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The Edge: U2 trying to take world tour to Ireland

(left to right) Larry Mullen Jr, The Edge, Bono and Adam Clayton on stage in Turin. Picture by Danny North/U2/Press Association
(left to right) Larry Mullen Jr, The Edge, Bono and Adam Clayton on stage in Turin. Picture by Danny North/U2/Press Association (left to right) Larry Mullen Jr, The Edge, Bono and Adam Clayton on stage in Turin. Picture by Danny North/U2/Press Association

ROCK superstars U2 are to play shows in Ireland at the end of November.

There had been speculation the band would not bring their Innocence + Experience tour to Ireland after struggling to find a suitable venue.

But frontman Bono told the Irish Times: "We are coming home... it was really hard to figure out a way of doing it, but we just had to make it happen".

Speaking after kicking off the European leg of U2's world tour in Turin, Bono said the show had been changed to fit into an Irish venue.

"We found a way to reformat the show, to literally rebuild it for the Irish shows," he said. "It got to the stage where we just had to tell our people “You have to make this happen, you have to make this work, this is where we are from and we have to bring the tour home."

The band will be playing dates across Europe, including at The O2 in London and in Glasgow. The tour was supposed to end in Paris in November, but is now expected to finish in Dublin.

"I am so happy we are bringing this home," Bono said. "These Irish shows will be like an Irish wedding. It is always tricky planning a wedding – who sits besides who could ruin it."

Earlier, guitarist The Edge said it would be a "huge disappointment" to the band if they did not play in Ireland and suggested they may play a date in Belfast.

"This show is designed for a type of venue and unfortunately there isn't one, certainly in the south, I think there might be one in the Belfast area so we're looking at that as well," he said.

Speaking about their Irish fans, The Edge said: "It's a home crowd and they know us better than anyone else. They know all the references better than anyone else.

"I would say it's the most appreciative and in some ways also the toughest crowd, because they know what to expect. They've high expectations."

Details of U2's Irish shows are expected to be announced on Wednesday.