Irish rock band U2 member David Howell Evans, known by stage name The Edge, has finally become a citizen of Ireland after almost six decades of moving to the country.
The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration of Ireland congratulated the 63-year-old musician in an X post on Monday on being granted the long-awaited Irish citizenship.
“Congratulations to all our new Irish Citizens, including The Edge @U2 and @TheGinaLondon. Today and tomorrow, over 7,500 people from 143 countries will receive Irish Citizenship at @Gleneagle_IE,” reads the post on X.
The guitarist was one among the 7,500 people who received Irish citizenship at an event at Killarney in County Kerry on June 23.
Evans was born in Essex, England, on August 8, 1963, to Welsh parents. He moved to Ireland at the age of one, making him eligible for Irish citizenship for many years.
“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,” the artist told the Irish broadcaster RTE.
U2’s last album, Songs of Experience, came out in 2017. In 2023, the band dropped an album, Songs of Surrender, which comprises 15 re-recorded songs by U2.