The boys are back in town!
U2 returned to their native Dublin last weekend. Their gigs were held in Croke Park, Ireland’s main sporting stadium, which holds over 80,000 people.
Dublin roots
This was reflected in how Bono connected to the crowd. He explained Irish slang terms to the many foreigners present, and welcomed the children from the local Crumlin hospital – “our heroes.”
Local meets global
There were other ways in which the local and global connected. About half an hour before the concert started, Bono spoke to myself and the Aid Minister Peter Power about ensuring Ireland keeps its promise of giving 0.7% of our national income to help the world’s poorest people by 2012.
Defeating hunger
For someone about to perform to 80,000 people, he was remarkably calm. Two hours later, Bono recalled this conversation to the crowd when he spoke about Ireland’s critical role in working to defeat famine and hunger. He was a key member of the Irish Hunger Task Force which reported last year. During this speech, he referred kindly to the good work of Irish agencies such as Concern and Goal.
Message from space
Many of the great U2 songs were played as the rain spattered spasmodically down. But there were other memorable moments, in addition to the great music.
During this tour, Bono has been speaking onstage to occupants of a space station. Last night they sent a goodwill message to Dublin. One of them reflected on how much he looked forward to re-acquainting himself with Guinness when he returns to earth.
Remembering Burma
There was a powerful message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu: “our Boss” as Bono called him. The imprisoned Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was remembered by scores of young people who came on stage with her mask in front of their faces. The message went out from Croke Park that we remember her.
That message, put in front of hundreds of thousands of people who will attend U2’s concerts on their world tour over the next year, must hasten the day when the Burmese authorities set free this heroic and principled woman.
It was a night to remember!
Comments
A Chairde
I wasn't at this U2 gig so I'm not going to comment on the night. I'm sure it was great fun, Whilst not a fan of most of the music they've recorded in the last 15 years they do have many songs I love and that I happily sing along to.
The messages of solidarity with the poor - on whose behalf many of us here are honoured to work- as well as messages from Desmond Tutu and recognitions of the appalling continued house arrest of Aung San Suu Ky would probably have left gog-goers feeling they were taking part in something much bigger than a rock concert. And good luck to them.
People here have many opinions of U2 from utter devotion to complete loathing. I'm somewhere between. It seems clear that Mr Hewson (aka Bono) and Mr Evans (aka The Edge) are committed philanthropists who devote long hours to causes which most of us agree with. I don't know so much about Messrs Clayton and Mullen. But we must remember too that they they are also excellent businessmen and multi-millionaire rockstars who have been much questioned about their tax affairs. No matter how deep their convictions, it seems clear that the link with charity work also helps to sell cds, tickets and concert t-shirts.
Which relates to my point, which is a personal one. If we are ever as a globe to make real progress in eliminating extreme poverty, then what we do here, in the west, is every bit as important as our work in Malawi, in Afghanistan, in Haiti and all the other countries of this beatiful world. We don't live in a perfect world of infinite resources like science sometimes likes to pretend. To help people there we also need to start making changes to our lifestyles here. We have to learn to consume less and to be happy with that. Maybe we have to give up our insatiable fascination for new technology. Are we up for that? I wonder. We all have to search our hearts.
The relationship between humanitarian NGOs, working to eliminate poverty, and the pop and rock industry which works to promote ego (and great music also, to be fair) is one I have often been uneasy with since the days of Live Aid. For the same reason - because it rarely questions that link between how we live here and how people live there. How much we use, how much we waste, how our stuff is made, who makes it, how much the producers get, do we really need it at all.
I'm just asking the question. How would the suffereing teenage girl, in the village in Mozambique Concern nearly reached, feel if she saw us on stage with champagne-sipping rock-stars in a dazzling multi-million sound and light show?
Is mise le meas
Rob
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