, we water people must help water to flow. Thank you for that recommendation, I will definitely read it! Blessings on your day, thanks again <3.
Sorry. Tara Snowden, not Sara. Noted.
Jesus—Morrissey lays it all out:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/27/morrissey-sinead-oconnor-death
Very well said, those Irish girls had it rough, Dolores too. I was just listening to Sinead’s autobiography on audible, such a talent, and complicated woman. She was very much loved, admired, and appreciated, I hope she knew that.
Me too Elizabeth.
I spent last night watching endless vids of her on YouTube—performances, interviews—my god, she gave 180% all of the time. Lived four lives in one! Her cumulative age was more like 256. No wonder she was ready to lift off.
Beautiful.
Thank you Dennis. 😓
Beautiful ❤️love Sinead her music was such an inspiration starting with Mandinka. Thanks for the tribute
Thank you Leanne.
I did not know until I saw this. Devasating. I saw her perform in Jerusalem in the '90s. She did not perform 'Jerusalem,' but 'The Israelites' played as walk-in music.
Agonizing. Agonizing. Reports are saying 'Nothing suspicious' - as in, they don't think she was murdered? WTF does that mean?
So fucked. So sad. She was ... is.
Even in death she confounded the media (that hounded her continually.) I remember once the Italian press had a meltdown because she walked into a luxury hotel, barefoot.
Another absolutely brilliant reflection. I was taken back by your musing about listening to "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" while admiring the view of Waikiki--there was no view of Waikiki and the lanai was on the other side of the house. Until I realized you were talking about THAT house...the one overlooking the graveyard. As they say in Hawaiian pidgin lingo, "Go figgah..." Remembrance of things past?
I’m laughing while crying reading this. Thank you, I needed that! 😓😂😓😂
As that HBO show title went: Getting On.
I've been thinking about her since hearing the news and now about suicide since reading your post earlier today. People commit suicide for a lot of reasons and, sometimes, for no reason. I've known many people who have done so. I've been trying to find a common denominator and, if there is one, it may have simply to do with balance. The pros vs the cons in a life. There was certainly profound sorrow in her beautiful voice. And then, also, she had that "Irish thing" to contend with. I suspect it was simply her time to let go and I am reminded of this, "I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving rally fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us." Kazuo Ishiguero, "Never Let Me Go"
It’s not official re suicide, tho it’s been on her mind ever since she lost her son to suicide last year.
That’s the thing about a suicide within a family unit, the notion becomes much more of a possibility for the survivors. My god, look at Sylvia Plath’s story re her son and then her husband’s second wife and her daughter. A contagion.
That Ishiguero passage is searing.
Thank you, Dennis.
Hi Frederick,
Thanks for your well-written contribution, although the subject matter is after my time.
I make lists also, divided and occasionally regrouped into categories - there's all
that Cancer for both of us - historians.
So true Esther. The crab compulsion-system!
You’d have loved Sinead’s iconoclastic spirit. And what a fucking voice. Musically and politically!
Oh my goodness, you are so good... {{{{{thank you}}}}}