irish_independent

Bono may be revelling in his new found status as the freedom of the city of Dublin but sheep are no respecters of rock stars no matter what their title. The multi-millionaire musician found that out to his cost yesterday when a two week old lamb did its business as the U2 frontman cradled it in his arms.
	Bono met his woolly match when he and The Edge decided to exercise one of their newly acquired rights after being given the Freedom of the city. Under the ancient rules they are entitled to graze sheep in St Stephen's green and they wasted no time in taking advantage of the tradition. Bono doesn't have his own flock of sheep and the two ewes and four lambs he borrowed yesterday arrived courtesy of Wicklow farmer, Bob Douglas. The singer quipped that he may go into business with a company like Toyota now that is doesn't have to pay duty on goods which pass through the city gate inti Dublin _ another perk of his position. The Edge said that he had felt a lot freer when he woke up yesterday morning after the conferring ceremony in Smithfield on Saturday night.
	Bono holds a lamb yesterday as he claims the right as a Freeman of Dublin to pasture sheep in St Stephen's green. Inset, the lamb leaves its calling card on the U2 star's sleeve. (Pictures: Kenneth O'Halloran)
Yesterday's pasturing in the park became a surprise holiday highlight for one group of Italian students who happened to be taking pictures when the rock stars and their entourage arrived. The 19-strong group of 15-18-year-olds from the new Cambrige Institute in Venice were stunned when they saw their idol arriving, complete with flock.

Refugees to Ireland seeking asylum should be greeted with open arms, rock band U2 frontman Bono said this weekend at the ceremony to award the band the Freedom of Dublin.
In his acceptance speech at the open-air ceremony in the recently refurbished Smithfield Square, he called on people of Dublin and Ireland to welcome refugees seeking asylum, as " we were once refugees ourselves".
" We come from a race of refugees ourselves," he said, " and it is now time for us to welcome refugees seeking a better life with open arms.

WITHOUT INTERFERENCE
In his speech he added that people should be afforded the freedom to live their lives as they chose, without interference.
Thousands of the band's fans thronged Dublin's Smithfield this weekend to see the band and their manager Paul McGuinness receive the Freedom of the City along with Burmese pru-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.