Here's 20 Sinead...

Thousands line the streets of Bray to pay their respects. U2, President Higgins and Bob Geldof among mourners

- SANDRA MALLON

THOUSANDS of fans lined the streets of Bray's seafront to pay their final respects to Sinead O'Connor at her funeral yesterday.

The iconic singer was found dead in her London apartment three weeks ago. Her death, at the age of 56, has stunned her legions of fans around the world, many of whom converged on Bray yesterday to say a final goodbye to the star.

Sinead was remembered as a "beloved daughter of Ireland" who "brought joy to countless people the world over".

A private funeral service for close family and friends was also held in Colliers funeral home in Wicklow town, which was attended by President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

U2 stars Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton were at the private farewell, alongside Bob Geldof and Damien Dempsey.

In a statement, President Higgins said: "The outpouring of grief and appreciation of the life and work of Sinead O'Connor demonstrates the profound impact which she had on the Irish people.

"The unique contribution of Sinead involved the experience of a great vulnerability combined with a superb, exceptional level of creativity that she chose to deliver through her voice, her music and her songs.

"The expression of both, without making any attempt to reduce the one for the sake of the other, made her contribution unique - phenomenal in music terms, but of immense heroism.

"However, achieving this came from the one heart and the one body and the one life, which extracted an incredible pain, perhaps one too much to bear.