U2 has always been a global band with deeply local roots. They sell out stadiums on every continent, yet their story keeps circling back to a handful of streets, coastlines, and old houses—mostly in and around Dublin. Over the years, fans have become almost as fascinated with where the band members live as with the music itself.
This isn’t about snooping or exact addresses. It’s about understanding the places that shaped U2, the environments they return to, and how geography quietly weaves itself into their work. If you’ve ever wondered where Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. put down roots, here’s a clear, grounded look—based on long-reported, public information—at the key locations tied to their lives.
Ireland First, Always
Despite international fame and serious money, all four members of U2 have consistently kept Ireland as their primary base. That choice isn’t accidental, and it isn’t just sentimental.
Ireland is where they’re tax-resident, where they rehearse, and where the band has always made its major creative decisions. Even when homes abroad enter the picture, Dublin remains the anchor.
The “Big Four” Irish Homes Around Dublin
Bono – Killiney Hill and the View That Never Gets Old
Bono, born Paul Hewson, is most closely associated with Temple Hill, his longtime home in Killiney, South County Dublin.
Killiney is one of those places that barely needs an introduction in Ireland. Perched above the Irish Sea, it offers sweeping coastal views, old Victorian roads, and a level of privacy that’s hard to find closer to the city center. Vico Road, in particular, has earned a reputation as one of the most scenic residential roads in Europe—sometimes compared to the Amalfi Coast, though that comparison gets debated endlessly in Irish pubs.
Bono has lived in the area for decades, raising his family there and quietly becoming part of the local fabric. It’s close enough to the city to stay connected, but far enough away to breathe.
The Edge – Fortlands, Just Down the Road
David “The Edge” Evans lives nearby at Fortlands, another historic Killiney property with serious architectural character.
The proximity between Bono and The Edge isn’t just trivia—it reflects how the band operates. U2 has always functioned more like a long-term partnership than a loose creative collective. Living near one another made collaboration easy long before remote studios and file-sharing existed.
Fortlands itself is a Victorian-era mansion, set back and discreet. Like Bono, The Edge has stayed rooted in the area for years, reinforcing Killiney’s quiet reputation as unofficial U2 territory.
Adam Clayton – Danesmoate House, a Home With Studio DNA
Adam Clayton’s Irish base is Danesmoate House in Rathfarnham, on the south side of Dublin. This one matters for more than just residential reasons.
Danesmoate is an 18th-century manor with a musical legacy baked into its walls. Much of The Joshua Tree was recorded there, making it one of the most important physical locations in U2’s history. The house became a creative refuge at a time when the band was redefining itself.
Rathfarnham is quieter than Killiney, more inland, and closer to the Dublin Mountains. The setting fits Clayton’s lower-key public profile while still keeping him connected to the band’s core geography.
Larry Mullen Jr. – Privacy in Howth
Larry Mullen Jr., the band’s drummer and arguably its most private member, is associated with a residence in Howth, a peninsula in North County Dublin.
Howth is rugged, coastal, and slightly removed from the city’s spotlight. Known for cliff walks, fishing harbors, and old estates tucked behind hedgerows, it offers exactly the kind of anonymity someone like Mullen seems to value.
He rarely speaks publicly about his personal life, and that’s reflected in the limited, respectful information available about his home compared to his bandmates.
Homes Beyond Ireland: Secondary, Not Central
While Ireland remains home base, U2 members have long maintained properties abroad. These are not secret hideaways so much as practical extensions of lives that involve constant travel, recording, and touring.
France – Èze-sur-Mer on the Riviera
Bono and The Edge are associated with Villa Les Rose in Èze-sur-Mer, a small, dramatic village on the French Riviera.
Èze is steep, old, and cinematic. It’s the kind of place where you can disappear without actually hiding. The villa has been reported on for years and fits the pattern of musicians seeking quiet, light, and distance when writing or decompressing.
New York City – Bono and Central Park West
Bono owns a penthouse in The San Remo, one of Manhattan’s most iconic buildings overlooking Central Park.
The building itself is part of New York mythology, and Bono’s purchase—famously from Steve Jobs—has been public knowledge for years. New York has always been central to U2’s American story, especially during the Achtung Baby and Songs of Innocence eras.
California – The Edge in Malibu
The Edge has a long-running property interest in Sweetwater Mesa, Malibu. The site has drawn attention over the years due to planning disputes and environmental concerns, which have been covered extensively in the press.
Regardless of the controversy, the connection to California makes sense. Malibu has long been a magnet for musicians seeking isolation, ocean air, and proximity to Los Angeles studios.
Manhattan Again – Adam Clayton on the Upper West Side
Adam Clayton has historically owned apartments in The El Dorado, another classic Upper West Side building near Central Park.
The Upper West Side’s quieter, older-money feel fits Clayton’s understated public image. It’s less flashy than downtown Manhattan, more lived-in, and very New York in an old-school way.
Places That Matter More Than Houses
Some locations tied to U2 aren’t homes at all—but they’re arguably just as important.
Clarence Hotel
Owned by Bono and The Edge, the Clarence Hotel in Dublin’s Temple Bar became a symbol of the band’s investment in the city itself. It’s part business venture, part cultural statement.
Hanover Quay Studios
This is U2’s creative headquarters. Albums were written here, arguments were had here, and decades of work passed through these rooms. If there’s a physical heart of the band, this might be it.
Cedarwood Road
The street where Bono grew up. Immortalized in song, it represents U2’s emotional starting point more than any mansion ever could.
Mount Temple Comprehensive School
The place where four teenagers met in 1976 and unknowingly started one of the biggest bands in history. No property portfolio tops that.
Why All This Still Matters
U2’s homes aren’t just luxury real estate footnotes. They tell a consistent story: global success paired with deep loyalty to place. Dublin isn’t a branding exercise for them—it’s home in the most literal sense.
For a band that’s spent decades singing about belonging, displacement, faith, and identity, the geography lines up almost too perfectly. They went everywhere, but they never really left.
