A WOMAN whose late mother worked for U2 and "treated them like her own" has donated memorabilia from the band to a Co Down charity shop.
Maggie Mooney, from Mullingar in Co Westmeath, gave her mother's collection of framed U2 CDs and album covers, concert programmes and tickets to Concern's charity shop in Holywood.
Her mother Brigid worked as a bookkeeper for the band for much of their early career until the late 1990s, and is listed among the credits for their best-selling albums The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.
One of Brigid's last wishes before she died 12 years ago was to leave her U2 collection to charity.
"She didn't throw anything away that belonged to them," Ms Mooney said.
"After she passed away, I kept it all in storage and decided to give it to Concern because a close friend of mine works for the charity.
"I thought it would be the best way to help them and fulfil my mother's wishes."
Brigid was a bookkeeper at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, where U2 recorded their early albums, before working for the band for more than a decade.
She only retired from the role at 73 – and was still attending U2 concerts up until then.
"She was like a mother to them. And they were very good to her," Ms Mooney said, who also worked alongside U2 as a production assistant on their 1988 promo for Rattle and Hum.
"They took her to concerts, and any time they received a framed album and cover they would give her one as well."
Aileen McKee, Concern's retail development manager in Northern Ireland, said it was a "great honour to receive such iconic items".
The charity plans to sell the memorabilia in its bookshop in Holywood and online, with proceeds going towards its work in some of the world's poorest places.
