Sinéad O'Connor's Former Home to Feature Commemorative Plaque

THE NEW OWNERS of Sinéad O’Connor’s former Bray seafront home, Montebello have secured planning permission for a house revamp and extension that includes a commemorative plaque to the late singer, a new gym studio, sauna and bar. This follows Wicklow County Council granting planning permission to Jane Hughes and David Lynch for the house make-over and extension despite the objections of a neighbour, Ceceline Power to a side extension component of the revamp. The house upgrade by the applicants is to also include a commemorative plaque that is to be erected at the front of the property to mark that the property was the home to Sinead O’Connor for 15 years. According to drawings submitted with the application, the proposed wording of the plaque is ‘SINÉAD O’CONNOR musician, activist 1966 – 2023 lived here from 2007 to 2021’. O’Connor died at the age of 56 on 26 July 2023 of natural causes at her London home and in August 2023, mourners left flowers outside the home as thousands of people gathered on the seafront outside Montebello to see O’Connor’s funeral cortege make its way to a private burial. Fans returned to the seafront home in 2024 from as far away as New Zealand to pay homage to the ‘Nothing Compares to U’ singer. Ms Hughes and Mr Lynch lodged their plans in October three months after a €1.295m purchase was agreed last July for the property according to figures from the Residential Property Price Register. The Hughes-Lynch scheme adds a net 236 square feet to the home which will now have a gross floor area of 4,703ft. The scheme also includes a combined billiard room and bar, sauna and gym studio. The Council has granted planning permission after concluding that the proposed development “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience”. Ms Power’s objection to the scheme centred on Ms Hughes and Mr Lynch’s plans for a single side storey ‘Orangery Sun Room’. In a submission on behalf of Ms Power, RKAD Architects stated that their client is very much opposed to the proposed ‘Orangery Sun Room’ as it would result in the blocking of two of the existing windows on the southern gable of Ms Power’s property. On behalf of Ms Power, architect at RKAD Architects, Rory Kissane stated that his client has expressed their satisfaction and approval in principle with much of the proposed works to the existing property and welcomes the proposed refurbishment. The Council asked Ms Hughes and Mr Lynch to address Ms Power’s concerns and in response lodge revised plans for the side extension. In the Council planning report recommending a grant of permission, it found that the scale of the extension to the side has been altered and the revised plans address the concerns raised. The extension was reduced by 25% from 16 square metres to 12 square metres. In their house revamp drawn up by Buckley Partnership Architects, Ms Hughes and Mr Lynch have been granted planning permission for the removal of non-original front porch, and the provision of two new bay windows to the front elevation along with the two single storey extensions to the side and to the rear and the provision of a single storey rear side extension. The planning go-ahead follows An Coimisiún Pleanála in July 2024 refusing planning permission to then owner, Rachel Carthy to convert the property into five apartments. A number of local residents opposed the planned apartment scheme and ACP refused planning permission after finding that the proposal would result in an incongruous structure in terms of design. ACP – is dismissing its own inspector’s recommendation to grant planning permission – found that the scheme would adversely affect the architectural character of the seafront area. O’Connor sold the 1860’s double-fronted six bed house facing the promenade for €1.04m in November 2021.