Irish star Sinéad O’Connor has been named as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential women of the year.
The US magazine’s list highlights women who ‘defined the last century’ and ‘who were often overshadowed’.
The singer’s entrance focuses on the iconic moment that O’Connor shocked audiences in America by ripping a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live.
O’Connor did this to highlight issues of abuse in the Catholic Church and told the audience to ‘fight the real enemy’.
The gesture led to a lot of criticism, and O’Connor was booed off stage during a concert the following week. She was also mocked by other stars including Joe Pesci and Madonna.
However, as time has told, O’Connor was proved right about the church as the scale of the abuse scandal would later hit headlines across the world.
Time magazine’s feature includes a quote from American star Olivia Wilde about O’Connor.
Wilde said: “Today, entertainers often speak out about their personal experiences; back then, it was less common.
“As an Irishwoman, O’Connor was aware of the danger of criticizing a powerful entity like the church.
“She took that risk in order to publicly demand justice for children who were sexually abused by members of the clergy.
“Nine years after her performance, Pope John Paul II acknowledged and apologized for the church’s long history of sexual abuse.
“In recent years, O’Connor has been vocal about her mental-health struggles, once again laying herself bare for the world.
“She remains an example of the power of provoking necessary, if unpopular, conversations—and the courage it takes to do so.”
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling
