Who Are Sinéad O'Connor's 4 Ex-Husbands?

This article includes mentions of suicide.

Irish singer, Sinéad O'Connor, had quite a roller coaster of a romantic life, almost as hectic as her career has been. Ever since the singer exploded in the '80s, O'Connor has transformed the music industry. Although she has had some controversial moments in her career, like dogging the band U2 and supporting the IRA, the singer has always been unapologetically herself. Even when it came to love, O'Connor couldn't keep her feelings hidden, falling hard for the ones she loved. The "Nothing Compares 2 U" singer didn't just get married once, but four times.

O'Connor's love life has always been a bit complicated. Although the musician once said she identified as a lesbian, per Entertainment Weekly, she has only been married to men. And by the time her fourth marriage ended, O'Connor was over the idea of love. According to Billboard, the musician wrote on her website: "I will never again associate myself romantically with anyone as I could not bear to see these things done again to someone I love," she wrote. "Of course I have my children, family and friends so I am happy enough and will be [my] old self in [a] matter of days for which I make no apology ... Onward and upward." But, O'Connor's statement didn't erase her four marriages and the men she decided to walk down the aisle with.

Sinéad O'Connor first said "I do" in 1989 when the musician married John Reynolds, an award-winning music producer. The couple even worked on several projects together, including "The Lion and the Cobra" and "I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss." During their marriage, John Reynolds and Sinéad O'Connor welcomed their son Jake. Unfortunately, the couple divorced just four years after tying the knot in 1991. For a while, it seemed that the musician and producer had a respectful relationship and even collaborated up until 2014. But this friendship seemed to change two years later.

In May 2016, O'Connor went missing in the suburbs of Chicago, however, she was found days later. The musician subsequently went on to admonish her ex and her son in an open letter for abandoning her for being suicidal. "You tell that evil son of [ours] that a person who suffers from two f***ing medical conditions of which the symptoms include suicidal compulsion isn't being manipulative if while he is being a f***ing chauvinist bully like his grandfather they say they're going to or feel like killing themselves," she wrote (via Billboard).

Although it's unclear what came of this letter, Reynolds seemed to still have O'Connor's back. On the producer's website, Reynolds describes himself as "one of Sinead O'Connor's staunchest supporters and collaborators."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Sinéad O'Connor moved on after her first marriage. The musician met journalist Nick Sommerlad in February 2001 and tied the knot in August of that same year. "We fell for each other very quickly. Both of us have been out with various people in the past, but we are both very happy now," Sommerlad shared (via the Irish Times).

However, that happiness didn't last long as the couple had reportedly split in 2002 before their divorce became official in 2004. "They were so hurt that for a long time they kept up a pretense and denied any parting," a source revealed to the Irish Independent (via O'Connor's website). "But Sinéad knew this could not last and finally told her friends. She said they were both heartbroken."

But, third time's the charm, right? Not in Sinéad O'Connor and Stephen Cooney's case. The two musicians walked down the aisle in July 2010 but had known one another since the '80s after the singer hired him to be the guitarist in her band. Unfortunately, the friends-to-lovers romance didn't last as long as they probably wished. According to the Independent, in early April 2011, the singer confirmed that she and her friend had split. "Steve is lovely so it's not his fault but mine. It was an extremely happy marriage. I'm heartbroken about it breaking up," she said.

Sinéad O'Connor's final marriage ended as fast as it came. In 2011, during a wild Las Vegas night, the musician tied the knot with Barry Herridge, an Irish therapist. While several of the musician's previous marriages only lasted less than a year, O'Connor and Herridge's marriage can easily beat those records.

O'Connor and Herridge's nuptials ended just 16 days after they tied the knot. According to a blog post written by the singer, O'Connor detailed the night of her marriage and how things had started terribly. "Within three hours of the ceremony being over the marriage was kyboshed by the behavior of certain people in my husband's life," she wrote (via The Hollywood Reporter). "And also by a bit of a wild ride I took us on looking for a bit of a smoke of weed for me wedding night as I don't drink." The musician then detailed a brief timeline of their short-lived marriage. "The marriage was 16 days. We lived together for 7 days only ... Until Xmas eve," she divulged.

The two decided to separate after 16 days, however, it wasn't the end of their marriage. O'Connor had even considered renewing their vows in 2014, but nothing ever came from that idea. Still, up until O'Connor died in 2023, it's believed that the musician was married to Herridge although they were separated.