Slane Castle | Rock’s Last Stand or a New Beginning?

Music Related | 10th Aug, 2025 theBeat.ie

With the sad passing of Henry Mount Charles in 2025, Irish rock fans have been left wondering, what’s next for County Meath’s legendary Slane Castle? Now, with Alexander Conyngham stepping in to take the reins, the rumour mill is already spinning that U2 could headline the next Slane concert.

If that turns out to be true, it wouldn’t exactly be a shocker. U2 have already played Slane three times, and they could own that stage in their sleep. But here’s the real question, are we celebrating legend or scraping the bottom of the rock ’n’ roll barrel? Is rock dead?

Slane Castle has been at the heart of Irish music history since it all kicked off on 16th August 1981, when Thin Lizzy headlined the very first show. From there, it became a parade of rock royalty: Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen. The castle’s reputation is rooted in rock, but it hasn’t shied away from diversity with Madonna, Eminem and Harry Styles all gracing the stage.

Fans have always argued over their dream Slane headliner, with AC/DC topping the wish list year after year. But let’s be real… the legendary Aussies aren’t exactly the thunder they once were. Maybe they missed their moment by a decade or so.

And yes, the non-rock acts sometimes sparked controversy, but one thing has always been certain, Slane delivers the biggest names in music, no matter the genre. The trouble is, time catches up with every band. Are the golden years of Slane already behind us?

If there’s one unwritten rule for playing Slane, it’s this: give the crowd hours of pure hits. Songs everyone knows. Choruses they can belt out at the top of their lungs. That’s why artists like Bowie, Queen, Oasis, and Metallica nailed it. The modern music scene? It’s a tougher call.

Coldplay springs to mind, love them or not, you know their songs. And that’s the thing: even if you’re not a fan, you want to spend the night singing along to tracks you’ve heard on the radio, in the car, or at a wedding. Nobody’s turning up for an 80,000-person singalong of brand-new material. Hits matter. And there just aren’t that many bands left with a catalogue big enough to pull it off.

That said, Slane will always sell out. The venue itself is part of the magic, a natural amphitheater on the banks of the River Boyne, with scenery and sound that’s impossible to replicate. As a new era begins under Alexander Conyngham, the question isn’t just who will play next, it’s whether Slane Castle can keep its place as one of the greatest music venues in the world in a very different music landscape.