Il Papa Meets Il Bono "Holy Father, this is Mr. Bono -- he's a pop singer." With these words the U2 lead singer was introduced to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in September. Bono and former Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof met with the pope as part of a campaign the two celebrities are promoting to wipe out the Third World Debt. "The pope's everyday courage amazes me," said … [Read more...] about Hibernia People
Bono
“Forty Shades of Green” at 60
The iconic song about Ireland, written by country music legend Johnny Cash in 1969, is still popular today. When Cash visited Ireland in 1959, he was already a successful country musician, his hits including “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line.” He came to Ireland, though, as a tourist. He later explained his inspiration for writing the song as, “I was in a car … [Read more...] about “Forty Shades of Green” at 60
Concern Celebrates 50 Years
On Tuesday, December 4, at Cipriani Wall Street, Concern Worldwide US held its 22nd Annual Seeds of Hope Award Dinner, which this year also marked the 50th anniversary of its founding in Dublin in 1968. Over 700 guests attended the international humanitarian organization’s largest fundraising event, helping raise more than $2 million to benefit Concern’s work in twenty-five … [Read more...] about Concern Celebrates 50 Years
Band Aid Donates Archives to Ireland’s National Library
Bob Geldof and the Band Aid Trust donated their archives to the National Library of Ireland in December, opening them to public viewing for the first time. The charity effort raised £8 million for famine relief in Africa with the release of the 1984 single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The following year, the organization hosted the first ever Live Aid concert, featuring the … [Read more...] about Band Aid Donates Archives to Ireland’s National Library
The Last Word:
Irish American Agitation in the Age of Trump
U2, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, and the Irish trying to save America.
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In autumn 2017, U2 released their 14th studio album, Songs of Experience. Critical reception on the album was mixed – was it a superstar older rock band’s attempt at political relevance, or a late-career classic infused with the urgency of Brexit, Trump, and a world thrown into uncertainty? In December 2017, the … [Read more...] about The Last Word:
Irish American Agitation in the Age of Trump