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Slane Festival#2003

{{Use Irish English|date=September 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{short description|Recurring Irish concert}}

{{Infobox music festival

| name = Slane Festival

| image = U2 Elevation Aug 25 2001.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Fans gathering early in the day for the 25 August 2001 Slane Concert

| genre = Rock

| dates = Various dates during the Summer months

| location = Slane Castle, Slane, County Meath, Ireland

| years_active = 1981–present

| website =

}}

The Slane Festival (often referred to as Slane) is a recurring concert held most years since 1981 on the grounds of Slane Castle on the outskirts of Slane in County Meath, Ireland. The castle is owned by The 8th Marquess Conyngham, who was known by the courtesy title the Earl of Mount Charles from 1974 until 2009. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest of Dublin. Concerts typically occur on a Saturday in August, from 12:00 to 22:00.

The sloping grounds of Slane Castle form a natural amphitheatre which is ideal for concerts. As many as 70,000–110,000 people usually attend. One of the venue boundaries is the River Boyne. Two people died while trying to swim the river to gain free access to R.E.M.'s concert in 1995.{{cite news |url=http://thedailyedge.thejournal.ie/kings-of-leon-slane-gig-to-go-ahead-despite-the-death-of-their-beloved-uncle-144372-May2011/|title=Kings of Leon Slane gig to go ahead, despite the death of their beloved uncle|date=2011-05-27 |accessdate=2011-10-10|newspaper=The Daily Edge}}{{cite web |title=Music Trivia Yesterdays: July |url=http://www.philbrodieband.com/music_trivia-yesterdays_july.htm|accessdate=2011-10-10|publisher=Phil Brodie Band |quote=Two R.E.M. fans died during the bands Dublin's Slane Castle gig. One drowned in the River Boyne and the other was allegedly pushed from a bridge.}} The minimum age of admission to the Slane Festival was reduced in 2006 from 18 to 16 because of complaints.{{Citation needed|date=May 2015}}

Aiken Promotions invited artists such as David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen to perform during the 1980s.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2912232.html|title=Jim Aiken dies at his home in Belfast|date=2007-02-28|accessdate=2009-04-18|magazine=Hot Press}} 2001 and 2013 are the only years in which two concerts were held in the same year. In 2001, both concerts were headlined by U2.{{cite news |archive-date=13 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313010333/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/08/18/story10640.asp |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/08/18/story10640.asp |work=Irish Examiner |title=Over 400 gardaí on duty for Slane |first=Seán |last=McCárthaigh}} In 2013, the first concert was headlined by Bon Jovi and the second by Eminem, who had controversially cancelled his 2005 Slane appearance after entering drug rehabilitation.

The most recent Slane Festival took place on 10 June 2023, headlined by Harry Styles.

Multiple appearances

Guns N' Roses, the Rolling Stones and U2 are the only bands to have headlined the event more than once, and U2 have played twice in one year. Thin Lizzy are the only band to headline and come back as a support act. Several other acts, listed below, have supported a headliner and returned as a headliner themselves.

class="wikitable"

! Act !! Years

Guns N' Roses1992, 2017
Foo Fighters2003, 2015
Oasis1995, 2009
Red Hot Chili Peppers2001, 2003
Robbie Williams1998, 1999
The Rolling Stones1982, 2007
Stereophonics1999, 2002
Thin Lizzy1981, 2011
U21981, 1983, 2001 (twice)

Some acts, listed below, have appeared more than once but never as a headline act:

class="wikitable"

! Act !! Years

Ash20011, 2015
Big Country1983, 1987
James1993, 1998
Dara2000, 20011
Moby2000, 20011
The Charlatans2002, 2007

1. The second of two concerts that occurred in this year.

List of Slane lineups

=1980s=

The first Slane Festival was held on 16 August 1981[http://www.u2gigs.com/show623.html U2 October Tour: 1 October leg: Europe: 1981-08-16: Slane Castle - Slane, Ireland] U2gigs.com. Retrieved: 2013-07-19. by the Earl of Mount Charles (as The 8th Marquess Conyngham was then known). Concerts followed each year until 1987. The seven concerts of the 1980s were headlined respectively by Thin Lizzy, The Rolling Stones, U2, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Queen and David Bowie. For the third concert in 1983, headlined for the first time by U2, Slane Castle was refused permission to hold a concert, so it was held in the Phoenix Park Racecourse in Dublin on 14 August 1983, the only occasion it has been held outside Slane. U2 appeared at Slane in 1981 and 1983, whilst in 1984 Bono performed a duet with Bob Dylan during the latter's encore. This was the last appearance by a member of U2 on the Slane stage until their unique double-headliner in 2001. Thus, Bono has appeared at Slane on a total of five occasions, three of these being in the first four concerts.

