It was a beautiful day for U2 guitarist David Howell Evans, known as The Edge, who was one of thousands of people to become Irish citizens at a ceremony in Co Kerry.
Mr Evans, 63, was born in Essex and is the child of Welsh parents, but has lived in Ireland since he was one year old.
Smiling while sporting a tricolour clip on his lapel, and wearing his distinctive cap, the famous guitarist appeared to enjoy every moment as he was conferred in the second ceremony of the day in Killarney.
“Becoming an Irish citizen could not have been more meaningful than the present time,” he said, after shaking hands with those beside him following the oath of allegiance.
Speaking briefly to reporters afterwards, he described becoming an Irish citizen with so many others as “a monumental day for all of us”.
“I’m a little tardy with the paper work. I’ve been living in Ireland now since I was one. But the time is right,” he said.
“And I couldn’t be more proud of my country for all that it represents and all that it is doing.”
The guitarist, who helped form the iconic Irish rock band U2 in 1976 along with his classmates at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin said Ireland is showing real leadership right now in the world.
“It couldn’t come at a better moment for me, so I am just so happy to be at this point to be in even deeper connection with my homeland,” he said.
He refenced his country as showing leadership in the world, supporting international bodies like the International Criminal Court and the United Nations and “speaking truth to power”.
Applicants from over 143 countries and across all 32 counties on the island numbering 7,500 made the declaration of fidelity and loyalty to the State and were officially conferred as Irish citizens.
In total, seven ceremonies are held over two days, with Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan joined by Minister of State with responsibility for Migration Colm Brophy and Minister of State with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice Niall Collins.
Speaking at the ceremonies, Minister O’Callaghan it was a “special and important occasion”.
“It is a great privilege to become a citizen of this country and obviously with it comes responsibilities and duties and I think everyone who is taking on citizenship will be aware of that,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
