The man who originally made his name as a rock manager when he steered The Boomtown Rats to the top of the UK charts, and who was hugely instrumental in Sinéad's early success in the 1980s, had taken up the management reins again, to steer Sinéad through her return to action over the past couple of years.

However, the singer experienced an array of difficulties over recent months, beginning during the build-up to the release of her latest album How About I Be Me (And You Be You) – a record which was widely critically acclaimed. Those difficulties have been much publicised, with Sinéad herself describing the turmoil into which her life and career were plunged in a series of communications via Twitter, her own website and interviews in other media – including a brilliant piece by Olaf Tyaransen in Hot Press detailing the difficulties she encountered on a trip to the US in January to promote the track 'Lay Your Head Down' from the film Albert Nobbs.

Fachtna had remained as Sinéad's manager through what was a harrowing six months for all concerned. However, the relationship broke down, apparently irretrievably, two weeks ago – a fact which became public over the weekend when it was written about in the Sunday Independent by entertainment reporter Niamh Horan.

When approached by Hot Press, Fachtna, who is generally reclusive and known to be averse to publicity, declined to discuss any of the details of the split.

"All matters pertaining to my former business relationship with Ms. O'Connor," he told Hot Press, in an email response to a note sent to him, "are in the hands of my solicitors (L.K.Shields and Co., Dublin) and I will therefore be making no comment whatsoever. Appreciate your emailing me."