Sir, – There is an “elephant in the room” side to U2 so obvious, so obtrusive and so fundamental that it can paradoxically easily be missed. No other form of entertainment remotely matches the impact of a U2 concert on local business people and their families. Bono has regularly created the time and taken the trouble whenever possible to say hello to some of our key business contacts and to other political, artistic and human rights leaders of the local scene. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that an interview with the pope or the president of the US or (for those so minded) Fidel would pale by comparison. Everywhere they travel in the developing world, just as in most countries of the developed world, U2 have meetings with the heads of government and state. The benefits for Irish business and Ireland-related objectives and for the awareness of the existence of our country have been immeasurable. Before becoming a businessman, I served in five countries as an Irish diplomatic representative. It is easy for us to overlook the fact that was painfully obvious in those days that, until about 20 years ago, most people around the globe had never heard of our country and that most who had knew little or nothing about us. U2 changed that. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL LILLIS,
Dublin 6.