Hollywood actor George Clooney has revealed he and his wife, Amal, spent Easter Sunday with U2’s frontman Bono at his home in Dublin.
Clooney, who has starred in movies such as upcoming Catch 22, Money Monster and Oceans Twelve, also plans to return to Ireland next year following a brief visit to meet his Irish cousins for the first time over the Easter break.
The planned family get-together was organised by his parents, renowned broadcaster Nicholas (85) and his writer wife Nina (80).
Speaking on the US TV network abc with host Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday night, Clooney explained he went to Bono’s home in Killiney.
"As you do. We try to only do Easter with rock stars and enjoyed our time there.
It was a beautiful day. Ireland is spectacular.
His human rights lawyer wife Amal and their two-year-old twins Alexander and Ella travelled with him. The family reunion was hosted at the five-star award-winning luxury hotel Ballyfin House in Co Laois.
"We spent the afternoon trying to understand what they were saying," he said before making a joke about leprechauns and Lucky Charms.
"We walked into this castle, and I thought 'Wow, the Clooneys are doing alright over here.
“(But) no, it was a hotel. I thought it was theirs. I walked into the hotel and was thinking 'woah - shit we shouldn't have left'.”
The 58-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, spoke further about meeting his relatives in Ballyfin. He said he originally planned to visit Ireland with his mum and dad to meet up with relatives.
However, he revealed his father couldn't travel because he had to have surgery on a hernia brought on by 300 sit-ups daily.
Jimmy asked George what it was like meeting relatives who could also be strangers. George's relatives hail from the counties of Laois and Kilkenny.
"It was odd but there is this other part of you which you do feel this weird connection to when you can see some connection in the eyes," he said.
The Clooneys also had dinner with U2 frontman Bono and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Good Friday.
In 2005 an American genealogist discovered George Clooney’s Irish roots in Windgap, Co Kilkenny and Abbeyleix, Co Laois resulting in his parents visiting 12 years ago.
The Clooneys have Irish heritage on both sides of the family, though most significantly on the paternal side.
His father’s great-great-grandfather Nicholas Clooney emigrated to the US from Co Kilkenny. George's relative, Sarah Clooney, who was born in Abbeyleix and died a few years ago, worked in a factory in the town which made carpets for the Titanic.
