Bono has compared the prospect of a united Ireland as similar to a possible marital relationship, saying “we might not be at the falling in love stage, but we’re dating”.
The Dublin-born singer has long spoken as an advocate of human rights and social justice causes – and U2 played during a referendum campaign for the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago.
Bono, real name Paul David Hewson, told Channel 4 News that joining together Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland would be “wonderful” as “this pond is too small for a feud among frogs”.
He also said: “In any marital arrangement, you’d like to think both parties would be attracted to each other – indeed falling in love would be great. We might not be at the falling in love stage, but we’re dating.
“I think in the south, we have done an amazing job at transforming our society – it feels freer, it feels fair – it’s not fair enough, we’ve got an issue with housing, there are problems in Ireland – but I think we look more and more attractive to our northern partner.”
When asked for the views about the mix of power between north and south, The Edge: “I hate the argument has shifted to power and sovereignty. John Hume had it right – it should be switched to community, reconciliation, finding common ground. United Ireland has to be united – it has to be actually united, not just imposed.”
John Hume, of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and David Trimble, of the Ulster Unionists (UUP), ended up on stage while the Bono lifted their hands at the Waterfront Hall in 1998 before the agreement was voted yes to.
Bono also reflected on this being an interesting moment where “the word freedom” is up on trial.
He added: “All of our life, all of our adult life, the world was getting more free – since we were born basically and for the first time, it’s going in reverse.
“We always thought sexual politics were improving, gender politics, race relations, everything like that. So we’re definitely at some kind of existential crisis there too – not just in the climate – but in the politics.”
The Edge said: “Democracy is having an existential crisis (globally). It’s very hard to imagine an argument against authoritarianism both at home and abroad when a substantial group of people – particularly in America – are actually second guessing the principles of inclusion and freedom.
“So a lot of people who agree with authoritarianism are pointing and saying: that system doesn’t work – they don’t even believe in it themselves.”
Bono said that they would not discuss another Donald Trump presidency as he gets “enough headlines”.
He also said: “America is the best idea – it just hasn’t happened yet. It’s the best song the world has never heard. It doesn’t exist yet.
“But the people who are going to write America into existence are way more inclusive than the ones who signed the Declaration of Independence.
“This thing called America, we’re attracted to it on sort of mythological levels. As Irish people, we’re fascinated by it.”
He also said “innovation comes out of free thinking”, before saying: “So I think technologically, the Western world still has so much advantage on oppressed societies and that’s just the exchange of ideas and people wanting each other to win.
“So I’ll bet on freedom and I bet that America comes back from this rather low ebb that it is at presently.”
Channel 4 News said The Edge showed Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy an avatar of himself and said that he tried using artificial intelligence (AI) to make music, but the technology made “really crap lyrics”.
The Edge added: “I’m actually more interested in the other type of AI – actual intelligence. But I am exploring the world of AI.. I’d rather get involved than have it happen to us.
“I found (AI-powered language model) ChatGPT great if you want to write unintentionally funny lyrics because they’re so bad… I think it’s great as a tool but I don’t think it’s going to replace creativity.”
The full interview will air on Channel 4 News from 7pm tonight.
