U2 and friends collaborate on tribute to The Dubliner’s Ronnie Drew.

Bono and The Edge have co-written a song for Ronnie Drew, the singer with Ireland’s best known folk band, The Dubliners.

Drew has been battling cancer for some time. Bono told Hot Press: “When you’re fighting cancer your mood is critical. We want Ronnie to know how much he is respected and loved.”

Bono, The Edge, Simon Carmody and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter wrote and demoed the song entitled ‘The Ballad of Ronnie Drew’ last week and the band (U2/Kila) laid down the rhythm track at Windmill Lane at 10am, this Tuesday morning. Bono, Shane McGowan, Christy Moore and Damien Dempsey all took turns singing the verses. On Tuesday night, everybody who is anybody in Irish music gathered together at the studio, to record the backing vocals of the song, ‘we are the world’-style.

Musicians included Sinead O’Connor, Christy Moore, Andrea Corr, Shane McGowan, Bob Geldof, Damien Dempsey, Gavin Friday, Jerry Fish, Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Paul Brady, Paddy Casey, Glen Hansard and members of The Dubliners and The Chieftains.

According to an insider the session ‘…went well. Mad hectic, but fun.’ The Pogues’ Shane McGowan apparently had some trouble getting into the country, forgetting his passport in the hurry.

The single’s expected for release around Easter this year. We’re told proceeds will go toward a children’s cancer charity.

– Hot Press has the details.
– U2.com talks to Simon Carmody