U2 Sights in Dublin
U2 Related Places in the Band's Hometown
Most of the U2 sights in Dublin mentioned here are within walking distance of one another in Dublin city centre, and touch upon places from the band’s entire lifespan. From the school where the seed for U2-to-be was planted, to the resplendent hotel co-owned by Bono and The Edge, Dublin is home to various locales associated with U2’s frontman Bono, guitarist the edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr.
U2 Dublin Places from U2’s Early Days
Mount Temple Comprehensive School
Malahide Road
Mount Temple Comprehensive School is where U2 began. It was here in the autumn of 1976 where 14-year-old Larry Mullen, Jr. pinned a note on the school’s bulletin board that reportedly read, “Wasted lots of money with drum kit, who did the same with a guitar?” and called for others who were interested in forming a band. Seven people replied to the note.
Bonavox
North Earl Street
Bonavox, on North Earl Street, is a shop specializing in audiology and a supplier of hearing aids and batteries. One evening, Paul Hewson and his fellow Lypton Village youth group mates Gavin Friday and “Guggi” were hanging out at Earl and O’Connell Streets when the idea of “Bono Vox” being a good name for Paul came to light. It does, after all, mean “good voice” in Latin. Eventually, “Vox” was dropped to make simply Bono.
Sights in Dublin Where U2 Made Music
The Project Arts Centre
Essex Street East
The Project Arts Centre is the sight of many of U2’s early shows, and where U2 friend and journalist Bill Graham introduced the band to film and music producer Paul McGuinness. It was after a gig in May 1978, and after some uncertainty from both U2 and McGuinness, he became their manager.
Windmill Lane Recording Studios
Windmill Lane
Windmill Lane Recording Studios is where U2 recorded their first albums, Boy, October and War. Today, the recording studio is no longer there — it moved to Ringsend Road in 1989, but the “U2 Wall” remains. The wall is covered with spray paint, graffiti and other tributes to the band from U2 fans from around the globe.
The Clarence Hotel
6-8 Wellington Quay
The Clarence Hotel is a posh place among Dublin hotels by the River Liffey co-owned since 1992 by Bono, the Edge and another investor. U2 performed a few songs on the hotel’s roof in September 2000, much to the chagrin of those stuck in traffic. The hotel features a restaurant and a bar, though U2 fans planning to pop in for a cocktail may want to note that it’s on the pricey side.
U2 Dublin Video Sights
The Gaiety Theatre
South King Street
U2 shot the video for Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own from the album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb at the Gaiety Theatre in December 2004. An Internet rumour circulating online a day before the shoot resulted in hundreds of fans gathered at the theatre to welcome the band, snap pictures and snag autographs.
Fitzwilliam Place
U2’s video for The Sweetest Thing was shot in the Georgian area of Dublin, on Fitzwilliam Place, in September 1998. Featuring Bono riding along the street in a horse-drawn carriage, the video also includes his wife, Ali, and brother, Norman. On a trivia note, the story goes that Bono wrote The Sweetest Thing for his wife, after he forgot her birthday.
U2 sights in Dublin are bound to delight any one of the band’s fans, due to the number of them scattered throughout the city centre. There are a variety of sights, as well: A school, a shop, former recording studio, performance sites, video-shoot sites, and a hotel. Each site chronicles a step in the band’s evolution with its unspoken history.
The Entrance to The Clarence Hotel in Dublin.
|
The Gaiety Theatre, Where U2 Shot a Video.
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Travel
Latest Articles