Russell Crowe leaves fans in tears with tribute to Sinead O'Connor

Russell Crowe has left fans in tears after sharing a beautiful tribute to the late Sinead O'Connor after it was announced the singer had passed away at the age of 56.

Taking to Twitter, Russell shared the story of how he met Sinead last year, recalling, "Last year, working in Ireland, having a pint in the cold outside a Dalkey pub with some new friends, a woman with purpose strode past us. Puffy parker zipped to the nape and her bowed head covered in a scarf.

"One of my new friends muttered an exclamation, jumped up and pursued the woman. Thirty metres down the road the friend and the woman embraced and he waived me over. There under streetlights with mist on my breath, I met Sinéad. She looked in my eyes, and uttered with disarming softness, 'Oh, it’s you, Russell'.

"She came with us back to the table and sat in the cold and ordered a hot tea. In a conversation without fences we roamed through the recent Dublin heatwave, local politics, American politics, the ongoing fight for indigenous recognition in many places, but particularly in Australia, her warm memory of New Zealand, faith, music, movies and her brother the writer. I had the opportunity to tell her she was a hero of mine."

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The Gladiator actor continued, "When her second cup was taking on the night air, she rose, embraced us all and strode away into the fog-dimmed streetlights. We sat there the four of us and variously expressed the same thing. What an amazing woman. Peace be with your courageous heart Sinéad."

Friends and followers commented on the story, sharing their heartbreak over Sinead's passing.

"Now I'm crying..." one user responded.

"What a lovely memory of a chance meeting, written with such warmth and regard," another said. "May she RIP."

"Beautifully written," a third added. "Interesting how sometimes the briefest of encounters can have the biggest of impacts."

"Thank you for sharing this, Russell," a fourth wrote. "I’m glad you told Sinéad, she was one of your heroes. I'm sure this meant a lot to her & warmed her heart. RIP Sinéad."

"This is a beautiful scene you’ve sketched. Thank you," someone else said.

Sinead's family announced her passing in a statement shared with Ireland's national broadcaster RTE and the BBC on Wednesday (local time).

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” they said. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

Sinead is survived by her three children, Jake Reynolds, Roisin Waters and Yeshua Bonadio.

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