Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan was born in Ballybricken, a town 8 miles outside Limerick on Sept. 6, 1971. Her parents are Eileen and Terrance. Terrance was in a wheelchair due to a motorcycle accident. Dolores is the youngest of seven children; she is one of two girls. In the late eighties, Dolores met up with her band members-to-be. Feargal Lawler of Parteen, and Mike and Noel Hogan of Moycross gave Dolores the music to their future hit "Linger". She came back the next day with lyrics. It took some time for The Cranberries to take off, very emotionally impacting Dolores who was overcome with frustration. Their debut album, "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We" is a quote-Dolores said it while the band members were part of an audience at a concert. It was in America where the Cranberries first found satisfying success - when they returned to their native Ireland, success was awaiting them there as well.

Dolores' life has gone from railing against war and childhood strife (she has always been an avid child advocate) and condeming disrespectful lovers, to deciding that she is "Free to Decide". Her family live has brightened up her music (not changing it for the better or worse).


Parents: Eileen & Terence O'Riordan. Married at Holy Cross Abbey, Tipperary, Ireland. Stepson, Donny. Swore to never get a tatoo, but did for her husband for their anniversary. It's on her arm, and has his name. The Cranberries were originally called Cranberry-Saw-Us (a pun on the thanksgiving food) after the alleged last lyrics of the Beatles' song Strawberry Fields. Don Burton was Duran Duran's Stage manager. He and Dolores met when The Cranberries and Duran Duran were touring together. They married in 1994. They had a horse-drawn carriage at their wedding. Collaborated with Michael Kamen who performs on three tracks released on The Cranberries, "To The Faithful Departed", album. The songs "Nothing Left At All", "Reason", "Them", "Chrome Paint", "A Fast One", "Away", "Uncertain", "I Will Always", & "Disappointment" have never been performed live by the band. She is said to be one of Pope John Paul II's favourite singers. She has performed live for him at the Vatican twice. She's the richest woman in Ireland.