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Irish Shows 1979

01/03/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 perform to a sell-out audience.

01/26/1979 Howth Community Centre - Howth, Ireland
setlist not available

01/27/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: First of two shows that day, this one in the afternoon to cater for the underage market. The setlist is wholly unknown.

01/27/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
Concentration Cramp, Street Missions
comment: Second of two shows that day, this one in the evening at The Buttery at Trinity College. Setlist is incomplete: only Concentration Cramp and Street Mission are known. Street Mission is believed to be the closer. U2 are billed as "U-2"; support act System 20 comprised three members of The Virgin Prunes. It was possibly their only performance.

02/10/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 cancelled at the last minute and were replaced by The Vipers.

02/17/1979 Project Arts Centre - Dublin, Ireland
Another Time, Another Place, Cartoon World, Shadows and Tall Trees, Street Missions
encores: Glad To See You Go
comment: U2 perform at the Dark Space Festival. The setlist is incomplete and likely out of order. U2's performance was halted early by organizers due to time constraints. This show features the earliest known performances of "Another Time, Another Place" and "Cartoon World", but as so few early setlists are known, this show is probably not the date of their first performances.

03/21/1979 Institute of Technology - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 play a lunchtime gig as part of a series of shows for Kevin St Rag Week.

04/12/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 perform for 30p in the Arts Block at Trinity College.

05/05/1979 Liberty Hall - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 appear at an afternoon benefit show for the Contraception Action Campaign, which was protesting laws in Ireland that prohibited the sale of condoms and other contraceptives. The band's performance is broken up mid-set to allow for speeches by women from the campaign.

05/12/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, In Your Hand, Concentration Cramp, Shadows and Tall Trees, Life on a Distant Planet, The Fool
comment: U2 play for the first time at the Dandelion Market; later in the day they perform at Trinity College. They go on to make seven further appearances at the Dandelion Market, all on weekends in 1979. The setlist for this show is incomplete and in no particular order. The market was held in a carpark and the concerts themselves took place in a shed with a stage made out of leftover beer crates, breeze-blocks, and a few sheets of chipboard.

05/12/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, In Your Hand, Concentration Cramp, Shadows and Tall Trees, Life on a Distant Planet, The Fool
comment: Second show of the day after Dandelion Market. Admission was £0.60.

05/24/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 play a free outdoors concert on the steps of Trinity College at lunchtime.

05/26/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
Shadows and Tall Trees, Concentration Cramp, Wild Youth, 12XU, The Killing Of Georgie
comment: Lunchtime show. Setlist is incomplete and in no particular order. According to a zine, Heat, it included three covers of songs popular at the time as well as original U2 songs.

05/26/1979 Arcadia Ballroom - Cork, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: Evening show, second of the day. U2 are billed as “U-2”.

06/03/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
Stories for Boys
comment: Before their "Jingle Balls" residency at the same venue later in June, U2 play this afternoon show; entry costs £0.75. Only one song from the setlist is known: the earliest known performance of Stories For Boys. U2:3, containing Stories For Boys, is recorded this month.

06/07/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
In Your Hand, Speed of Life, Concentration Cramp, Another Time, Another Place
comment: As a publicity stunt, U2 play four Thursday night concerts called "The Jingle Balls", based around a theme of Christmas in June. Christmas decorations are set up in McGonagle's for the concerts.

06/08/1979 Abbey Inn - Tralee, Ireland
Concentration Cramp
comment: Setlist is incomplete; it also included a number of unknown covers, including Rolling Stones songs. After either this show or the next night, U2 allegedly had to sweep the floors to pay for their drinks (or before the owner would pay them). Today, the pub contains a sign claiming this as a fact.

06/09/1979 Abbey Inn - Tralee, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: Setlist unknown; it included both original songs and covers.

