In Ireland, Tuesday's Grace

Bono has written another Op-Ed Guest Column for The New York Times, this time his subject is closer to home - Northern Ireland and the Bloody Sunday killings.  Last week the Saville Report into this event was published, it is a lengthy document but the last paragraph of the "Overall Assessment" in the Principal Conclusions report puts the findings in a nutshell

5.5 The firing by soldiers of 1 PARA on Bloody Sunday caused the deaths of 13 people and injury to a similar number, none of whom was posing a threat of causing death or serious injury. What happened on Bloody Sunday strengthened the Provisional IRA, increased nationalist resentment and hostility towards the Army and exacerbated the violent conflict of the years that followed. Bloody Sunday was a tragedy for the bereaved and the wounded, and a catastrophe for the people of Northern Ireland. (Crown Copyright)

I am old enough to remember when this happened, even then, in my youthful carefree mind, something felt wrong about it.  Bloody Sunday has haunted the Irish, British, English, Catholics, Protestants for nearly 40 years, now at last we know what truly happened and our new Prime Minister David Cameron ("Still in his wrapping paper" - Bono) has apologised unreservedly. 

Bono's article is a wonderful piece of writing, bringing all the strands of the situation together wonderfully and in his usual optimistic manner, focusing on change and healing of communities.  Read it here  Bono's New York Times Guest Op-Ed Column June 18th 2010

Bono on Berlin, Germany and U2

Bono has written another guest column for the New York Times titled Five Scenes, One Theme: A True if Unlikely Story.  In this article – written in a different style from his usual - he weaves together the unity of Berlin and Germany, the fight against African poverty and the healing and rebirth of U2 through the creation of the song One.  I think it is a brilliant article, very well written with wisdom and humour. 

And I must say I think Angela Merkel’s father gave her very good advice in the words “Always be more than you appear and never appear to be more than you are.”

Read Bono’s column here

360 Ending and Coming Around Again

So tonight, in Vancouver, is the last gig of the 2nd leg of U2's 360 Tour. It's been a shorter tour than usual, but of course we have it all over again next year. Maybe the boys ar epacing themselves now they are hitting 50 LOL! I've enjoy the shows I saw in the summer, though am still not convinced that the claw actually does get the band nearer the audience. Though spectacular, it sometimes comes close to over shadowing the band, and the outer walkway if not utilised enough by the band members can seem like a barrier to those on the outside of it.

No UK or Irish announced yet either, and not that many places to fit any in. Surely they will play those countries again? My friend and I are nervously holding off buying gigs for other European countries (though we have been thinking of going for a couple of German gigs that still have tickets available) in the hope we'll know if we have gigs closer to home to work into the logistics! Please U2.com, let us know one way or another!

We have also been musing on seeing a show in the US again, namely in New York. Though I've been to the US a few times, I've never been to New York so I'd like to go there and take in a gig at the same time. I've been faithfully collecting Tesco points and converting them to airmile and I have quite a lot now which would pay for a big chunk of the airfare! We're going to decide one way or another when the New York gig goes on sale.

So, it's goodbye to one phase of U2 360 and planning for the next! Though it will drain the finances even more I can't wait for it all!

Bono On Sinatra

Bono's first column for the New York Times has just been published. In it he writes, in his own iminitable style, about Frank Sinatra and his version of My Way. Good reading - and even better listening, on the same page you can also listen to Bono reading his column.

You can read/listen to it here

Hair - have they air-brushed some extra hair onto Bono's brow in the photo accompanying the article or is it just me?