==1981, 16 August==

==1982, 24 July==

==1983, 14 August==

This year, the concert was held at the Phoenix Park Racecourse in Dublin.

  • Perfect Crime http://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/perfectcrime.html Perfect Crime page at IrishRock.org
  • Steel Pulse
  • Big Country
  • Eurythmics
  • Simple Minds
  • U2 - War Tour (headliner){{Cite web|url=http://www.u2gigs.com/tour193.html|title=U2 War 3rd leg: European Summer Festivals - U2 on tour|first1=Matthias Muehlbradt, Andre|last1=Axver|first2=Matthias Muehlbradt, Andre|last2=Axver|website=U2gigs.com}}
  • after the show the fans went on to sing 40 for over 15 minutes

==1984, 8 July==

==1985, 1 June==

  • Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played their debut Irish concert in front of 100,000 people, and performed for nearly three hours with no support acts.{{cite news |title=Springsteen draws 100,000 in Ireland |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=1985-06-03}}{{cite book |last=Marsh |first=Dave |title=Bruce Springsteen: Two Hearts : The Definitive Biography, 1972-2003| year=2004| publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=0-415-96928X |page=552}}

While Springsteen sang The River, footage of the nearby River Boyne was shown on video screens; the footage was retained for the rest of his tour.{{cite book |last=Marsh |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sLJZ84jaxhsC&dq=slane+natural+amphitheatre+europe&pg=PA555 |title=Bruce Springsteen: two hearts : the definitive biography, 1972-2003 |date=13 November 2003 |page=558|publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9780203494707 }} Elvis Costello and members of Spandau Ballet and U2 were the then Lord Mount Charles's guests who enjoyed smoked salmon and champagne on the day.

==1986==

==1987==

=1990s=

After a five-year absence, the longest since the event began in 1981, Slane Festival returned in 1992. The five concerts of the 1990s were headlined respectively by Guns N' Roses, Neil Young, R.E.M., The Verve and Robbie Williams. The 1995 concert, headlined by R.E.M., was notable for the death of someone who attempted to swim the nearby River Boyne to reach the concert area.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} The same concert marked the debut of Oasis on the Slane stage; they returned in 2009 to headline the event. The 1998 event was headlined by The Verve, their last appearance in Ireland until Oxegen 2008; in 1998 the band appeared alongside special guests Manic Street Preachers and also Robbie Williams who would return the following year to headline. Stereophonics played support in 1999 and returned to headline in 2002.

==1992==

==1993==

==1995==

On 22 July 1995, R.E.M. played Slane on their first concert following Mike Mills's appendectomy.{{cite web |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~darryl74/1995.html |website=REMTimeline.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521170329/http://members.iinet.net.au/~darryl74/1995.html |archive-date=21 May 2011 |url-status=dead |title=1995 Concert Chronology}} They were supported by Oasis, whose album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? would be released 3 months later and would return to headline the event in 2009. One fan threw a rock at the stage as Oasis prepared to play "Roll with It". This provoked Liam Gallagher to say, "If you don't like it, go fucking hang yourself".{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.ie/music/music-news-article.asp?NewsID=28376 |title=Oasis Play Slane Castle Tomorrow! |date=2009-06-19 |accessdate=2009-06-19 |publisher='entertainment.ie |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615012651/http://entertainment.ie/music/music-news-article.asp?NewsID=28376 |archive-date=15 June 2011 }} In 2009, this performance was described as being by "a lairy mob with attitude and half a dozen memorable songs to their credit".{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/day-and-night/critics-choice/review-of-the-week-oasisthe-prodigy-1791570.html|title=Review of the week: Oasis/The Prodigy * * *|date=2009-06-26|accessdate=2009-07-02|newspaper=Irish Independent}}