06/10/1979 Crofton Airport Hotel - Crofton, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: This is the first of four Sunday shows that U2 – billed as “U.2 Band” – are scheduled to play at the Crofton Airport Hotel. Like when U2 played in Crofton in 1978, very few people attend. The Dublin music press from 1979 shows another band called Frazzle playing the remaining three Sundays: either U2 were not invited back, or – according to some reports – they cancelled the residency after deciding this was not the right venue for them.

06/14/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
In Your Hand, Speed of Life, Concentration Cramp, Another Time, Another Place
comment: Second show of U2's "Jingle Balls" residency at McGonagle's. Support band The Modulators features Neil McCormick, who has gone on to write extensively about U2.

06/21/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: Third show of U2's "Jingle Balls" residency at McGonagle's. Yes, support by Santa means that they did indeed have Santa at these "Christmas in June" themed gigs.

06/28/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
Trevor, Cartoon World, Speed of Life, Shadows and Tall Trees, Stories for Boys, Life on a Distant Planet, Boy-Girl
comment: Setlist incomplete. This is U2's fourth and final show as part of their "Jingle Balls" residency at McGonagle's. U2 continue playing a residency at McGonagle's after this date, but without the "Jingle Balls" theme.

07/01/1979 Youth Club - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

07/05/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 continue their residency at McGonagle's but without the "Jingle Balls" theme of the June shows.

07/11/1979 Howth Community Centre - Howth, Ireland
setlist not available

07/12/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 continue their residency at McGonagle's but without the "Jingle Balls" theme of the June shows.

07/18/1979 Meeting Place - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2, billed as “U-2”, play an anti-nuclear benefit concert. The price of tickets ranges between £0.70 and £1.

07/19/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

07/26/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

07/27/1979 Howth Community Centre - Howth, Ireland
setlist not available

07/28/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
Pretty Vacant
comment: U2 play at the Dandelion Market a second time, at 3pm. Edge is sick and cannot play, so Joe Savino (of the Brown Thomas Band) and Denis Rusk (of support act The Strougers) provide assistance. Bono also attempts to play guitar but struggles. Above setlist is obviously incomplete; it may have also included a Rolling Stones cover. Later in the day U2 play a second show in Cork; it is not known whether Edge played.

07/28/1979 Arcadia Ballroom - Cork, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: Billed as “U-2”. First headline show at this venue after multiple supports. Edge may not have played because of ill health; he definitely missed a show earlier that day in Dublin.

08/01/1979 Project Arts Centre - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

08/04/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

08/10/1979 Howth Community Centre - Howth, Ireland
Cartoon World, Life on a Distant Planet, Stories for Boys, Silver Lining
comment: The setlist for this show is incomplete, though it is believed to be the debut of Silver Lining. U2 are billed as "U-2".

08/11/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Speed of Life, In Your Hand, The Fool, Concentration Cramp, Another Time, Another Place, Stories for Boys, Shadows and Tall Trees, Cartoon World, Alone In The Light, Street Missions, Black Dog (snippet) / Life on a Distant Planet, Twilight (snippet) / Boy-Girl
encores: Out of Control, Glad To See You Go
comment: This is the earliest known complete setlist for a U2 show of a decent length (i.e. excluding single-song media performances and ten minute long sets). First known appearance of Twilight in a live setting, albeit as a snippet. The song is known to have been recorded in February 1979.

08/21/1979 The Baggot Inn - Dublin, Ireland
Concentration Cramp, In Your Hand, Stories for Boys, Shadows and Tall Trees, Out of Control
comment: Setlist is incomplete. This show was apparently part of a four or six week Tuesday residency at the Baggot Inn but we currently have no evidence of the other shows except the word of DJ Dave Fanning and Paul Cleary (of The Blades). Fanning recalls DJing at a four week residency, while in an interview with Hot Press, Cleary recalls a "now legendary six-week residency".

