Sinead O’Connor has announced on her official website that she ends her fourth marriage, which lasted just 16 days.

Sinead O’Connor, 45, wrote a lengthy and heartfelt message after fearing the news of her split from Barry Herridge, who she wed on December 8, was about to be leaked.

The Irish singer revealed that she and Barry Herridge actually lived together as husband and wife for just seven days before ending their relationship on Christmas Eve, 16 days after their Las Vegas union.

Sinead O’Connor blamed “intense pressure” placed on her husband from members of his circle following their sudden Las Vegas union, which she revealed ended in a “wild” journey to find marijuana.

The singer told her fans that the pair have parted amicably and said she still loves Barry Herridge “very much”, but that he was too nice “to trap”.

Sinead O’Connor wrote: “From the moment myself and my husband got together not long ago, there was intense pressure placed upon him by certain people in his life, not to be involved with me. These were people who had never met me but had formed opinions of me based on what they read about <<Sinead O’Connor>> in the media etc.

“Entitled as they are to their opinions about me many perhaps well deserved, there was no righteousness on anyone’s part to put my husband through what he was put through as a result of his desire to be with me and to marry me and as a result of his actually marrying me.

“Within 3 hours of the ceremony being over the marriage was kyboshed by the behavior of certain people in my husband’s life. And also by a bit of a wild ride I took us on looking for a bit of a smoke of weed for me wedding night as I don’t drink. My husband was enormously wounded and very badly effected by that experience and also by the attitude of those close to him toward our marriage.

“It became apparent to me that if he were to stay with me he would be losing too much to bear. And that being with me was not going to serve him positively, career wise or any other wise. I saw his life leave him because of how people close to him reacted. And I can’t take anyone’s life. And a woman wants to be a joy to her husband. So.. U love someone? Set them free.

Sinead O’Connor continued: “He is a wonderful man. I love him very much. I’m sorry I’m not a more regular woman. I truly believe though it is painful to admit, we made a mistake rushing into getting married, for altruistic reasons, and weren’t aware or prepared for the consequences on my husband’s life and the lives of those close to him. He has been terribly unhappy and I have therefore ended the marriage. I think he is too nice to do so. And too nice to trap.”

Sinead O'Connor has announced on her official website that she ends her fourth marriage with Barry Herridge, which lasted just 16 days

Sinead O’Connor asked for fans and media to respect her husband’s privacy, and added: “Meanwhile I intend to get on with being fully me. With never an apology for ANY part if being FULLY ME. No matter what.

“I am a 21st century full woman and proud of living it. I am in a very good and happy and strong place in life so I am doing fine. The marriage was 16 days. We lived together for 7 days only. Until Xmas eve. And we haven’t been awful to each other.

“So while I feel sad for my husband, and sad to be the cause of sorrow to yet another poor man, I’m also happy that I know we weren’t horrible to each other and he is better off free. And that I can be me. And that’s a freedom I can’t give up for anyone or anything.”

The Irish singer ended the announcement with “rock n roll”.

Sinead O’Connor and Barry Herridge wed at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas after just three months of dating.

After the ceremony, for which she wore a pretty strapless pink dress, Sinead O’Connor wrote on her blog: “Dear friends… amongst whom I include whomever may be reading this with a view to writing about the glorious marriage.

“Am blogging this cus media people are naturally seeking me. On Sunday I will put up a blog on whole day. Too glorious for words.”