Heartbroken Sinead O’Connor puts cigarettes in tragic son Shane’s coffin ‘in case there’s none in heaven’
HEARTBROKEN Sinead O’Connor placed a packet of cigarettes in her tragic son Shane’s coffin today “in case there’s none in heaven” as she bid an emotional farewell to her “beautiful angel”.
The 17- year-old had battled mental health demons and went missing before Gardai last Saturday confirmed that he had been “located deceased”.
Friends and family today comforted the singer and Shane’s dad, folk musician Donal Lunny, as the youngster was remembered at a private Hindu service.
Sinead wore a pink tracksuit and green scarf after she and Donal had requested mourners attending memorials for Shane wear bright colours in his honour.
The 55-year-old Nothing Compares 2 U later tweeted: “We just said goodbye to our beautiful angel, Shaney. Very lovely Hindu ceremony. Shane will have loved it.
“He was always chanting “Om. Shanti”. I put a few packs of fags in the coffin for him in case there’s none in heaven. He’ll have loved that too. Om. Shanti.”
Close family and friends had gathered outside a Bray funeral home on Friday to pay their respects after Shane’s untimely death last week.
In an online death notice, his parents had earlier told how they will “lovingly remember forever” tragic son Shane.
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Mother Sinead told fans on Twitter that she felt “lost” since she tragically lost her boy, who she described as the “very light of my life”.
The devastated singer has spoken openly about her despair and how she is seeking hospital support.
She also tweeted how she feels “lost without [her] kid” and added: “Hospital will help a while.”
Before the memorial, she also said: “I’m sorry for what I tweeted yesterday.
“I’m very upset. My son was the love of my life.”
Sinead also told her former partner Donal just how much Shane had loved him and how he had been a lovely parent.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
A message opposite the funeral home read: “We all loved you Shane Lunny.”
Friends and family consoled each other, some dressed in Hindi attire recognising Shane’s religion, as tears were shed.
A memorial service to celebrate Shane’s life, for his family and close friends, will be held in The Martello, Bray tomorrow from 2pm to 5pm.
Family also asked that “colourful clothing is preferred” for those attending.
They have also requested that family flowers are sent only and donations are made to Pieta House.
Sinead also said Shane was “declared a genius” at just eight-years-old and told how she believed he had psychic abilities.
In her book Rememberings, released just last year, Sinead wrote: “Shane was assessed at age eight and declared a genius. I was told that he had the learning ability, the vocabulary, and the mathematical reasoning of a 16-year-old.
'DECLARED GENIUS'
“He began to study science at a college with the adults in Dublin, but he didn’t enjoy going there, so it didn’t last long.
“Shane is an extremely special character, very, very psychic and very, very spiritualized. When he was three, he asked me one day, ‘Were you in an earthquake when I was inside your tummy?’ At first I said no because I forgot that I had been.
“When he was two weeks in my belly — I didn’t even know I was pregnant — I was on holiday in Malta, and there was an earthquake. I never thought about it again, I never mentioned it.
“I never told the child; I don’t think I even told anyone else. Yet this three-year-old child was able to tell me I was in fact in an earthquake, and I don’t know how he knew this.”
Sinead last week announced Shane’s passing on Twitter, saying: “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God.
BE AT PEACE
“May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace:”
She later tweeted a Bob Marley song which she dedicated to Shane: “This is for my Shaney. The light of my life.
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“The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us.”
Musicians like Imelda May and Shane MacGowan, after whom Shane is named, have been among those to offer their condolences and support to the grieving family.
You're Not Alone
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email [email protected].
You can also freephone the national Bereavement Support Line run by the HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation at 1800 80 70 77 (Monday-Friday 10am-1pm), and the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at .
You can also contact Pieta House on their helpline at 1800 247 247, while people can also text HELP to 51444 to reach a counsellor.
