Why a Wax Museum in Ireland Has Removed a Figure of Sinéad O’Connor

Anticipation was high ahead of The National Wax Museum in Dublin unveiling a figure of Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor on Thursday. The waxwork had been made to honor the celebrated musician, who died aged 56 on July 26, 2023. But the plan to mark the one-year anniversary of her death fell flat following a largely unenthusiastic response to the waxwork

The criticism was led by the singer’s brother, ​​John O’Connor, who voiced his disappointment of the wax figure, which depicted the Dublin-born talent dressed in all black and holding a microphone.

Calling into RTÉ Radio’s Liveline on Friday, John said he “didn’t think it looked like her [Sinéad] at all.” Elaborating further during his conversation with radio host Joe Duffy, the singer’s brother continued: “I was shocked, I thought it looked [like] something between a mannequin and something out of the Thunderbirds. Sinéad would have been very fond of looking well and she certainly did. If it was supposed to be a representation of her in her early 20s when she did “Nothing Compares 2 U,” it just looked nothing like her. I thought it was hideous.”

“If it was meant to honor her memory, I think it’s inappropriate that they put something as hideous up,” he added.

As John proceeded to point out, he wasn’t alone in his assessment of the waxwork. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share their views, one fan remarked that the waxwork “looks like they just found an old mannequin in a skip and said: ‘Yep that will do.’ The absolute hack of it.” Another commented: “Not sure that the new waxwork of Sinéad O’Connor is the likeness that most of us remember.“

Responding to the feedback on Friday, The National Wax Museum announced they would be removing the figure and said they are “committed” to creating a new one.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the Dublin business said the figure was intended as a “tribute of her profound legacy and influence on the world of music and Irish culture.” The museum added: “We acknowledge that the current representation did not meet our high standards or the expectations of Sinéad’s devoted fans.”

The singer achieved critical acclaim for her 1990 single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which topped charts around the world. The song was written and originally recorded by the musician Prince. O’Connor went on to have a complicated relationship with fame, with the various trials and tribulations of her life often playing out in the public eye.