08/28/1979 Magnet Bar - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 play at a gig called Rock Against Sexism. For many years the precise date was unknown and it was said to have taken place in late 1978. It actually took place on 28 August 1979 and was advertised by Joe Breen in his column in the Irish Times on 13 August. Admission was £1, or £0.75 upon presentation of a student or dole card.

09/01/1979 Arcadia Ballroom - Cork, Ireland
setlist not available

09/07/1979 Project Arts Centre - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Boy-Girl, Stories for Boys
comment: U2's first of two support slots for Patrick Fitzgerald. Setlist is incomplete. At this show, the band are threatened with violence by a group of punks, one of whom actually kicks Adam. They are ultimately evicted from the venue.

09/08/1979 Project Arts Centre - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Boy-Girl, Stories for Boys
comment: U2's second of two support slots for Patrick Fitzgerald. Setlist is incomplete. Like the night before, some punks target U2 for violence and Paul McGuinness physically removes one of them himself. Bill Graham in the book Another Time, Another Place says McGuinness dragged this punk away by the hair, but in his review of the concert for Hot Press this detail is not mentioned.

09/09/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2's first of three appearances on consecutive weekends at the Dandelion Market.

09/15/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
comment: U2's second of three appearances on consecutive weekends at the Dandelion Market. Setlist is incomplete and U2 are billed as "U-2". During the soundcheck, U2 receive from the printers the record sleeve for their forthcoming debut, U2:3.

09/18/1979 Baggot Inn - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl
comment: Setlist is incomplete.

09/22/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
Stories for Boys, Out of Control, Boy-Girl, The King's New Clothes
comment: U2's third of three appearances on consecutive weekends at the Dandelion Market. Setlist is incomplete.

10/02/1979 The Baggot Inn - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 play a gig at the Baggot Inn attended by a number of record executives from EMI, CBS, and Stiff. They hope to be offered a recording contract but don't receive one - as it happened, the representatives from EMI left early to watch The Specials play on the Old Grey Whistle Test.

10/22/1979 Cork Opera House - Cork, Ireland
Stories for Boys, Speed of Life, Cartoon World, The King's New Clothes, Inside Out (Oh No), Another Time, Another Place, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: Glad To See You Go
comment: This concert was filmed but while clips of the headliners were broadcast on TV, U2's performance was instead broadcast on RTÉ radio.

10/26/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available

11/02/1979 McGonagle's - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl
comment: Setlist is incomplete.

11/03/1979 Arcadia Ballroom - Cork, Ireland
Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, The King's New Clothes
comment: Setlist is incomplete.

11/08/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, The King's New Clothes
comment: U2 perform in the Junior Common Room at Trinity College. Setlist is incomplete.

11/10/1979 Belfield Campus, University College Dublin - Dublin, Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 perform at the UCD Belfield Restaurant.

11/14/1979 Claddagh Hall - Galway, Ireland
Stories for Boys, Out of Control
comment: Setlist incomplete. A poster for the concert calls the band "U-2". The concert raises funds for Cambodia.

11/15/1979 Queen's University - Belfast, Northern Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2's first ever performance outside the Republic of Ireland.

11/17/1979 Dandelion Market - Dublin, Ireland
The King's New Clothes, Out of Control, Stories for Boys
comment: U2 play a farewell gig at the Dandelion Market before going to perform in England for the first time. Setlist is incomplete. This is the biggest gig held at the Market and admission is £1 rather than the usual 50p. Almost 600 people attend the concert.

11/20/1979 New University of Ulster - Coleraine, Northern Ireland
setlist not available
comment: U2 have only played two gigs in Northern Ireland outside of Belfast. This is the first; the second is in Newry on 1980-02-29.

11/23/1979 Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland
The King's New Clothes, Out of Control, Boy-Girl, Stories for Boys
comment: Setlist is incomplete.

11/24/1979 Arcadia Ballroom - Cork, Ireland
Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
comment: Setlist is incomplete.


More detailed listings from this tour can be found here.

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