U2 star awarded honorary knighthood

Irish rock star Bono has today accepted an honorary knighthood from the Queen at a ceremony in Dublin.

The U2 frontman and campaigner, 46, was awarded the honour during a ceremony at British ambassador David Reddaway’s official residence with the condition he is not called “Sir” as he is not a British citizen.

“By the way, you can call me pretty much anything you want except sir,” jokingly adding: “You can call me lord of lords or a demi-god.”

The British Prime Minister referred to Bono – real name Paul Hewson – as an inspiration in the fight against global poverty.

“I’ll leave it to others far more knowledgeable than me to talk about U2s music – all I’ll say is that along with millions of others right across the world, I’m a huge fan,” Mr Blair wrote in a letter that was read out to the small gathering.

Bono accepted the award saying: “It has been a great year for this award to happen in and it does feel like this country and Great Britain are closer than they have ever been.”

He revealed he was planning a much quieter affair, however he said the recent developments in the Northern Ireland changed his mind.

“I wasn’t even going to have a bit of a do, I was going to slip it in, keep it very, very quiet,” he said.

“But when I saw Big Ian sitting down there with Gerry Adams I just thought this is the end of an era but the beginning of a much better one.”

(JM/SP)