Agony for U2′s Adam as he bids farewell to mum
By Adelina Campos
Saturday August 13 2011
U2′S Adam Clayton choked back the tears at his mother’s funeral.
Bono and The Edge comforted the bass player at a moving ceremony for his his mum Jo.
The life of the former air hostess was celebrated in the small town of Foxford, Co Mayo, where Jo lived with her husband Brian for over a decade.
Adam’s bandmates attended the Church of Ireland service in the Straide parish with their families yesterday ahead of the cremation, which takes place in Glasnevin Crematorium in Dublin today.
A clearly distraught Adam (51) remained silent during the ceremony — the Rev Andrea Wills, who officiated, said the whole family were going through a very difficult time.
“It is a terribly sad time for the Clayton family,” she said.
The U2 star kept his head bowed and his eyes to the floor as he followed his mother’s coffin into the church.
“It was a small, private service for family and friends,” Ms Wills said.
“I delivered the service myself, no one else spoke.
“Jo’s favourite hymns were played.”
Adam was with his family, his French girlfriend, their baby son, and there were around 30 mourners inside.
Private
His family moved to Dublin from England when Adam was five.
“Jo has been living in the area for well over 15 years,” Ms Wills said.
“She also had a foreign home. They were semi-resident here,” she added.
While Jo was very private about her famous son’s life and avoided giving interviews, she encouraged his passion for music by buying him a bass guitar when he was a boy.
hnews@herald.ie
- Adelina Campos
