Neighbours’ delight as U2’s Bono visits childhood home

Residents on Glasnevin’s Cedarwood Road came face-to-face with rock nobility on Sunday evening, when Bono paid a visit to his childhood home.

However, it was the U2 frontman who insisted he was “surrounded by royalty” as he posed for a picture with an 18-year-old “debutant". 

It is understood Bono was filming at his childhood home, which is now owned by the Ryan family, as part of a project in connection with his upcoming memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. 

The Dunne family live a few doors down and were hosting a barbecue for Lucie Dunne (18) who was preparing to go to her Leaving Cert debs. 

Her father Derek (49), who is a life-long U2 fan, missed Bono the last time he visited the street.

“There was very few people out on the road initially and we had him to ourselves almost for a few minutes,” Mr Dunne said. 

"He was a chatting to all the neighbours and a few of them that he knew from when he was a child here and he stopped his interview at one stage to go and talk to some of them. 

"It was very calm, easy going and all of his staff were extremely nice. It brought a lot of excitement to the day and sent her off to the debs on a high.”

Mr Dunne’s brother Trevor (44) said he knows a member of Bono’s entourage and told him about his niece’s debs. The man replied: “Bono would love that.”

"He [Bono] was very kind with his time and he turned around and said ‘wow, the debutant, it’s like I’m surrounded by royalty here. You look beautiful’,” Trevor said.

"He sort of genuflected and gave Lucie a twirl and all the neighbours clapped.”

Reflecting on the experience, Lucie – who has had a busy 24-hours, ending with a football match with Na Fianna on Monday evening – said it was “mad”.

"My aunty rang my dad and said there was a commotion at the end of the road, so we all ran basically. There was probably 20 of us outside the house as he was being interviewed,” she said. 

"He took me out in front of everyone and said ‘this is the debutant…I’m in the presence of royalty’ and he told me to enjoy my night.”

Lucie, who is hoping to study sport science and health in DCU this year, confirmed that she had a “brilliant” debs. 

Last week Bono released a short animation recalling the morning of his wedding 40th years, which starts with his last day on Cedarwood Road.

The Dunne family have been living there for 20 years and Derek and his wife Carole have four children.

"We dropped Lucie down to her school for her bus afterwards and everyone was talking about it,” Mr Dunne added.

"A lot of the girls had seen the pictures but it was more the parents, that’s just the generation. We have a couple of younger kids here and we were able to tell them that he [Bono] was the voice of the lion on Sing 2. So, they were very chuffed with that as well.”

Bono grew up at number 10 which is currently owned by the Ryan family. LJ Ryan posted a picture with the singer on Twitter Sunday night and under it she wrote: “Mam was delighted to welcome Bono back to his childhood home and share some wonderful memories with us.

Can’t wait to read his book. It was great to meet with him again, and get some photos with the man himself Thanks Bono.”