SINEAD O'Connor has told a close friend that she will never marry again after the collapse of the relationship with her second husband. Sinead saw the marriage as a fairy tale romance after one failed marriage to musician John Reynolds and a number of high profile relationships, such as that with journalist John Waters and social columnist Dermott Hayes.

Sinead O'Connor and her second husband, 29-year-old Daily Mirror journalist Nick Sommerlad, split up in July of last year after just 11 months of marriage and managed to keep the parting a secret until this weekend. This was despite a tempestuous ending to a relationship which began after the couple met at a concert in Francis Street in Dublin and, according to friends, fell madly in love at first sight. The couple married three months later in Angelsea, Wales, where Nick's family lives.

Sinead O'Connor confirmed that the marriage was over but declined to comment. A close friend, who wants to remain anonymous, said the parting had a devastating effect on the couple, both of whom suffered deep depression in the aftermath and a sense of hopelessness at the failure of the marriage.

"They were so hurt that for a long time they kept up a pretence and denied any parting. But Sinead knew this could not last and finally told her friends. She said they were both heartbroken, still loved each other but knew that they could never live together. They just want a bit of privacy.

"Neither Sinead nor Nick are apportioning any blame on each other and are both saddened by the pain that the split caused to themselves, family and friends. They fell madly in love when they first met. Despite the huge love there is between them, they found that having married so early in the relationship was a pressure that neither could cope with. This was on top of the usual pressure of a rock star married to a media figure," the friend said.

"It was soon after they moved into the house in Monkstown, just before the marriage, that things started to go wrong. Despite the fact that they loved each other, massive incompatibilities emerged. But they pressed on with the marriage believing that the differences could be sorted out. But, unfortunately, the opposite happened and the differences just got greater and greater."

Another close friend of the singer said the couple became depressed when they realised the marriage was not going to work and then started to fight very badly, with the rows becoming worse and worse.

"There were a number of partings and reconciliations before the final split but both realised that the marriage had been a disaster and last July Sinead left the house and moved into a hotel while Nick, who had given up his job in the Mirror, moved back to England.

"Sinead has told a number of friends that she will never get married again. It is like asking for trouble. She gets on very well with her ex-husband John Reynolds, father of her son, Jake, and John Waters, father of her daughter, Roisin. It is known that Sinead maintains excellent friendships with all but two of the people that she ever went out with since she was 14. They are both hoping to build a friendship in the future and they love each other very much."

There was no pre-nuptial agreement. Our source said that Nick is not the type of man who will go for money, he is a principled socialist. According to the friend, there is no wish to hurt each other, they will be getting a divorce in two years' time and, in the meantime, they would value their privacy. They would like to media to give them space they are both very hurt. They hope that people will grant them their wish.

(c) 2003 Irish Independent