Live Aid at 40: Tom Dunne and Irish Examiner readers share their memories
Bob Geldof and other stars on stage at Wembley in an image from the BBC documentary, Live Aid at 40.
I won’t hear a bad world said. 40 years on, haters gotta hate, gripers gotta gripe and all that, the picking of holes is inevitable. It’s what the internet does. It would cancel Mother Teresa if it got time. But Live Aid was a brilliant, brilliant thing.
Anyone doubting this should watch the part in the BBC documentary series, where an Irish nurse tells a dad that his four-year-old daughter is passed saving. It is too late for this little one, she says as gently as she can. Amongst so many similarly stricken children it appears inevitable.
But, unable to talk English, he touches the nurse’s hand to his daughter’s chest. It is still warm. The nurse tries again. The camera then shows that girl, Birhan Woldu, now 44, sitting with her dad. It is very powerful. Just one of the thousands of lives saved by a 7-inch single.
Forty years is a long time. You can’t help but look at where you were then and what you did. The bands were beautiful, and young, but so were we. And Bob Geldof created something that we drew us in, mesmerised us and made us all feel we were doing something not just worthwhile, but magical.
As a result, the memories of ‘where you were’ tend to be seared into people’s minds. I asked on X – yes it still has some uses – and the responses were warm and loving; “In a beach cottage with my first girlfriend/love of my life,” “My granny’s house in Monaghan” or “the front room of my house in Derry with 10 E-180 video cassettes.” A friend told me of watching it with her first boyfriend’s parents, an awkward “meet the in-laws” moment expanded into a 12-hour TV marathon. Another watched it in a soccer hall in Belfast in which the Troubles, then rampant, were given a day off as Catholics and Protestants sat down together.
For my part the night before, my band, then only a few months old, was playing a “14 Band Bash” at the Ivy Rooms in Dublin. We and others like The Slowest Clock, The Garden Hasn’t Changed Much and Winter’s Reign could only really get a crowd by playing together.
We adjourned to a house party in Phibsboro, and it was there that the next day I saw the opening notes of Live Aid. That was the moment when the sheer enormity of it hit us. “Oh Bob,” I thought, “what have you done?” and rushed home to watch the rest.
The rest of that day is a blur. My parents made tea but there was no switching the channel (to one of the other three.) Friends called in and out. We had seen nothing like it. Five a side was cancelled. More tea was made.
I watched with a mixture of nervousness and awe. Nervousness to see two Irishmen at the centre of it, and not just at its centre but driving it, owning it, inspiring it. And awe at the sheer enormity of it.
McCartney seemed almost like a forgotten man at its end. The Beatles in 1985 seemed further away in history than they do now. His mic briefly not working only confirm ed that. The Beatles had just been so long ago.
Costello singing their anthem was more of the moment. This was more about were The Beatles had been going than the ex-Beatle now was. All you needed was love and a driven organiser with vision and a steely nerve.
This was the Summer of Love 1980s’ style, doing something practical and saving people’s lives. The power of music, the “language of rock’n’roll”, as Bob put it, had never been more evident.
The “cocky” Irishman that had floored me at Dalymount in 1977 was simply unstoppable. An Irishman that could accost Thatcher and convince her to waive the VAT on the single’s sales or tell an Ethiopian dictator to “F**k off.” An Irishman doing all that.
On a musical note, it should not be forgotten that this was a partisan music era. If you liked The Rats you hated Spandau Ballet. If you liked Adam Ant you hated Nik Kershaw. No one liked the Style Council-era Paul Weller. If you liked Status Quo, help was available.
Those of us who music knew that If Bob could get those disparate acts onto the same stage he was capable of anything. I suspect he still is.
I was working in a greenhouse, trimming 10,000 geranium plants. My boss brought a radio for me to listen to since I was working alone. I will be 90-years-old in three months and I'll never forget it.