The following performed at Slane Festival in 1995:

==1998==

==1999==

28 August 1999{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0104/278-slane/|title=Date announced for Slane '99 |date=4 January 1999|via=www.rte.ie}}

  • Simon Carmody
  • David Gray{{cite news|author=Pierre Perrone |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-infinite-shades-of-gray-720989.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920213150/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-infinite-shades-of-gray-720989.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 September 2011|title=The infinite shades of Gray |date=2000-04-16|accessdate=2009-09-26|newspaper=The Independent}}
  • Gomez
  • Placebo
  • Happy Mondays
  • Stereophonics
  • Robbie Williams (headliner)

=2000s=

The eight concerts of the 2000s were headlined respectively by Bryan Adams, U2 (twice), Stereophonics, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Oasis. Unusually, two concerts were held during 2001 (the Taoiseach asked the Minister for the Environment to fast-track some new legislation to allow the second concert to happen),{{Cite news |date=13 March 200 |website=RTÉ TEN |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2001/0313/393160-u2/|title=Taoiseach intervenes in Slane concert row }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2001/0314/393163-u2/|title=U2 fans could get second day out |date=14 March 2001|via=www.rte.ie}} both headlined by U2 and both featuring an entirely different set of support acts that brought the Slane debuts of Coldplay, Nelly Furtado, Ash, Kelis, The Walls and JJ72 whilst offering returns to Moby and Dara. Red Hot Chili Peppers also appeared for the first time and would return to headline the 2003 event.

The 2005 concert was intended to centre on rap instead of rock music, but Eminem cancelled his appearance (due on 17 September that year with support from 50 Cent, D-12, Obie Trice, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Olivia, Atlanta's Stat Quo and Flipsyde) after the event sold out.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2005/0610/404323-eminem/|title=Eminem's Slane concert is sold out|date=10 June 2005|via=www.rte.ie}} The promoter, MCD Productions, sought damages in the High Court.{{cite news |accessdate=2008-12-26 |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/concert-promoter-seeks-15m-over-eminem-pullout-62961.html |title=Concert promoter seeks €1.5m over Eminem pull-out|date=2006-12-05|newspaper=Irish Independent}} The resultant two-year break in 2005 and 2006 was followed by a return to Slane by The Rolling Stones, only the second artist after U2 to headline the event in two different years, and marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of their first appearance in 1982. Henry Conyngham's delay in the picking of suitable acts led to no concert in 2008;{{cite web |url=http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1476/104/ |title=Slane 2008 cancelled |date=2008-04-10 |accessdate=2008-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304010537/http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1476/104/ |publisher=Phantom FM |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 March 2009 }} however Oasis headlined the final concert of Slane's third decade in 2009 with support from The Prodigy, Kasabian, Glasvegas and The Blizzards.

==2000==

==2001==

U2's headlining appearance sold out in 45 minutes. The first concert occurred the week after Bono's father died.[http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0824/u2.html U2 and Slane Castle gear up for 20-year reunion]. RTÉ. The second concert coincided with the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 2 match between the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands, and was shown between Nelly Furtado and Ash at the request of fans.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2001/0831/394586-u2/|title=Slane soccer fans will get their fix|date=31 August 2001|via=www.rte.ie}} The second show was also filmed for the live video U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland.

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{{col-break}}

===First concert===

25 August 2001

{{col-break}}

===Second concert===

1 September 2001{{Cite news |date=9 July 2001 |title=Second U2 Slane date sold out |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2001/0709/394103-u2/|website=RTÉ TEN}}

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==2002==

Saturday 24 August 2002{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2002/0423/396493-stereophonics/ |title=Stereophonics to play Slane?|date=23 April 2002|via=RTÉ TEN}}

==2003==

Saturday 23 August 2003

The Red Hot Chili Peppers concert was filmed for the live video Live at Slane Castle.

