DOLORES DIED IN A BATH WEARING PJs
Sad singer drowned after drinking binge
THE Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan accidentally drowned after drinking heavily alone in her hotel room.
The mum-of-three, 46, was found dead in the bath – wearing pyjamas – by a maid.
An inquest heard the Irish singer was in London to record a cover of her band’s hit Zombie.
She checked into the Hilton the day before, opened the minibar at 2am and called her mum at 3am before falling unconscious in the tub. She was confirmed dead at 9.16am on January 15.
Five empty miniatures and a bottle of champagne were found in her room, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard.
Tests showed she had only taken “therapeutic” amounts of prescription drugs. But she was four times over the drinkdrive limit, with a blood alcohol level of 330mg per 100ml.
She suffered with bipolar disorder and went through periods of heavy drinking.
When she spoke to psychiatrist Dr Seamus O’Ceallaigh on January 9, she seemed in “good spirits”. She was “hopeful for the future” and was planning to release two new albums.
No note was found in the hotel room. Coroner Shirley Radcliffe recorded a verdict of accidental death, caused by drowning due to alcohol intoxication.
She said: “This seems to me solely a tragic accident.”
The Cranberries enjoyed huge success in the 1990s with tracks including Linger and Dreams.
In a statement, they said: “Dolores will live on eternally in her music.”