Bob Geldof rules out 2025 presidential election bid, says he 'wouldn’t have time'

Bob Geldof has confirmed he will not enter the presidential race, insisting he lacks time and interest in the role

Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof. Asked if he would consider running in seven years’ time, Mr Geldof said: 'I’ll be dead.' Picture: BBC/Brook Lapping

Bob Geldof has ruled himself out of a run in the upcoming presidential election, saying he “wouldn’t have time” for a tilt at the Áras.

Mr Geldof said he would never “walk himself in” to the election.

“What happened was we played at one of the big festivals in Ireland and coming off stage, somebody said: ‘Are you going to make a run for the President?’” Mr Geldof said, speaking to Sky News.

“But they ask that of everybody in Ireland, that’s the first thing, because anyone can, which is good.” 

Mr Geldof said he would be interested in doing something new and that “set the hares running”.

The Boomtown Rats frontman said this led to some “fairly high-powered” people in Ireland reaching out to him and asking if he was serious.

“I said, literally, I have no time,” Mr Geldof said, citing promotions for his new album and heading off on tour.

“But they said: ‘Will you talk to the Prime Minister, the Taoiseach?’. I said: ’Of course I will’.

“He got the same lobby saying: ‘Will you talk to Geldof?'. He said: ‘Yeah, of course I will’.

“Micheál called me and I said: ‘So what would you think of Bob Geldof being the candidate for the Fianna Fáil party?'

“He said: ‘I think it’d be great, but I’ve already chosen someone.” 

Mr Geldof said if he had been serious about a run, he would have needed the requisite 20 nominations from the Oireachtas or four local authorities to back him.

“I didn’t want to do that, but I simply wouldn’t have had time," he said.

“The issue is would you have wanted to do it. It’s seven years. You know, my kids are here, my missus is here, my home is here.” 

He added the role would be interesting “up to a point”.

However, he said he was relieved that former MMA fighter Conor McGregor would not be on the ballot.

Asked if he would consider running in seven years’ time, Mr Geldof said: “I’ll be dead.”