Bono aka Paul David Hewson was born on the 10th May 1960 in The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin 1. Bono was the second of Iris and Robert (Bobby) Hewson, who worked as a post office worker. Bono's older brother Norman was seven years his elder. Bono was brought up at 10 Cedarwood Road in the North of Dublin. Bono went to school at Dublin's Glasnevin National Primary School, than in 1977 went on to St Patricks Secondary school for Boys. After a year attending St Patricks, Bono soon moved to another school, Mount Temple High school. Mount Temple High school was a Inter-denominational, co- eductional comprehensive school. (Protestant and catholic school, the first one at the time.) Bono's mother Iris Rankin was brought up as a Protestant, where as Bono's father Bobby Hewson was a Roman Catholic. Iris and Bobby refused to let their religions keep them apart and so they married. Bono and his older brother Norman were both brought up as Protestants.

In 1974 Iris Hewson was attending her father's funeral, she suddenly collapsed. Iris Hewson died four days later on the 10th September, she died of a brain haemorrhage. Bono was just fourteen years old. Bono often described himself as the 'rentabastard' because of his difficult behaviour and the lack of good communication between himself and his father, after his mother had died. Norman had already left home before Iris had past away, leaving Bobby and Bono on their own.

Bono often par-took in street fights, although Bono says he never started them, but he never 'turned the other cheek' either. (Bono was the one that usually won the fight!) His fighting plagued on the teenagers mind and so at fifteen joined the school's christian Union. Religion wasn't just the only thing that was on Bono's mind at the time, girls were also becoming important. He became a bit of romantic, the girls falling for the blue eyes and cheeky smile and his personality. In 1976 Bono responded to a note pinned on the noticeboard at school, an appeal to join a band. Bono could only play three chords on the guitar and wasn't much of a singer at the time, but still went to the address of Rosemount Ave, home of the young fifteen year old Larry Mullen Jr.

There, Bono met Dave Evans, not yet given the name of The Edge, Dick Evans, The Edges brother who left the band for another later on and Adam Clayton. They named themselves Feedback. They performed sixties covers and The Edge is quoted as saying "We were the worst cover version band in the world" Bono started writing his own music, much inspiration from Bruce Springsteen.

Outside of school Bono joined an association called Lypton Village, where Bono met a group of friends. Here he met Gavin Friday and Derek Rowan, (Guggi) the brother of Peter Rowan, who would be later be featured on U2's album covers. By now Bono had been playing the field, but he had his sights set on Alison Stewert (Ali) even though she had knocked him back on his previous attempts to win her heart. Bono didn't give up though, he pursued her for years before she finally gave in. Ali, strong minded and independant turned Bono into a one- woman man. more on www.bonoonline.com