Bob’s Band Aid tribute to Ireland’s generosity
■ Exhibition part of deal with National Library
THE National Library of Ireland is to hold exhibitions showcasing original material from Band Aid, after the charity’s archive was donated to it by Bob Geldof.
One element of the deal to secure the archive for the library, which had been sought after around the world, was that it would be shown to the public.
Geldof said the decision to donate the material to his home town was a ‘thank you’ to the people of Ireland for their support of the Live Aid and Band Aid movement.
As an example of the generosity of the Irish people, he spoke about one case in which two elderly women gave their wedding rings to help raise funds for the starving in Africa.
The Live Aid broadcast in 1985 was watched by 1.5 billion people and raised tens of millions of pounds for starving people in Africa. Geldof explained: “We could have gone to some wealthy university, they did offer us a lot of money and a couple of the other institutions did as well. But we want to ensure Band Aid’s continuity. It has still got a lot of money, so we’re going to continue as an organisation.
“But into the future, it’s time now that the whole archive was catalogued and categorised, because there are too many aspects to it.”
Geldof said developmental students and schools would now be able to look at the material.
“Of course, there’ll be exhibitions here and that was part of the deal,” he added.
The Department of Culture has committed €245,000 to digitalise the collection and to facilitate the development of the archive by the National Library. Among the material in the collection are letters from private individuals and well-known figures, original recording tapes, photos and reports of projects in Africa which have been funded by the trust since 1985. It will be transported from London in the coming days.
President Michael D Higgins welcomed the gift, saying: “It is a most thoughtful and generous gesture that will be appreciated for generations.
“The decision of the National Library not to just accept the archive but to arrange a major exhibition at the National Photographic Archive is to be particularly welcomed, as is the fact that the public will be able to view these unique archives free of charge. It is also heartening that consideration is being given to a travelling exhibition of the archive.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Band Aid was a milestone of that era. It showed Ireland – and in particular an Irishman – taking the lead in tackling hunger and injustice.”