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THIRTY YEARS AGO, unemployment was a major problem in Ireland.
With around a quarter of a million unemployed in the country, Irish musicians decided do something to raise awareness, and held a charity concert for 30,000 people on 17 May 1986.
With a nod to Live Aid, they put on Self Aid in order to raise funds and create jobs for the unemployed in Ireland.
Live Aid had been a hugely successful global phenomenon, and organiser Bob Geldof was inspired by it to hold another event in the RDS in Dublin.
Self Aid took place 10 months after the Live Aid concert and 18 months after the Band Aid single was released.
The concert was headlined by the Boomtown Rats, and there was a great line up of other Irish performers on the night, including U2, Van Morrison, Christy Moore, Rory Gallagher and the Pogues.
Speaking to the audience on the night, Bono said:
This country belongs to you just as much as it belongs to RTÉ just as much as it belongs to CIE or ESB or AIB or the Bank of Ireland. And if you work for ANCO or if you work for Manpower. If you are paid by the people you better look after those people. So treat them nice on Monday morning.
Thin Lizzy also played on the night with Gary Moore on vocals.
Tributes were paid to the band’s lead singer, Phil Lynott, who had died just four months previously.
Tickets cost £15 for the concert, and there was a subsequent album, Live for Ireland that many of the performers recorded.
The concert’s aim was to highlight the unemployment rates in the country, as there were over 250,000 people unemployed in Ireland at the time.
A telethon in RTÉ studios occurred on the same day as the concert. Presenters and celebrities manned the phones, taking pledges for jobs and donations for the cause.
All profits from the concert, the accompanying album and the telethon went to the Self Aid Trust.
One of the big acts of the night were U2, who were introduced on stage by RTÉ’s Dave Fanning.
The concert marked the final performance of the Boomtown Rats, with frontman Bob Geldof, saying to the crowd:
It’s been a very good 10 years. Thank you very much. Rest in peace.
The band reunited 27 years later in 2013.
Today, Twitter users have been sharing their memories of the benefit gig three decades ago.
RTÉ made a documentary of behind the scenes at Self Aid, which was broadcast in December 1986.
Here's one of the famous scenes from it, where Bono ran backstage during his set to drink a bottle of cider with some fans:
Welcome!
Welcome your are valued and respected for your brave move.
Good man Nasir welcome to Ireland,
But never abandon your own people.
Keep their problems in the limelight
It is people like this we need to enrich our society, unfortunately economic migrants don’t stop to think about the damage they are causing to genuine asylum seekers……….
@Sean Higgins: And the difference between the two is…do you know?
@Maxwell Eddizon: No…¡
@Maxwell Eddizon:
Asylum Seeker
a person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another.
Economic Migrant:
a person who enters another country in search of work.
@Sean Higgins: And every irish person who has emigrated since the 20th century has been an economic migrant.
@Sean Higgins: Wrong. An economic migrant comes to improve his living standards…
@Ciara Ni Mhurchu: fair enough but how many claimed asylum in the countries they moved to?
@Maxwell Eddizon: does the word economic not give it away, anyway I’d rather not get into a debate with a lad who answers his own questions, see above………..
@Sean Higgins: 11.5¿
@Maxwell Eddizon: sure didnt he say he was genuine ,is that not enough for you
@Sean Higgins: No debate – just Google it and you’ll quickly see I’m correct!
@Maxwell Eddizon: does searching for work not come under the heading of improving living standards?
@Sean Higgins: Who then would clean hotel rooms, serve food in mcdonalds and restaurants or picking mushrooms in cold temperatures, etc…there are thousands of economic migranst from eastern Europe who work really hard to improve their living standards. Unfortunately EU is not about the same standards for every states. If some of irish people are desperate for work, in my country we have the highest production of cars in Europe. The industry is booming. Hovewer, in Germany factory workers get around 8,5 eur per hour. In my country people can earn from 3-5 eur per hour, with nights and overtime even over 1000 eur. We have still high unemployment in many regions in the country. But we have very good weather, cheaper alcohol and cigarrets,but groceries, clothes and electronics cost as much as in Ireland and yes, we pay for usage of water (by the way owned by French). Welcome in an EU
@Ciara Ni Mhurchu: True.
