If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of U2 trivia, you’ve probably asked some version of this question: where does The Edge actually live?
The short, accurate answer is Dalkey, South Dublin, where his long-delayed Sorrento Cottage project is now his primary residence. But like most artists who’ve spent decades at the top, that single answer barely scratches the surface.
Over the years, The Edge’s life in Ireland has been spread across several important places — some deeply private, some creative, and others that became part of Dublin’s cultural fabric. Here’s a clear, grounded look at the main properties and locations most closely associated with him, based on public records, long-running reporting, and what’s actually known as of 2026.
Sorrento Cottage, Dalkey
The most accurate answer to “The Edge’s house”
If you’re looking for the place that best fits the label The Edge’s home today, this is it.
Sorrento Cottage sits along Sorrento Road/Vico Road in Dalkey, one of South Dublin’s most exclusive coastal areas. It overlooks Killiney Bay, and while the view is postcard-perfect, the road to getting here was anything but smooth.
A project decades in the making
The Edge purchased the original house more than 20 years ago. What followed was one of the longest and most public planning battles in recent Irish celebrity history. Objections, redesigns, court challenges — all of it played out over years.
By late 2023, final planning permission was granted.
What’s being built
As of 2026, the property is undergoing a major redevelopment often described by planners as innovative rather than flashy.
Key elements include:
- A three-level extension integrated into the existing structure
- A professional-grade recording studio on site
- A separate bath-house with a plunge pool and sauna
- Extensive security and privacy features, designed for family life rather than publicity
This isn’t a show home. It’s clearly meant to be lived in, worked in, and largely left alone.
The Killiney Mansion
The home that made him a landmark
Before Sorrento Cottage became the focus, The Edge’s name was most often tied to his Killiney residence.
Killiney is famous for its concentration of high-profile residents — Bono, Enya, and other Irish figures have lived nearby — and The Edge’s property there became a quiet stop on unofficial “U2 pilgrimage” routes over the years.
What defines it
- Tall perimeter walls
- Heavy security
- Very little visibility from the outside
It’s one of those places everyone knows of, but very few people have actually seen. While it’s no longer the center of attention, it remains an important part of his long-term life in Dublin.
The Clarence Hotel
Not a home, but impossible to ignore
If you associate The Edge with a building in Dublin city centre, it’s probably The Clarence Hotel.
Located at 6–8 Wellington Quay in Temple Bar, the hotel dates back to 1852. The Edge and Bono bought it in the 1990s and turned it into a boutique landmark at a time when Temple Bar itself was being reshaped.
Why it still matters
- It became part of the Edge/Bono public identity
- It hosted musicians, artists, and international guests
- It symbolized Dublin’s cultural confidence in the late 90s and early 2000s
Although their ownership interests were sold around 2023–2024, the association hasn’t faded. People still mention it in the same breath as their names — and probably always will.
Hanover Quay Studios
Where he “lives” musically
If you ask where The Edge spends his time creatively, the answer isn’t a house at all.
Hanover Quay Studios, located in Grand Canal Dock, has served as U2’s long-term recording headquarters. This is where albums were written, refined, abandoned, and sometimes resurrected years later.
A quick clarification
There was once a plan for a combined residential/studio tower — often referred to as the “U2 Tower.” That project was shelved long ago. What remains is the studio itself, and it’s still central to the band’s working life.
For fans and music historians, this place arguably matters as much as any house.
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Entity | Category | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Sorrento Cottage | Private Residence | Current primary home under major renovation |
| Killiney Mansion | Private Residence | Long-term family estate |
| The Clarence Hotel | Business / Landmark | Formerly owned boutique hotel |
| Hanover Quay Studios | Studio | U2’s professional creative hub |
A note on citizenship and identity
As of June 2025, The Edge officially became an Irish citizen. It was a meaningful moment, even if largely symbolic, for someone long described as an “Irish-British” figure in global music culture.
In many ways, his properties reflect that same layered identity: rooted in Dublin, shaped by privacy, and quietly influential rather than showy.
If you’re trying to pin The Edge down to a single place, you’ll probably be disappointed. His life in Ireland is spread across homes, studios, and landmarks that each represent a different part of who he is — family man, musician, investor, and cultural fixture.
And honestly, that feels very on brand.
