April 20, 2008
Temple Bar chief backs U2 plan for Clarence
By Colin Bartley, Independent.ie,
THE architect at the centre of the 1990s regeneration of Temple Bar yesterday said if ambitious plans like those for U2's Clarence Hotel were on the table back then he would have backed them.
James Howley, who oversaw much of the regeneration of the cultural centre of Dublin, told a hearing of An Bord Pleanala into plans to transform the Clarence site: "It is important to understand the meaning and essence of the term conservation, which is often mistakenly confused with those of preservation."
Mr Howley came out strongly in favour of the project and said: "None of the six buildings on the site is of high architectural merit, neither in external appearance nor interior design."
The conservation of the hotel was the main focus of discussions at the third day of the hearing, when final oral submissions were heard. Meanwhile opponents argued that the plans amount to the demolition of the listed hotel.
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April 15, 2008
Bono's huge hotel plans
Rocker Bono wants to spend a staggering $237.2 million turning the hotel he owns in his native Dublin, Ireland into a spectacular city resort.
The U2 frontman and bandmate The Edge bought the 156 year old Clarence Hotel in 1992.
Now the pair have hired award-winning architect Sir Norman Foster to draw up plans for a spectacular overhaul of the 49-room hotel - with designs which include a glass atrium in the shape of a Viking long boat.
The plans have been passed by the city council, but have been met with opposition from locals, who object to the partial demolition of several historic local buildings.
Bono and The Edge will have to appear before a planning board in the next week.
A source tells the New York Post, "This meeting, like the hotel project, is very important to him and he is in Dublin to make sure everything goes well."
Copyright © 2008 World Entertainment News Network.
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April 09, 2008
U2 rocker Bono hopes for 'peaceful' torch relay
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Irish rock star Bono said here Tuesday he hoped the San Francisco leg of the Olympic torch relay would be trouble-free as he attended a pro-Tibet rally.
The U2 frontman told AFP on the sidelines of the event at United Nations Plaza that he hoped the furore surrounding the torch on its global relay would force China to address global concern over its actions in Tibet.
"I would like a peaceful outcome, for the torch tomorrow and in Tibet," Bono told an AFP reporter, comparing the debate over China's actions in Tibet to the issue of torture in the US government's "war on terror."
"I hope China takes this opportunity to address the issues," Bono said. "It's like waterboarding in the US; it's important to address the issues."
Around 800 people attended the peaceful rally in downtown San Francisco where a "Freedom Torch" was lit before activists flanked by around 20 police on each side began a march to the Chinese consulate.
San Francisco is preparing a heavy security presence in the city for the US leg of the troubled torch relay, which was severely disrupted by protesters in Paris on Monday.
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