Bono Reveals How He Feels About Finding Out Cousin Was Actually Half-brother

Bono has revealed how he feels about finding out one of his cousins was actually his half-brother.

The U2 frontman, 62, told earlier this year how his father Bob had an affair in the 1960s with a “gorgeous woman” – and has now admitted she was his Auntie Barbara and their child is a stock market analyst called Scott Rankin.

He told the Irish Times: “The truth is with Scott, we felt like brothers long before we knew we were. I love Scott and his mother, Barbara.

“I must have known that something was up, and I must have held my father responsible for kind of making my mother unhappy in the way kids just pick up things.”

Bono’s mum Iris Hewson died in 1974 when the he was 14 and she never knew about the affair.

His aunt Barbara was married to Jack Rankin – Iris’ brother – who died two years ago.

Bono learned about the infidelity in 2000, a year before Bob died of cancer, and revealed the affair when he appeared on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in June.

Scott, aged in his early 50s, is a banking expert in Ireland’s Department of Finance and told the Irish Daily Mail he and Bono – real name Paul Hewson – felt a strong bond “long before we knew we were brothers”.

He added: “I am blessed to have been welcomed with open arms into the Hewson family.

“Not all such stories turn out the way mine has and I was fortunate to discover that I had two fathers take an active part in my upbringing.

“Our extended family have known for some time and we agreed that it made no sense to keep this hidden any longer… we have only love for our parents and we’re grateful to have our families' support in sharing this story.”