Upon researching the troubled life of Sinéad O’Connor, I see so many parallels between she and my late mum. Mom, too, suffered extreme abuse in every form both at the hands of her own mother, and then by the priests at her school and church (here in this very city – it was the 60s/70s, times were different), then my father. She suffered mental illness throughout her whole life, had a very profane tongue due to life, and switched religions multiple times in search of solace, only to end up a theist/boarder-line atheist. People frequently snubbed their nose at her, and often didn’t even believe her. “It’s all in your head,” they’d arrogantly say. I cannot imagine how incredibly lonely she must have felt. She spoke out, even hollered, against what she thought was wrong, only to be hushed and insulted or ignored time and time again. She was a wonderful mum, and did everything in her power not to be like her own when raising us. Moreover, she taught us to fight and stay true to ourselves no matter what. When she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in her mid 40s, she told me multiple times that she viewed her illness as her only ticket out of this world, to freedom. When she did pass on seven years later, many still kept on talking bad of her, namely her in-laws. Her own relatives had long died before her. Two extremely beautiful women, my Mum and Sinead are now long gone. Both died heavily misunderstood and isolated. May they rest in peace. Go Raibh Suaimhneas Síoraí Air. Please world: learn empathy.