==2004==

The Madonna concert at Slane was compared to a football match by one manager, Johnny McDonnell.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2004/0816/1091051876065.html|title=Planet Football |date=2004-08-08|accessdate=2009-07-17|url-status=live |archiveurl=http://www.irishtimes.com/search/index.html?rm=listresults&filter=datedesc&keywords=it's%20like%20Madonna%20coming%20to%20Slane&start=10 |publisher=The Irish Times |archive-date=2004-08-16 }} The Irish Times selected "This is the big time, it's like Madonna coming to Slane" as one of its quotes of that year.{{cite web |date=2004-12-12 |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2004/1227/1104064179330.html|title=Quotes of the year|accessdate=2009-07-17|publisher=The Irish Times}}

==2007==

The Irish Independent described The Rolling Stones playing to "a mostly middle-aged crowd who were content to stand back, shielded from the rain in their wax jackets, and let the concert wash over them".

==2009==

File:Oasis at Slane 2009.jpg

Oasis were joined by family members, including their mother Peggy, for the show. They began their performance with "Rock 'N' Roll Star" and finished with "Live Forever" and then returned for an encore of "Don't Look Back in Anger", "Falling Down", "Champagne Supernova" and "I Am the Walrus". Liam Gallagher shouted at the fans: "Slane Castle, you've been fucking biblical". Oasis split up two months later.

Several Irish celebrities attended the concert, including footballers Gary Kelly, Stephen Ireland and John O'Shea and solicitor Gerald Kean.

Ten people were detained on public order offences throughout the day of the concert, including two people who were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.{{cite news |accessdate=2009-06-21 |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0621/breaking16.htm|title=Oasis rock 80,000 at Slane|date=2009-06-21|newspaper=The Irish Times}} MCD Productions asked fans to report any problems after complaints regarding transport facilities. Fiach Kelly, writing in The Irish Independent, reported on the "yoof element" where "you could be forgiven for thinking you had arrived at a rather large teenage disco".{{cite news |date=2009-06-22|accessdate=2009-06-22 |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/castle-rocks-in-throwback-to-a-1990s-teenage-disco-1783113.html |title=Castle rocks in throwback to a 1990s teenage disco|newspaper=Irish Independent}}

  • The Blizzards{{cite magazine |title=Slane support line-up confirmed |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/5415263.html|date=2009-05-05|accessdate=2009-05-06|magazine=Hot Press}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/5540850.html|date=2009-06-16 |title=Slane stage times announced|accessdate=2009-06-17|magazine=Hot Press}}{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/theticket/articles/2009/0619/1224249099842.html|title=Etc|accessdate=2009-06-19 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=2009-06-19}}
  • Glasvegas
  • Kasabian
  • The Prodigy{{cite magazine |title=The Prodigy added to Slane line-up |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4942482.html |date=2008-10-21|accessdate=2008-10-22|magazine=Hot Press}}
  • Oasis (headliner){{Cite web|url=http://www.oasisinet.com/NewsArticle.aspx?n=685 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029051831/http://www.oasisinet.com/NewsArticle.aspx?n=685|url-status=dead |title=StackPath|archivedate=29 October 2008|website=OasisInet.com}}

=2010s=

==2010==

There was no concert in 2010. Henry Conyngham had written in an Evening Herald column in February that Slane 2010 would take place in August and that it would involve an "international artist" but that he was still organising the event with Denis Desmond.{{cite news|author=Lord Henry Mountcharles |accessdate=12 February 2010 |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/celebrity-diary-lord-henry-mountcharles-2060859.html |title=Celebrity Diary: Lord Henry Mountcharles |date=12 February 2010 |newspaper=Evening Herald |quote=At the moment, I'm putting a concert together with Denis for this August. It will be an international artist, but I have a reputation for being very secretive. Unless I'm convinced that the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed, I'm not saying anything, and that's been my policy for 30 years. |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804232310/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/celebrity-diary-lord-henry-mountcharles-2060859.html }} However, he said during an interview in April on RTÉ Radio that there would not be a concert that year.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0403/slane.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406122038/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0403/slane.html |url-status=dead |title=No concert at Slane Castle this year |website=RTÉ News |archive-date=6 April 2010 }}

==2011==

Kings of Leon played what was announced by the band onstage as their longest set ever.{{cite news |title=The new Kings of the castle |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=30 May 2011 |via=Gale OneFile: News |id={{gale|A257591332}}}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.castleparkslane.com/history_2011.html|title=The History Of Slane Castle Concert 2011|website=www.castleparkslane.com}}{{cite web |title=Kings of Leon headline at Slane |website=RTÉNews |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110133040/http://www.rte.ie/news/player/2011/0528/2967200-kings-of-leon-headline-at-slane/ |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/player/2011/0528/2967200-kings-of-leon-headline-at-slane/ |archive-date=2016-01-10 |url-status=dead |via=Wayback Machine }}

  • The Whigs
  • Mona
  • Thin Lizzy
  • White Lies
  • Elbow
  • Kings of Leon (headliner)[http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0405/slane.html "Full line-up for Slane is confirmed"]. RTÉ. 5 April 2011.[http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0527/kingsofleon2.html "Revised times for Slane sets"]. RTÉ. 27 May 2011.

