PORTLAND, Maine — James McClay, chair of the Maine Irish Heritage Center's Board of Directors, is in a text chain with more than a dozen fellow Irishmen who have settled in Maine. While the chat is usually full of jokes, laughs, and zingers, it was much more solemn on Wednesday.
“The chat was blowing up,” McClay said. “You don’t often see these guys be serious. The last time I had seen one of them show so much emotion was when my dog died. And that was a while ago.”
The reason for the sincerity was Sinéad O’Connor’s death. The Irish singer-songwriter was found unresponsive in a home in southeast London on Wednesday. The news of her death impacted many people across the world, including in Maine and New England.
O'Connor began her career busking on the streets of Dublin before rising to international fame – most notably with her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” She also went on to record and perform many traditional Irish songs and collaborate with many Irish artists, including The Chieftains, Shane MacGowan, and Van Morrison, to name a few.
No matter the song, O’Connor’s voice was unmistakably strong and unapologetically Irish.
“Her stuff with The Chieftains is phenomenal. Her rendition of ‘The Foggy Dew’ is like, I mean, I hear that and goosebumps. I’m ready to go out and free Ireland, you know,” McClay said. “It’s that sort of haunting, and it stirs something up. I can’t speak for anyone else but, coming from Ireland, and I like history, you just listen to that version and she’s like a siren calling you to come to arms.”
“Bringing that kind of haunting Irish, Celtic mysticism sound to pop and rock – it just brought us to that international stage,” McClay continued. “We’ve always been a country that punches way above our weight, and I think it’s people like Sinéad O’Connor that are a huge influence behind that.”
Along with her music, O’Connor was known for her strong political stances, famously speaking out against abuse by the Catholic church in Ireland. She also had a long history of mental health struggles, further exacerbated by her son Shane’s death by suicide last year. In many ways, her story of beauty, tragedy, independence, and strength encapsulates the essence of Irishness.
“It’s all well and good to have this beautiful, romantic image of Ireland. And everybody loves the Irish, but I mean we’re a country with our own dark history and our own demons and challenges as well – like any country,” McClay explained. “But she’s also this beautiful songstress that captures the good, the bad, and the ugly of everything that is Irish, like hard work and courage.”
Others shared their reactions on social media.
"Sinead, your songs got me through some sad times. Rip," wrote one commenter on NEWS CENTER Maine's Facebook page.
"One of the most unique and powerful female voices to ever hit the stage," wrote another.
O'Connor's cause of death has not been released. Police said Wednesday her death is not considered suspicious. She was 56 years old.
The Maine Irish Heritage Center describes itself as the hub of all things Irish in Maine. To get involved or learn more, click here.