Slane Castle
Slane Castle is located in the town of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family home of the Conyngham family since the 18th century.It holds the Slane Concert event within its grounds, with the Irish Independent claiming in 2004 that "Slane today is the kind of internationally-recognised venue that can claim even Madonna's attention". Its sloping lawns form a natural amphitheatre.HistoryOverlooking the River Boyne, just a few kilometres upstream from Newgrange and the site of the famous Battle of the Boyne, Slane Castle in its existing form was constructed under the direction of William Burton Conyngham, together with his nephew The 1st Marquess Conyngham. The reconstruction dates back to 1785 and is principally the work of James Gandon, James Wyatt and Francis Johnston. Francis Johnston was also the architect responsible for the gothic gates on the Mill Hill, located to the east of the castle.The Conynghams are originally a Scottish Protestant family, who first settled in Ireland in 1611, during the Plantation of Ulster in County Donegal. At that time (and during the rest of both the 17th century and 18th century), the family gained extensive lands around the village of Mountcharles, near Donegal Town in the south of County Donegal. The family also gained an extensive estate in West Donegal, especially in The Rosses district.