==2012==

In April 2012, Slane Castle's official Facebook page announced there would be no concert in 2012. The message read: "Good Morning guys, Lord Henry has announced this morning 'there will be no Slane this year, but 2013 will be busy'".{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0419/slane.html|title=No concert at Slane Castle this year|date=19 April 2012 |work=RTÉ News |accessdate=19 April 2012 }}{{cite web |archive-date=2022-02-26 |title=Facebook Message |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/256318921243/10150672534416244 |url-access=limited|date=19 April 2012|url=https://www.facebook.com/officialslanecastle/posts/10150672534416244 |work=Facebook.com|accessdate=19 April 2012 }}{{cbignore}}

==2013==

{{col-begin}}

{{col-break}}

===First Concert===

15 June 2013

{{col-break}}

===Second concert===

17 August 2013

A capacity crowd of 80,000 watched Eminem.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/eminem-delivers-to-the-marshalled-masses-1.1497765|title=Eminem delivers to the marshalled masses|newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-probe-incident-at-slane-castle-involving-teenage-girl-29510840.html|title=Garda probe incident at Slane Castle involving teenage girl|website=independent|date=19 August 2013 }}

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==2014==

On 13 February 2014, Lord Henry Mountcharles announced that there would be no concert in 2014 as he could not find a good enough act.{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/music/slane-concert-not-go-ahead-3142013|title=Lord Henry Mountcharles announces Slane will not be going ahead this year|first=Declan|last=Ferry|date=13 February 2014|website=Irish Mirror}}

Lord Henry stated the reason for the break in 2014 was that "there really wasn't an act that grabbed my imagination for this year." He went on to say that Slane would be back in 2015.

==2015==

On 26 November 2014, it was announced that Foo Fighters, along with Kaiser Chiefs, Hozier and two other unannounced bands would play Slane on 30 May 2015.

==2016==

There was no concert at Slane in 2016. There were persistent rumours in 2015 and early 2016 of either AC/DC, Coldplay or the then newly reunited classic line up of Guns N' Roses featuring original members Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan playing a concert at Slane during Summer 2016.

However, on 15 February 2016, it was announced that no concert would take place at Slane Castle in 2016 due to difficulties in staging the concert as construction work on the Slane Castle Distillery was taking place at the castle.

It was announced that a concert would take place in Summer 2017 once construction work on the Distillery is complete.

==2017==

In early December 2016, promotional posters for the rock band Guns N' Roses appeared in Dublin City. This fueled speculation of a forthcoming announcement that the band were going to play at Slane in Summer 2017.

On 5 December 2016, after many months of rumours and speculation, it was officially announced that Guns N' Roses would headline Slane 2017. The announcement was made by Lord Henry Mountcharles's son Alex and daughter Tamara during a press conference at Bruxelles pub in Dublin City Centre. It was the second time that Guns N' Roses played at Slane, having first played there 25 years previously, in 1992.

On 4 April 2017 the full lineup for the 2017 concert was announced, it featured:

Guns N' Roses played the Soundgarden song 'Black Hole Sun' as a tribute to Soundgarden's singer Chris Cornell, who died on 18 May.

