Slane Castle

Slane Castle

A castle that rocks

Overlooking the river Boyne in County Meath stands Slane Castle, a handsome Gothic Revival mansion that has become famous around the world for a very modern reason: it hosts some of the biggest rock concerts on earth. Behind the castle, the land falls away in a great natural grassy bowl beside the river — a perfect amphitheatre that has welcomed crowds of tens of thousands and some of the most famous musicians of all time.

An elegant castle of the Conynghams

The castle is the home of the Conyngham family, who built it in its present grand form in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Designed in the romantic Gothic Revival style, with battlements and round towers, it was created as an elegant country seat rather than a fortress. Some of the leading architects and designers of the age worked on it, and its beautiful ballroom and fine rooms made it a splendid home.

The castle sits in the lovely Boyne valley, an area rich in ancient history, close to the famous prehistoric tombs of Newgrange and the site of the Battle of the Boyne.

The great concerts

Slane Castle's worldwide fame began in 1981, when the family realised that the natural slope behind the castle made a perfect concert venue. Since then, Slane has hosted legendary open-air concerts by some of the greatest names in music, including the Rolling Stones, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, David Bowie, Madonna and many more.

For music fans, a concert at Slane is a special experience: tens of thousands of people gathered in the green amphitheatre by the river, with the castle as a backdrop. The band U2 even recorded part of a famous album at the castle.

History and fire

Like many old houses, Slane has had its share of drama. In 1991 a serious fire badly damaged the castle, but the family carried out a long and careful restoration, bringing it back to its former glory over the following years.

Today the castle is not only a concert venue but also a home, a place for tours and events, and even home to a whiskey distillery, blending old traditions with new ventures.

A castle of two stories

Slane is unusual among Ireland's castles because it joins two very different kinds of fame: the elegant history of an aristocratic family and their beautiful Gothic mansion, and the roar of modern rock concerts heard by millions. Both stories come together in this one castle by the Boyne.

Visiting today

Visitors can tour the castle and its beautiful rooms, learn about the Conyngham family and the famous concerts, and visit the whiskey distillery on the estate. On concert days, the grounds fill with music fans from around the world. Elegant, historic and famously musical, Slane Castle is one of the most unexpected and exciting castles to visit in Ireland.