Kieran O'Boyle
Representative
Lot 116*
U2/Virgin Prunes: Two Letters From Bono And Gavin Friday To A Music Journalist, Circa 1979
17 – 28 November 2023, 14:00 GMT
Dublin€1,500 - €2,000
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Kevin Gaines
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Penny Day
Head of UK and Ireland
U2/Virgin Prunes: Two Letters From Bono And Gavin Friday To A Music Journalist, Circa 1979
Each written on a sheet of torn lined paper, Bono's in blue ballpoint and reading, Me and de mates tink yer grate for doing whot ya done. Yer review was rapid, thanks very much, it's cool...Bono...; Gavin Friday's written in black ballpoint and echoing Bono's gratitude, Just a few lines to say thanks on behalf of the Prunes for the Dublin scene review. It was great!...; together with the cardboard box in which the letters were sent and including a key with a tag attached inscribed in red ballpoint, A key to your reality! Lypton Village Bo-Bang!, and The key to your head. ''U.2 can be a Virgin Prune'', Letters 19cm x 28.5cm (7 ½ in x 11 ¼ in) and 19cm x 22cm (7 ½ in x 8 3/4 in).
Footnotes
These letters, from U2 frontman Bono and lead singer of the Virgin Prunes Gavin Friday, were sent to Dave McCullough who worked for Sounds music paper. During Bono's time at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf he and his friends formed a surrealist street gang called Lypton Village. This group of friends began performing in public places, such as buses, to provoke people. The gang had a ritual of nickname-giving. Bono had several names such as 'Steinvic von Huyseman', 'Huyseman', 'Houseman', 'Bon Murray', 'Bono Vox of O'Connell Street', and finally just 'Bono'. It was around this time that Bono met Gavin Friday: this was at a party to which Gavin had not been invited and Bono and his friend Guggi caught Gavin trying to steal something but they subsequently became good friends.