The Irish Independent positively reviewed the concert and commented that "Twenty-five years after they first played Ireland's biggest gig, Guns N' Roses came, saw and conquered Slane Castle all over again."{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/review-rock-icons-guns-n-roses-came-saw-and-conquered-slane-all-over-again-35765159.html |title=Review: Rock icons Guns N' Roses came, saw and conquered Slane all over again |work=Irish Independent |author=Éamon Sweeney |date=29 May 2017 |accessdate=30 January 2019}}

==2019==

The 8 June 2019 lineup was:{{cite news |url=https://www.slanecastle.ie/concerts/upcoming-concerts/ |title=Metallica Concert 2019 |work=Slane Castle |accessdate=30 January 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2018/0919/994679-metal-merchants-metallica-to-rock-slane-castle-in-2019/ |title=Metal merchants Metallica to rock Slane Castle in 2019 |work=RTÉ |date=20 September 2018 |accessdate=30 January 2019}}

  • Metallica (Headliner){{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wz2WWgv9Fs|title=Metallica: Live at Slane Castle - Meath, Ireland - June 8, 2019 (Full Concert)|website=YouTube|author=Metallica|date=March 23, 2020|accessdate=December 23, 2021}}
  • Ghost
  • Stiff Little Fingers
  • Bokassa
  • Fangclub

==2020s==

==2023==

The Slane Festival returned on 10 June 2023 after a four-year hiatus with a sell-out 80,000 fans in attendance.{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/music/2023/0611/1388528-harry-styles-stuns-fans-at-slane/|title= King of the castle: Harry Styles stuns fans at Slane|date=11 June 2023|work=RTE News|accessdate=19 June 2025}}

Harry Styles was announced as the headliner on 26 August 2022. {{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0826/1319016-harry-styles/ |title=Harry Styles to headline Slane Castle next June |accessdate=26 August 2022}}

Future

Red Hot Chili Peppers member Chad Smith has stated that he "wouldn't mind doing Slane again" saying the band "had an awesome time last time".{{cite news |title=We'll be Red Hot at Slane again, vow Chili Peppers|date=2009-06-26|accessdate=2009-07-03|newspaper=Evening Herald |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/music/well-be-red-hot-at-slane-again-vow-chili-peppers-1785357.html}}

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong has spoken to Hot Press magazine of his admiration for U2's shows at Slane and, in relation to his band performing there in 2010, commented: "It's something that's being looked at".{{cite magazine |title=Green Day for Slane?|date=2009-10-07 |accessdate=2009-10-07 |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/Green%20Day%20for%20Slane%3F/5889588.html|magazine=Hot Press}} However, the rumour, a recurring one in recent years, was dismissed for 2010 when the band opted to play a show in Marlay Park instead.{{cite magazine |accessdate=2009-12-18 |date=2009-12-15 |url=http://www.hotpress.com/Green%20Day/news/Green-Day-to-play-Marlay-Park-June-2010/6099501.html|title=Green Day to play Marlay Park, June 2010|magazine=Hot Press|quote=The announcement should definitively end speculation that the band will play Slane, which has been rumoured for a number of years now.}}{{cite news|author=Kevin Doyle |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/music/green-day-return-to-play-summer-marlay-park-gig-1975521.html |title=Green Day return to play summer Marlay Park gig |date=2009-12-15 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217205924/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/music/green-day-return-to-play-summer-marlay-park-gig-1975521.html|accessdate=2009-12-18 |newspaper=Evening Herald |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 }} Green Day played at the lower capacity Royal Hospital Kilmainham venue in Dublin on their Revolution Radio Tour in 2017. It is becoming increasingly unlikely that the band will ever play at Slane.

Lord Conyngham has stated on radio that he will secure AC/DC to perform at the venue in the future in response to repeated calls by fans.

Controversies

The Marquess Conyngham insists that the venue be played by rock bands and will not allow so-called 'manufactured bands' such as Westlife, Take That or Boyzone to play at his castle grounds. Westlife and Boyzone manager Louis Walsh maintains that Westlife have no interest in playing at Slane, saying a Croke Park concert would be a "dream come true" for his band and that it would be "a far better venue than a field in Meath".{{cite web|url=http://m.rte.ie/entertainment/news/2002/0820/westlife.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304011628/http://m.rte.ie/entertainment/news/2002/0820/westlife.html |title=Westlife plan concert at Croke Park |accessdate=2008-12-13 |publisher=RTÉ TEN |archive-date=4 March 2009 |date=2002-08-20}}

The 2004 concert attracted protests from the people of Slane, as it was to be held on a Sunday.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0409/48960-slane/|title=Efforts to prevent Slane concert|date=9 April 2004 |via=RTÉ News}} The inhabitants were afraid of repeats of the civil unrest that had occurred the last time a concert was held on a Sunday, in 1984. This was due to concert-goers arriving the day before, Saturday, and consuming large amounts of alcohol before the Sunday concert. The matter was resolved by postponing the start of the concert and having a notably smaller lineup than other years.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}

In 2009, Dublin Bus did not provide enough transport for those who purchased a return ticket, and there were no Garda Síochána near the buses. The concert ended between 22.30 and 23:00, yet thousands did not get a bus seat until 03:00.Carr, Aoife. [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0622/1224249265793.html "Crowds at Oasis show critical of transport"]. The Irish Times. Monday, 22 June 2009.

