Bob Geldof Reveals He Would Have Run for Irish Presidency with Fianna Fail's Blessing

Fianna Fail's decision to nominate former Dublin GAA boss Jim Gavin for the presidency instead of Bob Geldof has seen the Boomtown Rats frontman and activist reconsider his plans to throw his hat into the ring. Despite being asked by the party's leadership to run, Geldof ultimately decided against it, citing the difficulties of securing support from local authorities and members of the Oireachtas. The 73-year-old musician revealed in an interview with RTE that he was initially enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming the president, but ultimately decided it was not for him.

Key Takeaways:

• Bob Geldof was offered the chance to run for the Irish presidency by Fianna Fail, but decided against it after the party nominated Jim Gavin instead.
• Geldof cited the difficulties of securing support from local authorities and members of the Oireachtas as a major obstacle to his candidacy.
• He expressed concerns about the novelty of being president wearing off and the challenges of representing a country with a conflicting image.
• Geldof admitted he was initially hesitant about taking on the role, and that his family and home in London made it difficult for him to consider a move to Ireland.
• The Boomtown Rats frontman was honored at the Sky Arts Awards last Tuesday night, receiving the lifetime achievement award.

Statistics:

• 27 independent councillors were contacted by The Sunday Times earlier this month, with a majority saying they would be willing to hear Geldof's submission before considering supporting him.
• 50 years: The number of years the Boomtown Rats have been active as a band.
• 40 years: The number of years Bob Geldof has been involved in the Band Aid charity.
• 20 members: The number of members of the Oireachtas that Geldof would have needed to convince in order to secure nominating signatures.
• 4 local authorities: The number of authorities Geldof would have needed to convince in order to secure nominating signatures.

Sources:

• The Sunday Times
• RTE
• The Irish Times
• Sky News