U2 frontman Bono, who is well aware of how "cringe" his long-running rock outfit can be, is not the patron saint of his native Ireland, despite what fans of the group may say. However, he's taken some poetic license to liken Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to St. Patrick in some new verse to mark today's cultural celebration.
Bono's poem comes to us from the annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon, held at the White House this afternoon, where it was recited by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "I got this message this morning from Bono," Pelosi, the event's host, said while unfolding a piece of paper. "Most of us — whether we're in Ireland or here — Bono has been a very Irish part of our lives."
Per Pelosi's recitation, Bono's poem begins, "Oh Saint Patrick he drove out the snakes," before likening the snake to "an evil that rises and hides in your heart." However, do not despair, for "In sorrow and fear / That's when saints can appear."
"Ireland's sorrow and pain / Is now the Ukraine / And Saint Patrick's name now Zelenskyy," Pelosi reads, casting a quick glance about the room to gauge the crowd's amazement at the lyrical miracle that is Paul David Hewson.
You can watch the reading alongside a transcription below, while thanking St. Patrick that none of this was beamed to your iPhone without asking.
Last year saw Bono and U2 treat seminal album Achtung Baby to a 30th anniversary reissue, which followed All That You Can't Leave Behind's 20th anniversary reissue from 2020. Their most recent album remains 2017's Songs of Experience.
Oh, Saint Patrick he drove out the snakes
With his prayers but that's not all it takes
For the snake symbolizes
An evil that rises
And hides in your heart
As it breaks
And the evil has risen, my friends
From the darkness that lives in some men
But in sorrow and fear
That's when saints can appear
To drive out those old snakes once again
And they struggle for us to be free
From the psycho in this human family
Ireland's sorrow and pain
Is now the Ukraine
And Saint Patrick's name now Zelenskyy
Bono's poem comes to us from the annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon, held at the White House this afternoon, where it was recited by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "I got this message this morning from Bono," Pelosi, the event's host, said while unfolding a piece of paper. "Most of us — whether we're in Ireland or here — Bono has been a very Irish part of our lives."
Per Pelosi's recitation, Bono's poem begins, "Oh Saint Patrick he drove out the snakes," before likening the snake to "an evil that rises and hides in your heart." However, do not despair, for "In sorrow and fear / That's when saints can appear."
"Ireland's sorrow and pain / Is now the Ukraine / And Saint Patrick's name now Zelenskyy," Pelosi reads, casting a quick glance about the room to gauge the crowd's amazement at the lyrical miracle that is Paul David Hewson.
You can watch the reading alongside a transcription below, while thanking St. Patrick that none of this was beamed to your iPhone without asking.
Last year saw Bono and U2 treat seminal album Achtung Baby to a 30th anniversary reissue, which followed All That You Can't Leave Behind's 20th anniversary reissue from 2020. Their most recent album remains 2017's Songs of Experience.
Oh, Saint Patrick he drove out the snakes
With his prayers but that's not all it takes
For the snake symbolizes
An evil that rises
And hides in your heart
As it breaks
And the evil has risen, my friends
From the darkness that lives in some men
But in sorrow and fear
That's when saints can appear
To drive out those old snakes once again
And they struggle for us to be free
From the psycho in this human family
Ireland's sorrow and pain
Is now the Ukraine
And Saint Patrick's name now Zelenskyy
