‘Nothing compares 2 U’ as Sinéad O’Connor weds for the third time
Friends of the controversial artist and female priest, who pledged she would never marry again, have expressed delight at news of her surprise wedding to the Australian musician.
In what was a very private affair, the 44-year-old singer made the announcement on her website, www.sineadoconnor.com, alongside a picture of the couple kissing.
“We who run this site are very happy to announce the marriage of Steve Cooney and Sinéad O’Connor has taken place this morning,” the short statement read.
“Thanks be to the Great Lord Jah. Rastafarai. Dread I. Conquering Lion I. One love“.
The marriage took place in Europe as O’Connor is set to play in Lucerne, Switzerland, tonight as part of an acoustic tour.
It is the singer’s third marriage.
Her first marriage was to writer John Reynolds, with whom she has a son Jake, 23.
In 2001, she married journalist Nick Sommerland but they split less than two years later, and O’Connor was heartbroken, saying she would never marry again.
She had a daughter Róisín with journalist John Waters in 1996, and a son, Shane, with folk musician Donal Lunny in 2004,
She was seeing Mary Coughlan’s ex-husband, American Frank Bonadio, but they split earlier this year. It is understood Sinéad has had a long friendship with Cooney, who has been a member of her band for the last four years as a guitar player.
“Sinéad has had a long friendship with Steve which has now blossomed into a relationship.
“She now believes this is the perfect basis for a marriage and a more settled stage in her life,” a close friend said.
Before joining Sinéad’s band, Cooney was a key member of Stockton’s Wing, where he played bass, and was also a member of duo Cooney & Begley with musician Seamus Begley, which played many venues in the Kerry Gaeltacht.
Just last month, O’Connor had to cancel a performance in Gran Canaria due to a bronchial infection.
However, she is now back on tour and has played in Italy, the Czech Republic and China – her first ever show there.
Her last show of the summer is in Sardinia in late August and she is set to release a new album next year.
“There is still lots of work to be done on the tracks, but everything looks on course for the record to come out sometime early next year,” she wrote on her blog last month.
