Ian Paisley is not a man known for encouraging wild celebrations but he inspired Bono to have a "bit of a do" yesterday when he received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth.
In December, British ambassador David Reddaway announced that the queen had appointed the U2 singer to be an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE). The award is in recognition of his services to the music industry and for his humanitarian work.
Bono received the KBE at a private ceremony yesterday at the ambassador's residence in Sandyford, Dublin.
"I wasn't even going to have a bit of a do," he said afterwards. "I was just going to slip it in very very quietly but when I saw Big Ian sitting down there with Gerry Adams I just thought, well, this is the end of an era but the beginning of a much better one.
"It is a moment to shout from the rooftops that we are getting on very, very well with our neighbour and we are thrashing them at rugby."
He said he "loved" Britain. "I think Great Britain is great. And Irish people support British football teams and Irish bands sign to British record labels and Irish people speak English and we even have one in our band."
The award is honorary because he is not a British subject, so he cannot use the title "Sir". However, the loquacious singer was happy to suggest some alternatives.
"Lord of lords will do. Your demi-godness, but no sir."
The only disappointment of the day was that Bono's young son John was under the impression that his father was going to receive a light sabre. "He thought I was becoming a Jedi," he said.
The KBE in a blue case was only slightly less impressive than the sabre but it was still "some bling" according to Bono, who wondered if he could get a smaller version to wear on his lapel. "How much would you say I'd get for that if I went into Weir's [ the jewellers]?" he asked, before hastily adding "only joking" as the bemused ambassador looked on.
Mr Reddaway said the award recognised Bono's "extraordinary and inspirational commitment to relieve global poverty and focus international attention on the plight of Africa, the Aids pandemic and the Third World debt crisis". Fellow singer Bob Geldof received the award in 1986.
Bono has already received the Légion d'honneur and the Portuguese Order of Liberty, but said this award was "about something bigger than my own involvement. It's about a movement really that's gathered to rid the world of this ridiculous idea that you can starve to death in the 21st century or you can die for lack of immunisation that costs 20p."
He thanked the band for supporting this "terribly unhip work. And I know they squirm when they see me in interesting company but they still support what I do in every which way."
Band members Adam Clayton and the Edge were at the private ceremony along with Bono's wife Ali Hewson, their four children and a group of friends including the artist Guggi and singer Gavin Friday.
