Located in the town of Slane in County Meath, Ireland, the Slane Castle is a notable historic building in Ireland. Constructed by Burton Conyngham, the castle was the home of the Conynghams since the 18th century.
The reconstruction of the castle dates back to 1785, and it was designed by Ireland’s most distinguished architects James Wyatt, Francis Johnston, and James Gandon; the parklands were designed by the architect Capability Brown.
The Scottish Protestant family, the Conyngham’s, came to Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster in 1611 in County Donegal. Later, they had control over lands around a village near Donegal Town, the Tamhnach an Tsalanin and also controlled lands in West Donegal in the Rosses district.
After the Williamite Confiscations in 1701, the property was taken, and later the castle was owned by the Flamings. Henry Conyngham is the present owner of the castle, and his eldest son is Alex, Earl of Mount Charles. In 1801, the castle was altered by the architect Francis Johnson for King George IV. The road from Slane to Dulin was made smooth and straight and enable the King to visit his mistress, Lady Conyngham.
England is full of amazing manors and castles – below is drone footage of the Odiham castle – it’s beautiful!
It is a gray stone castle which has four floors and square towers to each corner. In 1991, the castle was extensively damaged by fire, and the eastern section was completely gutted. After a ten-year restoration program, it was opened again in 2001.
Between the village church in Slane and the River Boyne, on the eastward side of the Slane Castle, there are the ruins of the 15th century chapel St. Erc’s Hermitage, while half a mile westward, there is an ancient well. According to the Irish mythology, this well has been blessed by the gods so that the race of Tuatha De Danann could heal of all mortal wounds if they bathe in it. Later, when the Christians arrived in Ireland, this well was called Our Lady’s Well.
Since the 1980s, the castle hosts many events, including rock concerts. Numerous popular bands and rock stars held their concerts at the castle such as The Rolling Stones, Queen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young, Bon Jovi, Oasis and more. It is also known as a set for documentary movies.
The most beautiful room is the ballroom, and at the entrance, there is a remarkable Gothic gate. The castle is open to the public from June until August, and there are guided tours for visitors.