Forty six year old Irish rock star and humanitarian, Bono alias Paul Hewson joins the list of non-British nationals receiving the knighthood. However, he would not be addressed “Sir” as he is not a British national. He would be receiving this title for his humanitarian efforts.
According to the statement of British embassy in Dublin, Her Majesty, The Queen had chosen Bono as an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire after recognizing his humanitarian work and services to the music industry.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his delight on the news.
"I'll leave it to others far more knowledgeable than me to talk about U2's music," he said in the letter. "All I'll say is that, along with millions of others right across the world, I am a huge fan."
Sir Bono, 46, is "very flattered to be honored, particularly if the honor ... opens doors for his longstanding campaigning work against extreme poverty in Africa," a statement on the U2 Internet site said.
With Ireland withdrawing itself from the Commonwealth in 1949, the Irish officials receiving royal honors have been barred legally. Now, the Irish government approved granting of this title to Bono.
Bono's fellow Dubliner and rocker-turned-humanitarian Bob Geldof, Bill Gates, Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo, Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and Steven Spielberg are other non-British nationals who have received this title.
For his work, Bono was given Legion D'Honneur by President Jacques Chirac on behalf of the French government in 2003, was named the Time Person of the Year 2005. Shortly after New Year’s Day, the British Ambassador to Ireland would award him this title in a ceremony. He was also awarded the Free Your Mind Award at the MTV Europe Awards held in Dublin, Ireland.
Along with Dave Evans, nicknamed "The Edge", Adan Clayton, and Larry, Bono formed a rock band, U2, one of the world’s most memorable and famous rock groups.
During the early 80’s, the U2 was popular for few albums like "Boy" and "War", "The Joshua Tree," "Rattle and Hum," and "The Unforgettable Fire," which had the anger and passion of a teenager. In 1985, the Live Aid Concert truly inspired the crowd with his lyrics. Bono is said to be inspired by the music of bands such as Patti Smith, Thin Lizzy, The Ramones and Television.
Bono married Alison Stewart in 1982, and has two daughters and two sons. He is not only a rock start but also a social animal and an activist.
Given that the British
Given that the British empire spent several hundred years terrorising Irish people in their own country, by banning their Irish language, banning them from being educated, forcing them from their lands and worst of all allowing over one million Irish people to starve between 1845 and 1847 because they forcefully continued to export all the wheat, barley and oats from the country when the potato crops failed and given that today they still occupy 6 of the 32 counties of Ireland by military means any Irish person who would accept a KBE, MBE or OBE is a traitor to Ireland.