Distressing story of how Bono 'avoided the pain' of losing mother at 14

17 July 2025, 11:09

Bono singing on stage — Bono and his family struggled with finding a way to grieve his mother Iris. Picture: Alamy

By Hannah Watkin

The U2 frontman's family struggled to cope with the sudden loss of his mum, Iris Hewson, in 1974.

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Bono has opened up about how he struggled with life after the death of his mother, Iris Hewson, when he was just 14.

Speaking on the latest episode of chef Ruth Rogers’ podcast Ruthie’s Table 4, the ‘With Or Without You’ singer revealed how, after his mother passed away, his family found it hard to go on.

Living with his dad and older brother Norman, Bono revealed that mealtimes became a matter of food as “just fuel".

As an older teen, the Irish singer used to subsist on a diet of mostly tinned meat, tinned beans and instant mash, or “highly exotic” airplane food options which his brother used to bring home from his job at an airport.

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And rather than spend his money on better food, Bono preferred to splash the cash on “more important” things such as new music.

The 65-year-old's mum passed away unexpectedly in 1974 after suffering a brain aneurysm. She was just 48.

Reflecting on the difficult period of his childhood following his mother’s death, Bono recalled: “After my mother died, we just didn’t speak her name.”

This memory echoes Bono's past reminiscences about how his family “avoided the pain” of his mother’s death, more of which he detailed in his 2022 memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story (recently made into an Apple TV+ documentary film).

Watch the trailer for Bono - Stories of Surrender

“I have very few memories of my mother Iris. Neither does my older brother, Norman,” Bono wrote in the chapter reflecting on the inspiration for his 2014 song ‘Iris (Hold Me Close)’.

“The simple explanation is that, in our house, after she died, she was never spoken of again,” Bono continued.

“I fear it was worse than that,” he added. “We were three Irish men, and we avoided the pain that we knew would come from thinking and speaking about her.”

U2 - Iris (Hold Me Close) - Official Lyric Video

Remembering his mum in his song ‘Iris (Hold Me Close)’, Bono sings in the first verse: “The star that gives us light, has been gone a while, but it’s not an illusion / The ache in my heart, is so much a part, of who I am...

“Hold me close, hold me close and don’t let me go... I’ve got your life inside of me,” the chorus reflects.