I visited Dublin in February 2009 as a guest of Frank Gormley, chairman of Eurocape, to help raise money for the St Patrick’s Trust, a charity that supports entrepreneurs in Cape Town. I had the honour of speaking at a well-attended business lunch with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, fellow Capetonian and South African.
In the Mayor's parlour before the luncheon
The following day, I attended a formal reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Dublin in honour of the ‘Arch’ as Desmond Tutu is more popularly known. It was a dignified occasion, and afterwards, many Dubliners queued up to meet Archbishop Tutu, a well-loved figure in Ireland. I couldn’t believe it when I recognised The Edge, lead guitarist from U2, standing unassumingly at the back of the queue with his daughter. We were introduced and joked about The Edge meeting The Arch. Having my picture taken with the two of them crowned my visit to Dublin. Or so I thought…
Frank and I meeting the Edge with Archbishop Tutu and the Lord Mayor of Dublin
That evening, we attended another function in honour of the Arch, this time hosted by South African Ambassador to Ireland and old friend Priscilla Jana at her official residence. She began by extending a warm welcome to the guests, who included many other African ambassadors. Archbishop Tutu responded by reflecting on the challenges of post-Apartheid South Africa. “It is one thing to fight for freedom”, he said. “It’s quite another thing to use that freedom responsibly”.
While the Archbishop was talking, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a few latecomers sidling into the room. “How rude” I thought to myself, and then nearly fell off my chair when I realised it was none other than Bono, his wife Ali Hewson, and one of their children. They sat down quietly at the table and listened to the Arch, who hadn’t noticed the newcomers, and who continued with his message about the elusiveness of freedom.
When he finished, he glanced up and did a double-take when he recognised Bono. “You’re late” he admonished Bono, with a broad smile. “Yes, Archbishop” Bono replied in his broad Irish accent, “I’m terribly sorry, but we were just in the studio down the road finishing off our new album”.
“That’s no excuse,” said the Arch in a stern voice. “Do you realise that the price of being late is a penance?” “What shall I do?” said Bono, seemingly chastened. “Well”, replied the Archbishop with a twinkle in his eye, “you have to sing for your supper”.
Bono then rose from the table, and, referencing the Arch’s message about freedom, sang the first verse of U2’s popular hit: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. When we all joined in the chorus, I, and many others, had tears in our eyes. It was a night, and a visit to a beautiful country, that I’ll never forget.
Bono and Tutu - rock stars both!
Discussing World Peace with Bono. Well, not really, he was telling me about a scarf that he wore to President's Obama's inaugeration
