Lord Mount Charles, the man who hosted world famous music acts such as Queen and Bruce Springsteen at his Slane Castle home, has died aged 74.
Lord Mount Charles, who was custodian of the Irish castle in County Meath, died on Wednesday, after a “battle with cancer”, his family said.
His idea to bring the globe’s biggest stars to play huge gigs at the castle made Slane a byword for era-defining rock concerts.
They have been held periodically since 1981 and attracted the likes of U2, Bob Dylan and, most recently, Harry Styles.
In a statement, his family said he left behind an “extraordinary legacy as a passionate steward of Ireland’s heritage, dedicating his life to preserving Slane Castle and transforming it into a beacon of culture, music, and community”.
“His visionary leadership and generosity touched countless lives,” they said, adding he would be “profoundly missed, but never forgotten,” they said.
In 1992, he ran stood for election to the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) for Fine Gael, polling fifth in the four-seat Louth constituency.
Lord Mount Charles, the eighth marquess Conyngham, got an Industry Award at the Meteor Ireland Music Awards in 2010.
Slane: From The Rolling Stones to the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Lord Mount Charles became a household name in Ireland in the 1980s as some of the world’s biggest music stars took to the stage at Slane Castle.
Thin Lizzy headlined the inaugural concert in the summer of 1981.
The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Queen, Bob Dylan, Robbie Williams, David Bowie, U2, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, Kings Of Leon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, REM and Metallica are just some of the world-renowned acts that have also headlined the venue.
After a four-year hiatus, music returned to the castle when Harry Styles headlined there in 2023.
Some 80,000 fans turned up to see the former One Direction singer and Lord Mount Charles was there to oversee the return of gigs to his castle.
Contribution to music was ‘quite unique’
Irish President Michael D Higgins said he was saddened to hear of Lord Mount Charles’ death.
Higgins said Lord Mount Charles’ contribution “was quite unique and a very important turning point in live music in Ireland when he decided to begin using the natural amphitheatre at Slane Castle as a venue”.
“It wasn’t just in relation to very well-known events that Henry was involved, he had a deep interest in promotion of music including new and young talent,” he said.
Source: BBC