@Sean Higgins: They cannot claim asylum if they are not being persecuted inn their home country. Are you aware of Irish citizens fleeing their country due to persecution?
Sorry for every imperfection in my written English ;-) Particles in my native language don’t exist. I just wanted to add I wish there would be more tourists from the west in my country and in all eastern Europe. It would help our tourism and economy in general. But this is a bit utopian idea. Better to keep emigrating or staying making cars for 480-700eur, working in lidl or cleaning rooms for 400eur or in case of having a degree to move to a capital city, where earning 600-1200eur is much better while paying rent from 200-500eur per month and higher. I just correct our minimum wage per hour is 2,5eur. If you want to buy a property the average price per meter square is 1475eur. In the capital city, it could be even more than 3000 eur per meter square. According the latest statistics average cost of diesel: 0,96 (Switzerland), 1.08 (Poland), 1,22 (Ireland), 1,18 (my home country), 1,10 (Austria). Cost of unleaded 95: 0,95 (Switzerland), 1,10 (Poland), 1,33 (Ireland), 1,35 (my home country) and 1,05 our richer neighbour Austria. The highest fuel prices are recorded in the Norway, Italy, France and Portugal. And I know Ireland has the fourth most expensive electricity cost.
@Sean Higgins: “Enriched” No thanks sound likes forced multiculturism . All of Africa or the world can head for Europe as refugees .
@Sean Higgins: economic migrants can simply mean someone who moves to a different country to avail of its social benefits too.
@Ciara Ni Mhurchu: Every person who emigrated from Ireland many years ago helped to build that Country they went to. That is why they were welcomed and yes there are migrants who work in this Country now and that is good. What about the people who come here and want to do nothing? It is mostly the Government’s fault as there’s no planning for the Migrant intake in other Wordsl they are feeding from the one breakfast bowl.
Nasir Great to have you here and looking forward to hear your opinions and culture
@Thee Orson Welles: Please publish YOUR name, and stand over your opinions, you anonymous coward.
@Thee Orson Welles: well SAID
He studied irish literature and is learning English. Well done.
Céad míle fáilte, sir!
Welcome .Try the stew Its delightful
@the druid: Coddle – proof that the eyes are a key part of the enjoyment of eating – coddle is a fantastic winter dish, but looks awful!
@the druid: had it at the Gravediggers in Glasnevin last week, can’t wait to go back for more.
Clearly a talented man we need to stop keeping talented people in dp when clearly they have a lot to contribute. Guys like this should just be given irish passport I don’t see any reason why not.
@Bhiniáimin Ó Beith: he’s still needs to go through the process first .. can’t be just handing out an Irish passport on the grounds that he seems a great man .
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: we need a few though
Lovely to see new faces to Ireland that will enrich our culture. It is wonderful to see a talented Journalist and Artist finding new purpose and of course safety and being able to express his opinions without fear and punishment ….You are so welcome sir, many thanks for sharing your story and lovely to see x
Wonderful little stories Luke these are meant to keep us all quiet, I’m sure this guy is a genuine person. My issue is the number of people coming in, I fear nobody has ran the numbers, we should not keep taking in people until we can sort out our own people. It’s not fair on people coming in, where do these people live? How do we feed, cloth them? Is there room in schools for children? Can health service cope? If we are going to help people, let’s help them properly. Liberal social justice warriors just want to show how good and noble they are. What about after the fact?!
Welcome Nasir. Keep writing about your country, the Sudan crisis has never really gotten the media attention it deserves. Never ever give in to clerical bullies like the NIF.
Welcome Nasir. I hope Ireland provides you and your family with s safe environment where you can all grow and flourish.
Great to hear a good sided story for a change, a land of a thousand welcomes to all peaceful law abiding people…
@Paul Maher: Muppet!
Failte roimh dhearthair
Welcome sir!
I have 5 of his paintings and we sponsored his art supplies by bartering… a very nice and genuine man
You are most welcome to our country!
Poor man ending up Longford.
Really nice story. Hope you embrace and lead as an example of 1 mans passion for what he does. Fair fooks.
Welcome Nasir! Good to have you here
Welcome Nasir, good hard working people are always welcome !
You are very welcome here and I hope your asylum case is processed quickly and that you and your family are happy in Ireland. Cead Mile Failte!
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