As a die hard fan of the band since the early 80’s, this post is obligatory. One cannot visit Dublin and not see some of the historic sites around the city that pertain to U2.
First lesson, Bono, née Paul Hewson, took his stage name from a hearing aid store called Bonavox, which means good voice in Latin. The store is still located on Earl Street North, and we made a special trip to go see it, this was the first “U2 site” we saw while in Dublin.
The Hop On Hop Off bus has two lines, one that stays mainly on the west side of the city, and the other which travels around the southeastern area of the city, also known as The Docklands. One of the stops on the bus tour is listed as the U2 Wall. So, after we visited the Bonavox store, which is conveniently located just off O’Connell Street, we hopped onto the other bus line and I made my pilgrimage to the U2 sites in the Docklands.
The U2 Wall is truly the place where the music began, Their first three albums were recorded here in their entirety. The band continued to use the studios throughout the 80’s and the outer walls of the building has become something of a canvas for fans from around the world, who leave tributes to U2 in paint, marker and chalk. The studios are no longer here, but have moved just around the corner to Ringsend Road.
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- The U2 wall
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- Graffiti on the wall
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- Graffiti on the U2 wall
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- Graffiti on the U2 wall
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- Sign outside The Factory
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- The Factory, where U2 recorded their last few albums and rehearses for tours
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- Closeup of the door to the Factory
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- Hanover Quay, where their studios were once located
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- The Docklands, Pride video was filmed here