After the 2013 Eminem concert, photographs were circulated widely on social media websites under the hashtag "#slanegirl," showing a teenage girl publicly performing oral sex acts on two different men at the venue.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-probe-incident-at-slane-castle-involving-teenage-girl-29510840.html|title=Garda probe incident at Slane Castle involving teenage girl|last=Foy|first=Ken|date=19 August 2013|accessdate=20 August 2013|newspaper=Irish Independent}}{{cite news|accessdate=20 August 2013 |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gardai-probe-slane-sex-act-240402.html|title=Gardaí probe Slane sex act |date=20 August 2013|last1=Keogh|first1=Elaine|last2=Ó Fátharta|first2=Conall|newspaper=Irish Examiner}}{{cite web|url=http://www.u.tv/News/Garda%C3%AD-investigate-Slane-girl-images/a4659d31-4c3f-43c4-b130-371ec22f8a4e |title=Gardaí investigate 'Slane girl' images|date=20 August 2013|accessdate=20 August 2013|publisher=UTV News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820175853/http://www.u.tv/News/Garda%C3%AD-investigate-Slane-girl-images/a4659d31-4c3f-43c4-b130-371ec22f8a4e|archive-date=20 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda%C3%AD-expect-formal-complaint-from-girl-in-sex-act-video-1.1500301|title=Gardaí expect formal complaint from girl in sex act video|last=Lally|first=Conor|date=21 August 2013|accessdate=21 August 2013|newspaper=Irish Times}} The incident received international publicity, sparking debate about issues such as teenage sexual behaviour, double standards, cyberbullying, and slut-shaming.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/voices/2013/08/its-different-girls-slut-shaming-digital-age|title=Why it's different for girls: slut-shaming in the digital age|last=Ditum|first=Sarah|date=19 August 2013|accessdate=20 August 2013|magazine=New Statesman |ref=none}}{{cite news |last=Carbery |ref=none |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/sharers-of-slane-sex-act-photo-just-as-bad-as-uploader-group-says-1.1499827|title=Sharers of Slane sex act photo 'just as bad' as uploader, group says |first=Genevieve|date=20 August 2013|accessdate=20 August 2013|newspaper=Irish Times}}{{cite news |newspaper=New York Daily News|last=Murphy |first=Doyle |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/cyber-bullies-drive-slane-girl-brink-article-1.1432884 |title='Slane Girl' - concert-goer who was photographed performing sex acts - hospitalized after vicious cyberbullying |date=21 August 2013|accessdate=22 August 2013 |ref=none}}{{cite news |first=Eva|date=1 September 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/sep/01/slane-girl-twitter-scandal-women|title=The Slane Girl Twitter scandal proves that women can't make mistakes|last=Wiseman |accessdate=1 September 2013|newspaper=The Observer |ref=none}}{{cite news |last=McDonough|first=Katie |accessdate=26 August 2013 |ref=none |work=Salon.com |url=http://www.salon.com/2013/08/20/sexual_double_standards_slut_shaming_and_slanegirl/ |title=Sexual double standards, slut-shaming and #Slanegirl|date=20 August 2013}}

The girl became so distraught over the publicity that she was hospitalized and sedated.

DVD and video

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20090821134848/http://www.slanecastle.ie/concerts-events-ireland.aspx Official website for Slane concerts]
  • Hot Press photo albums: [http://www.hotpress.com/photos/photo.php?id=4907118 "Oasis for Slane: Noel and Gem helicopter in to the Castle"] [http://www.hotpress.com/photos/photo.php?id=5544914 "Oasis live @ Slane 09"]
  • [http://www.meg.ie/slain 'Slain' 2009 review]

{{Irish Festivals}}

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