The music industry experienced the first big death of 2018 this week. On Monday, January 15th, the world was forced to say goodbye to the very talented musician and song-writer, Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries. The 46-year-old passed away in her hotel room in London very suddenly, though the police haven’t actually issued a statement regarding the cause of death. They have said, however, they have found no evidence of foul-play.

The unique singer was probably most known for her 1994 song “Zombie,” which was a protest song against the 25-year-long war between England and Ireland. More specifically, it was written after two young boys were murdered by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) in the bombing in Warrington, Cheshire, England on March 20, 1993. The song raised controversy, but on August 31, 1994, the IRA declared a ceasefire, making fans wonder if The Cranberries song had anything to do with it.

Before her position as lead singer in The Cranberries, she was born the youngest of seven on September 6, 1971. It was in the late 80’s that Dolores met her future band mates: Feargal Lawler, Mike Hogan, and Noel Hogan. The group gave O’Riordan the music for their soon-to-be hit, “Linger,“and she came back the very next day with lyrics for the song. It did, however, take a little while for their band to become popular, which was frustrating for her. But once they reached America, they were a hit, and Ireland quickly follow suit.

It wasn’t always easy for her though. She was the mother of three and was very open about her battle with depression. In an interview in May 2017 with Irish News, she said, “There have been times when I’ve struggled. The death of my father and mother-in-law was very hard. Looking back, I think depression, whatever the cause, is one of the worst things to go through. Then again, I’ve also had a lot of joy in my life, especially with my children. You get ups as well as downs. Sure isn’t that what life’s all about?”

The Cranberries fans, including myself, are certainly going to miss her one-of-a-kind voice and fun personality, but we were lucky that she shared herself with the world, leaving behind such a special legacy that helped and inspired people around the world.

In a 2013 interview, she optimistically said, “I think I’ll probably come back as an angel and I’d like to guide people or guard people going through similar experiences in life, whisper in their ear and kind of give them ideas on how to deal with things.”

Sources: CNN, SongFacts, IMDb, Fox News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AufR4Ajod5U