It has been exactly five decades since Larry Mullen Jr famously pinned a note to the noticeboard at Dublin’s Mount Temple High School seeking musicians. To celebrate this landmark U2 50th anniversary, the legendary rock band returned to their alma mater this afternoon for a special, career-spanning performance in the very playground where their journey began.
The band, who helped define the sound of the 80s and subsequent decades, took to the stage shortly after 2 PM. They were greeted by a crowd of current students and former faculty, including their old RE teacher, Sophie Shirley. In a nod to the setting, they entered to the sounds of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” before launching into a high-energy set that bridged their past and future. Opening with “I Will Follow,” the group moved seamlessly through a catalog of hits including “Vertigo” and “Beautiful Day,” alongside the 1979 rarity “Out Of Control” from their debut EP, U2 3.
During the set, Bono took a moment to honor the band’s origins, hailing Mullen Jr as “the man who pinned the note on the noticeboard” and playfully introducing bassist Adam Clayton as “the streaker of the green corridor.” The performance also served as a platform for new material, featuring the live debut of their latest single, “Silencio,” taken from the recently announced album Carnaval De Luz.
One of the afternoon’s most poignant moments occurred during “One,” where the band was joined by a group of teenage string and harp players from the Music Generation programme—an initiative co-funded by the band to support youth music education. The Edge reflected on the experience earlier in the week, describing the return to the school as “amazing” and deeply nostalgic.
Bono expressed deep gratitude to the institution for its formative role in their lives, paying tribute to the late Reverend Jack Heaslip, the former teacher who became the band’s long-time chaplain and spiritual advisor. “He travelled the world with us,” Bono remarked, before lightheartedly addressing the students: “Thanks for showing up. I suppose you’d nowhere else to go.”
The event precedes the release of Carnaval de Luz, U2’s first album of original material in nine years, scheduled for arrival on November 13. Produced by Garret “Jacknife” Lee, the 12-track record concludes with “Torn,” featuring the final recorded vocal performance from the late Dolly Parton. Adam Clayton described the project as the “culmination of the work everyone has been doing for 50 years.”