Freshly released government documents have exposed a significant diplomatic blunder, revealing how Irish officials were left red-faced after rock band U2 drastically reduced an offer of free tickets for their landmark 1987 American tour.
The Promised Perks of a Rock Diplomacy
In the lead-up to U2's pivotal Joshua Tree tour of the United States in 1987, the band's management, led by Paul McGuinness, engaged with Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs. The discussions centred on a "possible mutual cooperation towards the benefit of Ireland’s image abroad." As part of this, the band generously offered to place "key people" on the guest list for various concerts across the country.
Irish diplomats, interpreting this as a major opportunity for cultural diplomacy, believed they had secured a substantial allocation. Internal correspondence from Dublin to the Irish Ambassador in Washington detailed plans to invite representatives from semi-state bodies, fellow ambassadors, US administration figures, and other notables—even their children. A comprehensive list was compiled under the firm belief that up to 60 complimentary backstage seats per concert would be made available.
The Sudden U-Turn and Diplomatic Scramble
This optimistic message was relayed in March 1987 to Ireland's consular offices in key US cities including Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC. However, the situation changed abruptly just weeks later. The band's management performed a stark about-face, informing officials that the allocation would be strictly limited to just 10 tickets per night.
The sudden reduction placed diplomats in a profoundly awkward position, as many potential guests had already been approached regarding their preferred dates. The Consul General in Boston explicitly stated that the reversal "puts us in an embarrassing situation." In response, headquarters in Dublin could only offer pragmatic, if somewhat helpless, advice, suggesting they ask their U2 contact if a few extra names could be squeezed onto the list given the circumstances.
Broader Context and Missed Parisian Stage
The released files, catalogued as 2025/124/461 at the National Archives of Ireland, also shed light on another intriguing might-have-been from the era. They reveal that U2 was seriously considered for a monumental free concert at the Eiffel Tower to mark its centenary, following an expression of interest from the then-Paris mayor, Jacques Chirac.
Ultimately, the band did not perform at that historic event, which instead featured acts like Johnny Hallyday and Stevie Wonder. The episode surrounding the Joshua Tree tour tickets, however, remains a telling snapshot of the unexpected challenges at the intersection of high-stakes rock and roll and formal international diplomacy.
