How did Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Geldof know each other? Musician reveals late singer texted him before death

While performing at a recent festival, Bob Geldof told the crowd that Sinéad O'Connor was in his thoughts following her tragic death. The Irish singer-songwriter also revealed that O'Connor had been sending him texts 'laden with despair' only weeks before she died.

Sinéad O'Connor's death, aged 56, was confirmed last week after The 'Nothing Compares 2 U' singer was found unresponsive in her London home.

Bob Geldof has joined a long list of musicians and other entertainers who have paid tribute to O'Connor in the days since her death.

Speaking to the crowd during his performance at Cavan Calling Festival in Ulster, Republic of Ireland, Geldof said: "Many, many times Sinead was full of a terrible loneliness and a terrible despair. She was a very good friend of mine. We are talking right up to a couple of weeks ago.

"Some of the texts were laden with desperation and despair and sorrow and some were ecstatically happy. And she was like that."

It's clear from Bob Geldof's recollections that the pair had a close bond. But how far back does it go and how did they meet?

Geldof has said that he was 'very good friends' with O'Connor and lived just 75 yards apart from her and her brother Joseph when growing up. The two of them shared the same bus stop when going to school.

While performing at Cavan Calling Festival, Geldof added that he recalled O'Connor coming to see his band Boomtown Rats many times as a teenager.

He also spoke about how his decision to tear up a picture of John Travolta inspired Sinead to do the same thing with a picture of the Pope during her infamous SNL performance.

Speaking to Irish Web TV ahead of the festival, he said: "Sinéad lived down the road from me and Gary, the guitar player in the band who died about six or seven months ago, we are quite literally down the road.

"So we've known that girl most of her life, really. She was a big Rats fan... so, to be honest with you, that's why we're doing very early stuff and we dedicate this gig to her, it's the only thing we can do as musicians.

"We were friends all the way through. She was signed to the same little record label we were signed to, by the same guy, had the same manager and stuff like that so there's a big connection there."