U2 Frontman Bono and His Wife Became High School Sweethearts After He Walked Her to the Bus
The maximalist rock of U2 and the high-minded societal ambitions of Bono often make the lead singer feel like a larger-than-life character. But when the cameras and microphones go away, the man born Paul Hewson has a stable domestic life with his wife Alison Hewson (nee Stewart). The two have been together for decades, raising a family together and collaborating on business ventures. Their love story has the hallmarks of a storybook romance, with walks to school playing an important role in their relationship.
Alison Hewson and Bono did not experience love at first sight
The pair grew up in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School at the same time. (Bono, then Paul Hewson, was one grade above Stewart.) Bono saw something in her on the first day of school and made up an excuse to talk to her. Hewson, according to the Irish Independent, initially thought of him as “an eeijit” (idiot).
Nevertheless, Bono persisted and the two began dating when she was 15 and he was 16. Bono told Entertainment Tonight that their first date ended with him dropping her off at a bus stop, and that the affection was very much one-sided. “She’s working up to that,” he joked. But their connection deepened after a tragedy in the then-aspiring musician’s life.
His mother, Iris, died from an aneurysm in 1973. Hewson took it upon herself to ensure that Bono, who had an uneasy relationship with his father and brother at the time, was cared for by somebody. They walked to school together and she even washed his clothes and brought him to her home for dinner when it was necessary.
The two eventually got married in 1982.
Hewson is a lot more than just the wife of Bono
Hewson gave up her dreams of being a nurse once U2 started to take off and she realized she couldn’t be the wife of a rock star and keep a consistent work schedule. But Hewson still had her own ambitions to accomplish. She got a degree in social science, politics, and sociology from University College Dublin in 1989. Just two weeks before her final exams, she gave birth to the couple’s first kid, a daughter named Jordan.
Hewson used her knowledge to become an activist for a number of causes. She was involved in anti-nuclear efforts in the ’90s and worked with charities that collected money for the child victims of the Chernobyl disaster. Hewson also led a campaign for Irish citizens to send 1.5 million postcards to then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair to raise awareness of the risk of radioactive pollution from the Sellafield nuclear plant drifting across to Ireland.
Hewson later co-founded two businesses: Edun, a clothing company focused on pushing fair trade practices to the fashion industry, and Nude, an ethical skincare brand.
Her commitment to progressive projects hasn’t stopped Hewson from growing a family with Bono. In addition to Jordan, the couple has three other children: Eve, Elijah, and John.
Their love has persisted despite the pressures of the music industry
Hewson is notoriously private and rarely speaks about her husband in public. But Bono has paid tribute to her and their union several times over the years.
His love for her has inspired multiple U2 songs, most notably “The Sweetest Thing.” Bono is much more comfortable with the spotlight than Hewson, but his messiah complex completely dissipates when it comes to her.
“I feel our relationship has changed a lot. For a while I thought I was in charge. I was the hunter-protector,” he explained. “A few years ago it became clear somebody else was in charge and I feel I hold on a lot tighter to her than she does to me, and that slightly bothers me.”
“She’s so independent and sometimes I wish she wasn’t.”
