Cause of Sinead O'Connor's death revealed 1 year after singer's passing

Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor passed away at the age of 56, but her cause of death has been revealed in a death certificate filed by her ex-husband, according to reports. 

O'Connor found dead at her London home on July 26, 2023. Coroner's report later stated that O'Connor had died of natural causes, reports WFLA. 

However, a death certificate filed last week in London provided a more detailed cause of death, which the Irish Independent first reported. O'Connor died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) coupled with bronchial asthma "together with low grade lower respiratory tract infection," according to copies of the death certificate viewed by the Irish Independent and The Ne

COPD, a disease that affects the flow of air to the lungs, is most often caused by smoking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath and excess phlegm, among others.

With the release of her second album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," which included a rendition of Prince's song "Nothing Compares 2 U," O'Connor became well-known throughout the world in the early 1990s. She gained popularity in 1992 for ripping up a picture of Pope John Paul II while doing a skit on "Saturday Night Live." She subsequently gave an explanation, saying that she tore up the image to raise awareness of child abuse in the Catholic Church.

"I am trying to fight child abuse, which I believe to be proof of the existence of evil in the world," O'Connor told Entertainment Tonight just weeks after her "SNL" appearances.

O'Connor's funeral, in August 2023, was attended by the Irish president, prime minister, and recording artists including Bob Geldof and Bono. Fans also filled the streets of her hometown during a procession.