Dave Fanning says Sinead O’Connor was ‘ahead of her time’ in touching tribute

"Everything she said came true."

Among the many tributes to the late Sinéad O'Connor, RTÉ presenter Dave Fanning has added his own words to the singer's untimely passing. Speaking on ITV's Good Morning show, the radio host reminded the audience of O'Connor's protests throughout her career, particularly pointing to her controversial Saturday Night Live appearance in 1992. "She never wanted to be any of that, she never wanted the fame that came with it. She was maybe kind of taken aback and shocked," said Fanning.

"So when she went to make her protest - because she felt that she was a protest singer not a popstar - and tore of the picture of the pope of the television which was really radical and huge at the time and she was destroyed - not just by famous people like Madonna and loads of others. "I mean Joe Pesci came on the programme the next week and put the picture of the pope back together again and said 'I hope she doesn't come back to our country', Frank Sinatra said terrible things. "And then nine years later: prescient. Everything she said came true and we saw the abuses in the Catholic church right across the way. She just called the church the most evil institution in the world and she has a point when you look at the evidence. So she was ahead of her time, let's say."

.@davefanning on Sinead O'Connor tearing up a picture of the pope. #GMB pic.twitter.com/inzt8xGJOA

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) July 27, 2023

Dave Fanning and his past Christy Dignam comments

Having been forced to reconsider then apologise for his blunt tribute to Christy Dignam, earlier this year, Dave Fanning has redeemed himself with his prescient and touching tribute to Sinead O'Connor. Many had mused, on social media, if Fanning would be available for comments after the Dignam furore. He was, and he gave a good account of himself, and the late singer. Sinead O'Connor appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1992 to stage a protest highlighting child abuse in the Catholic Church. Without informing producers of SNL in advance of her musical appearance, singing Bob Marley's song, War, O'Connor changed the lyrics to a crucial line: "Until the ignoble and unhappy regimes which hold all of us through child abuse, yeah. Child abuse, yeah." She then produced a photograph of Pope John Paul II and ripped it in two.

in 1992, sinead o’connor shocked the producers of SNL when at the end of her performance, she tore up a photo of the pope to protest child sex abuse in the church. her career was totally derailed and the church’s abuse did not re-enter the national spotlight for another 10 years pic.twitter.com/MwfO73qSZv

— matt (@mattxiv) July 26, 2023

After the incident, many stations refused to play her music and many of her shows were cancelled. However, the Dubliner doubled down on her protest and, while performing at a 30th anniversary concert for Bob Dylan amid loud boos from sections of the crowd, sang 'War' again, and kept in the child abuse line. She then left the stage in tears and was embraced by the singer, Kris Kristofferson.

Related articles:

• Sinead O’Connor’s family release statement following iconic singer’s death
• Russell Crowe recalls lovely encounter with Sinéad O'Connor outside Dublin pub
• Heartbreaking tributes pour in as Sinead O’Connor passes away aged 56
• Sinead O'Connor, acclaimed Irish singer and activist, dies aged 56

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