I was in Wembley Stadium, 19-years-old and a complete greenhorn. We were two-thirds of the way back in front of the royal box, with a 1.5-litre Coke bottle which mostly contained vodka bought on the ferry over. I remember seeing Bowie sat with Charles Diana and Geldof. Bowie was and is still my hero, Queen were the band of the day even if you had only a passing interest. Beach Boys next and of course Bowie.
We did manage to wander back stage after everyone had left for the after party. No security, just guys dismantling the stage, I remember seeing a table full of fan mail to Paul McCartney. A plan of the stage times and the dressing room assigned to each star was taken by my buddy. As far as I know it's still in the hands of his ex girlfriend.
I was there [in Philadelphia]. Epic bumper party the night before, saw the show from second level rear left. Isolating between hallucinating, and heatstroke. So blessed to have been part of such an incredible experience.
I remember it well as I was 12 and was ‘looking after’ Granny for the the day. My auntie, who she lived with at the time, was at a wedding. I had the telly on Live Aid every chance I got, glued to it! However Granny was a massive Daniel O’Donnell fan and had all his VHS cassettes and she insisted we "turn off that nonsense" and watch wee Daniel together over the course of the day… ALL DAY!! I was gutted but I was certainly not going to object.
So while the rest of the world was mesmerised by Queen, I was listening to Daniel and Granny singing I am still traumatised but have long forgiven both of them…. Mostly!! Rest in peace Granny McCole!
I was on a J1 in Virginia beach Virginia. We watched on an old black and white tv in our rental (11 of us in a two-bed townhouse). Coverage was focused on the US event and the stand-out for me was Madonna.
I was on holiday in jersey. I’d just found out expecting my first baby, but we watched Live Aid as we celebrated. A small TV in the back room of Ivy Cottage BB in jersey. Will never forget it! Son born following April.
I was not impressed that the first day of my working life was Saturday 13th July 1985... Live Aid. It was on in the hairdressing shop all day, fond memories! And the job, £5per day… it cured my interest in hairdressing! I became a teacher instead.
I was at Wembley and find your comment about Quo pitiful [Note: Tom Dunne made a lighthearted, derogatory remark about Status Quo]. If you’d have bothered to watch them live you would realise they are one of the best live acts we’ve ever produced.
I was in Irish college in Inis Oirr. Technically we weren't meant to watch any TV as it was in English but the Bean an Tí did let us watch some of it as it was such a big event. I remember watching it in her living room… fond memories.
21 years old, watching with my parents and freaking out when Freddie Mercury stole the show. My dad was speechless.
I was at the greatest concert of my life. Wembley Stadium. 61 years old now but it was a highlight of my youth. Still have the t-shirt!
I watched Live Aid on TV with my brothers all day and night long. Fantastic experience.
We watched it in the bedsit I was living in. We had two televisions and a hi-fi playing. It was hot so had the windows wide open so even if you were not watching you would hear it. Queen were great that night. It was amazing to see so many artists take part.
When you look back and remember everything had wires attached to it whereas today most things like mics are wire-free. I have watched 40 years of Live Aid and anyone who has a moan about it wants to take in how much Bob and Bono knew about the politics of the day.
I was 10 and I came in off the street (playing tag or some other) and stood there in absolute awe, I discovered Bowie, Queen and The Cars. It changed my life there and then.
11 yeard old watching at home in Fahy, Co. Offaly. I remember the huge crowds and that Bob G was in charge and feeling so proud of what he was doing. I don't think I knew what an outdoor concert was before Live Aid.
I was 15 and watched it at home. Highlights – Queen, U2, Status Quo.
I remember it well. I had to work that Saturday and didn't get home until 7pm. As soon as I got in the house, I went straight to the den (as we called it), and there I stayed until 4 o'clock the next morning, crying my heart out to the closing film, by The Cars, played to visuals of famine-ravished bodies in Ethiopia.
The emotional response was repeated by many financially. I get great satisfaction knowing that Ireland gave more money per capita, than any other country on earth. It could be copied, but never bettered.
