Peadar Cox spent four years teaching Irish at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin, shaping the minds of students who would soon form U2. Long before stadium tours and global fame, future U2 members Paul Hewson (Bono), Dave Evans, and Larry Mullen sat in his language classes. Adam Clayton stood as the sole member of the group who missed out on Cox’s instruction.
Early Classrooms and Future Rock Royalty in Dublin
To connect with the teenagers, Cox brought traditional Irish songs like “Báidín Amhlaoibh” directly into his lesson plans. The approach left distinct impressions. Mullen handled the coursework well, while Bono later penned a letter admitting he wasn’t the greatest at Irish while warmly praising his former teacher’s efforts.
From Cork Health Centre to the Opera Stage
Before his classrooms and stages, Cox studied English and Irish at University College Dublin (UCD) before taking his initial post at Mount Temple. After leaving the Dublin comprehensive school, he relocated to Cork. There, he spent 15 years running a health centre and practicing yoga alongside Tony Quinn.
Eventually, the pull of performance drew him back. He took singing lessons under John O’Flynn of the Irish Operatic Repertory Company and secured a spot in the chorus of La Traviata at the Cork Opera House. Moving into dramatic acting under the guidance of Catherine Mahon-Buckley, Cox appeared in stage productions such as Big Maggie and collaborated with Pat O’Driscoll.
A Decade on the Screen in Ros na Rún
An early television audition with TG4 failed to secure him an acting role, but persistence paid off in 2001 when Cox joined the cast of the Irish-language drama Ros na Rún. For a decade, he brought the character Daniel McLaughlin to life on screen.
His tenure on the 30-minute episode soap opera included a gritty, high-profile domestic abuse storyline alongside co-star Joan Sheehy. The gripping performances earned both actors Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) nominations.
Zebbie Award Recognition and Coaching Stephen Rae
When his character’s run on Ros na Rún came to a close, Cox did not leave the production behind. Instead, he transitioned into the program’s scriptwriting team.
That writing work garnered recognition, culminating in being a finalist in the Best Continuing Drama Script category of the WGI Zebbie Awards from the Writers’ Guild of Ireland. Now based in Glanmire, the versatile creator continues to share his linguistic expertise, coaching actors in the Irish language—including work with Stephen Rae on the film Black ’47.
Related reading