Independent TD Barry Heneghan quoted U2 lyrics as part of an attempt to win Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s support for a campaign to pause demolition of the school hall where the rock band first performed.
He appealed to the Taoiseach to intervene to stop the demolition at U2’s alma mater Mount Temple Comprehensive School on Dublin’s northside “until an independent feasibility study or meaningful consultation is carried out”.
This should be done “before an irreversible decision is made regarding the hall where U2 performed”.
Describing the school as “one of Ireland’s greatest success stories”, he said its arts and performance hall is facing demolition as part of redevelopment.
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“Nobody opposes development of the school building or hall”, but the concern is “whether the hall can be retained for refurbishment or adapted for reuse”, he said.
Parents and former pupils have begun a campaign to halt the demolition while the independent feasibility study is carried out and had asked him to raise the issue, he said.
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“For decades, the hall has given young people a stage to perform, build confidence and discover talent that cannot always be measured in the exam hall,” Heneghan said.
“This will happen with or without you, Taoiseach,” he added, quoting one of the band’s songs. “Will you intervene and make it a beautiful day for the next generation of musicians,” he asked, mentioning another.
The Taoiseach smiled in response but rather than quote U2 he praised them for their “recent philanthropic contribution to Music Generation, which is one of the great legacies of U2”.
He said this “brought music to many children the length and breadth of the country who would not otherwise have had that experience” with funding matched by the Government.
Martin referred to a dinner last month to announced a new investment of €20 million by U2, the Government and the Ireland Funds to the Music Generation Programme.
U2 and the Ireland Funds are each providing €5 million with €10 million by Government in the programme first introduced in 2010 to support disadvantaged young people aged 13 and over.
Describing U2’s legacy as “phenomenal”, he said it had brought worldwide attention to Ireland and Irish music and culture.
He was unaware of the specifics about the school hall and whether the school board of management was building a new hall.
“Perhaps whatever new facility is being created can in some way, capture the magic that led to the emergence of U2 in the first instance,” he said.
