What was the Irish reaction to the Dublin premiere of Gangs of New York?
Bono: It was the most remarkable occasion. The story came home. The story of these people who had left came home. For Irish people, it was very emotional. The Irish and the blacks are the only two races that didn’t come to America because they wanted to — they had to. They were brought — one by the slave ships and the other by starvation. There’s something about singing that song that connects me to people that I will never meet but somehow know from my DNA. THR: What are your thoughts on being this year’s MusiCares honoree? Bono: They can be kind of excruciating affairs, getting awards. I turned it down last year just out of embarrassment. This year, I was told you just can’t do that. MusiCares is an amazing thing, and you just have to roll with that. I just hope for the people who come that it’s not a cringe-making affair. It seems like the sort of occasion that you should be dead to be there. It would be better if you were a ghost. I’m glad I’m not, by the way. That’s one rock-sta
