Dolores O’Riordan: Tiny, but powerful
Madonna, Cher, Elvis Presley – there are some names that just scream “pop star.” Despite their peculiarity (and let’s admit that Madonna Ciccone, Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre Bono, and Elvis Presley are all unusual), there’s something iconic about each of these names that makes them easy to envision in the bright lights of Tinseltown or Las Vegas.
Despite her strong Irish roots, Dolores O’Riordan had no such luck in the nominative determinism department. However, on the strength of her distinctive brogue vocal stylings, songwriting talent, and a captivating stage presence, the barefoot chanteuse in the early 1990’s helped make The Cranberries the most successful Irish rock band since U2.
Unlike U2’s Bono – born Paul David Hewson – Dolores Mary Eileen O’Riordan didn’t need any name changes, and wore her Irish heritage as proudly as her characteristic shortly-cropped hair.
No biggie, just two of Dolores’ pals – John Paul II and Benedict XVI – embracing each other .
If I were born in the Ballybricken region of Limerick, Ireland, and attended Coláiste Cnoc na Labhras – one of the top five or ten public schools in Ireland – I’d embrace that heritage as well.
It was a winning formula: The Cranberries’ first album was a worldwide success and sold five million copies in the U.S. alone; subsequent albums would sell another 10 million copies in the U.S. The band’s albums have reached #1 in eleven different countries, and have earned 42 Platinum certifications worldwide.
In 2006, Dolores O’Riordan was listed as one of the ten richest women in Ireland, and has been a personal acquaintance of the last two Popes. In 2010, after a six-year hiatus, The Cranberries’ original lineup – Dolores O’Riordan, Mike and Noel Hogan, and the awesomely-named Fergal Lawler – reunited for a worldwide tour, and released their sixth album Roses, earlier this year.
Plus, their song Linger was spoofed on an episode of NBC’s Community, which you know we appreciate here at the Blog of Funny Names. *Swoon*
Special Announcement:
Finally, I have to congratulate my Esteemed ColleagueTM Arto, whose Orland Kurtenbach and the Legend of Flin Flon, Manitoba post from Tuesday has been selected to become a WordPress Freshly Pressed featured article in the coming days. Today, WordPress; tomorrow, the world!
Cranberries, Freshly Pressed.
The Blog of Funny Names 
I love the Cranberries’ and this post, who knew pop stars go around hobnobbing with the Pope…jeez. Congrats to Arto…who is clearly on his way to world domination.
Thanks, though the only thing I wish to dominate….hmmm, that may not be the ideal way to start a sentence. Let’s just say I have no intention to dominate the *entire* world.
Yay Arto! Yay Flin Flon! Yay Arto!! It’s about time you boys got Freshly Pressed. (And thank you for the swoon, that was lovely).
Yay! Turns out the magic words were “Flin Flon” the whole time. Should’ve known! Swoon!
Congrats Arto!
Congratulations Arto on getting Freshly Press.
Congratulations, Arto! xoM
Haha, look at those freshly pressed cranberries, they look delicious. Good post, long in the brewing in that mind of yours, dear Esteemed Colleague.
Nice food shot 🙂 And congrats on the Fresh Pressing!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to your blog and to Arto in particular on being Freshly Pressed, the combined Emmy, Oscar, Pulitzer, and Nobel Prize of the blogosphere. Having never been Freshly Pressed, I didn’t know that they notified you in advance that you would be featured. (Kind of them–you wouldn’t want to have a wimpy post the very day the whole world tuned in.)
I hope that my blog is on WordPresses’ Freshly Pressed bucket list before I die.
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