Bono's address leaves luminaries impressed at EPP congress

Smartly dressed parliamentarians jumped up with their camera phones and pushed to the main stage at Dublin’s convention centre during the gathering of politicians for the European People’s Party congress.

It wasn’t for the words of advice from outgoing European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, nor the speech of determined German chancellor Angela Merkel or even Enda Kenny — President Bono was the main attraction as the two-day congress moved to a close.

As only the U2 frontman can, Bono managed to engage all political sides in the room, while also giving a voice to the voiceless and promoting Ireland’s interests and efforts.

Even the cynics had to shrug and say: “Fair play to him.”

The musician spoke of Europe’s greater role in the world and pointed out that Irish people tend to write themselves into every great story, be it in politics or literature.

But his best words were saved for the ordinary people.

Standing yards away from Europe’s leaders, the singer pointed out it was not the troika that had helped salvage Ireland from financial ruin, “the Irish people bailed the Irish people out,” he declared.

As the union faces difficult decisions regarding Ukraine and Russia, Bono said that what was needed was one big European hug, started by the Irish, resisted by the British and paid for by the Germans.

He said what was needed was a ‘meitheal’, an old Irish phrase used to describe communal work, a gathering, such as when people would come together to bring in the harvest.

Outside a handful of protesters had gathered to highlight their own concerns, such as fracking. It was a far cry from when Fine Gael held their ard fheis there in 2012, and thousands of protesters marched on the docklands centre.

Indeed, nothing was going to detract from the political back-slapping going on indoors anyhow.

By the afternoon, with the election of the EPP’s candidate for EC president out of the way, Chancellor Merkel and the Taoiseach headed to Government Buildings for a working lunch, with even Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore getting in on the act.

One wonders with all this quasi euphoria among the coalition leaders how they will face the cold criticisms of voters on the doorsteps in the lead up to May’s local and European elections?