U2 guitarist The Edge finally becomes Irish citizen: “I couldn’t be more proud of my country”

Posted On June 24, 2025June 24, 2025

U2 guitarist The Edge has finally become a citizen of Ireland, more than 60 years after moving to the country.

The musician David Howell Evans was born in Essex, England, to two Welsh parents, but moved to Ireland when he was only one year old. Therefore, he has been eligible for Irish citizenship for many decades, and it took Evans until 2025 to become officially Irish.

Evans told Irish broadcaster RTE: “I’m a little tardy with the paperwork. I’ve been living in Ireland now since I was one year old. But the time is right. And I couldn’t be more proud of my country for all that it represents and all that it is doing.”

Evans received his citizenship at an event at Killarney in County Kerry and is one of 7,500 people who will become Irish across ceremonies on June 23rd and June 24th.

Reflecting on why it took him so long, Evans said: “Honestly, there were many moments in the past when I could have done it with just the form to be filled out but I’m happy it’s now, it feels more significant.”

The guitarist also explained why he’s always been Irish despite not being a citizen until now, sharing, “I have always felt Irish, Ireland will always be home to me and I’m so grateful for that. It’s showing real leadership right now in the world and this couldn’t have come at a better moment for me. I am just so happy to be at this point, to be in even deeper connection with my homeland.”

Meanwhile, in May, U2 frontman Bono provided a fresh update on the next U2 album and confirmed they are in the process of making a new record.

It’s been eight years since U2 released their last album, Songs of Experience, the longest time in the band’s history between full-length records. “We’ve been recording. And it sounds like future to me. We had to go through some stuff, and we’re at the other end of it,” Bono said.

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