Bob Geldof was nearly nominated for the Nobel Prize twice by the Irish Government in the '80s

According to state papers released from the National Archives today, Bob Geldof was almost nominated for a second time by the Irish Government for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Geldof was nominated by the Government in 1986 for his work on famine relief in Ethiopia, although he did not win the award.

Then Taoiseach, Gareth Fitzgerald, had prepared a speech in case The Boomtown Rats frontman had won and would have said that the award was "the ultimate tribute to his unique and outstanding contribution to the relief of famine in Africa".

The following year, Fitzgerald said that all parties would be in favour of nominating Geldof again, sparking much discussion amongst Government officials.

A Department of Foreign Affairs official said that he remained a frontrunner for the award, perhaps uncharitably describing the musician and humanitarian "as a fairly has-been pop star," but she did praise him for "manipulating the narcissi of the pop world" to support aid for the Ethiopian famine.

However, plans for a second nomination did not come to pass when the then Irish ambassador for Copenhagen and Oslo, Liam Rigne, cited the singer's "age and general background" as reasons why he had not won the previous year.

Rigne also stated that Geldof himself had explained why he had not been victorious in an interview on Norweigan television.

"Mr Geldof was asked why he felt he had not been successful (in winning the Nobel Peace Prize)," Rigne said.

"He replied, in his usual forthright manner, that perhaps the Committee regarded him as too young and, in view of his track record, the type of person whose lifestyle may in the future involve him in incidents which would not be regarded as in keeping with a Nobel Prize winner.

I feel one cannot discount Mr Geldof's own remarks, and I suspect they may lie somewhere near the truth. All things considered, I would be very slow to recommend the renomination of Mr Geldof for the Nobel Peace Prize this year."

Officials back in Dublin agreed with Rigne, urging the Taoiseach that the matter should be "let drop."

Although the Irish Government did not nominate Geldof, British Labour MP Greville Janner did put him forward for the 1987 award, won by Óscar Arias Sánchez, a Costa Rican activist.