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CRANBERRIES SINGER DOLORES O’Riordan has died.
She was 46 and is survived by three children.
O’Riordan passed away at a hotel in Westminster this morning. Police were called to the Park Lane address around 9am, where O’Riordan was pronounced dead.
They are treating the death as unexplained.
A statement from her PR agency said:
“Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries, was in London for a short recording session. No further details are available at this time.
“Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
The Cranberries / Twitter
The Cranberries / Twitter / Twitter
O’Riordan became the lead singer in The Cranberries before the Limerick band would go on to gain huge success in the early to mid 90s.
The band went on to have four US Top 20 albums, with single Linger landing at number 8 in the US. Zombie, which rose to number three in the Irish charts, remains among the band’s best-known songs.
The band would release Wake Up and Smell the Coffee in 2001 before going on hiatus in 2003. They reformed in 2012 to release Roses and again last year for Something Else. The band was forced to cancel all of its dates on that tour due to O’Riordan’s back problems. The band sold around 40 million records worldwide.
Before Christmas, she posted to the band’s Facebook page saying:
“Feeling good! I did my first bit of gigging in months at the weekend, performed a few songs at the Billboard annual staff holiday party in New York with the house band. Really enjoyed it! Happy Christmas to all our fans!! Xo”
O’Riordan had also released two solo albums; 2007′s Are You Listening? and 2009′s No Baggage.
Tributes
Tributes have begun pouring in to O’Riordan, with one calling her the “Queen of Limerick”.
President Michael D Higgins said:
“It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Dolores O’Riordan, musician, singer and song writer.
Dolores O’Riordan and The Cranberries had an immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally.
I recall with fondness the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy’s introduction of her and The Cranberries to me, and the pride he and so many others took in their successes.
“To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts her death will be a big loss.”
DJ Will Leahy wrote on Twitter:
“Dolores O’Riordan. You put Limerick on the world music map during the darkest time in our city. Rest in peace.”
Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone called her “an icon”, while singer Frank Turner wrote: “Oh lord. Not Dolores O’Riordan. Grew up singing Cranberries songs. Tragic news.”
Local TD Jan O’Sullivan added:
“Dolores was an iconic figure of 90s Irish music. The music Dolores made has touched many people. Her talent and that of her bandmates put Limerick on the map musically.”
Arts Minister Josepha Madigan said:
“She was an inspiration to many across the world and had a truly unique voice. Her haunting vocals on classics such as Linger and Zombie will live on forever.”
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RIP. Such a sad loss.
I’m taking it that comment was supposed to be sarcastic?
If not you should forget the romanticised film version and educate yourself as to the kind of person he really was.
No flies on you, eh?
Apologies Ruairi if I didn’t spot the obvious, but there will probably be many on here who believe the folk-hero robin hood guff.
The reality is that he was a career criminal from an early age for whom stealing horses and other livestock from his equally poor neighbours (Irish and otherwise) was just business as usual. He formed a ruthless personal vendetta against an (admittedly corrupt) police force and killed several of them in cold blood. He robbed several banks, but there is absolutely no evidence that he shared his ill-gotten gains with the wider community in any shape or form – the robin-hood label is totally misguided.
And all because his father allegedly stole two pigs.
There are two ways to rob a bank . First is the ned Kelly way go in with a gun and grab what you can ,,, then there is the new Irish was go in for a meeting with the the manager have a chat get a big loan ,,,, then don’t pay it back ,,,, blame everyone but your self ,,,, hide all the money you have in a different country and leave it for the Irish people to pay back ,,, so who is the biggest villain ?????
Doesn’t mean the lesser villain isn’t still a villain though….
ah lighten up he makes a good story
In 100 years time the murdering gangs of today could well be revered as folk heros. Sad thought.
Never mind in 100 years time. Sean Quinn is very popular in caven and within gaa. Micheal lowry is very popular in tipp. Mick Wallace is very popular in wexford. And even with some ppl having to hid there love for bertie his still got some support around the country. Just to.note I do not support any of the above.
If he was alive today he’d probably be holding up cash in transit vans or conducting tiger kidnappings. That’s the sort of lad we’re talking about. Don’t let the fact he was Irish fool you into thinking he was a good man.
He was a murdering thief, end of.
“IF”………………..”PROBABLY” ………..
It’s called the power of injustice, and injustice pays its price.
So Robin Hood must have been a villain too?
Very true !!!!!!
Robin hood was a thief ,, nothing else ,, the English just like to look up to him
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