The late Henry Mountcharles

The death of Henry Mountcharles today, aged 74 today rekindles memories of both election bids and the hosting of several international musicians at concerts at Slane Castle since the 1980s. Mountcharles has been described today by the President of Ireland as holding a unique place in the live music scene in the country.

The success of Slane Castle as a music venue and now as a major tourist attraction to Henry Mountcharles. But there were major obstacles and hurdles along the way. Not least when in November 1991 Slane Castle was gutted by fire.

Speaking to the Evening Herald in the days after the fire, Mount Charles stated that he was simply ‘shattered’ by the events:

LORD Henry Mountcharles wept today as he told how fierce flames, and black smoke had made him flee from his ancestral home as he tried to save his family's heritage. Lord Mountcharles had joined firemen who were battling the blaze at Slane Castle and was trying to save valuable paintings in the west wing. "We managed to save some, but the smoke and the flames became too much, and we feared the roof would fall in," he said.

As he surveyed the damage. Lord Mountcharles broke down; "I have lost my life's work. It is not just my loss but the country's. His wife, Lady Iona said: "It's desperately sad." .

Lord Mountcharles had left the castle, built in 1785, at 10 o'clock last night after speaking with security man Andrew Cullen, and went to his home on the other side of the Boyne at Beauparc. "Around 4 o'clock I got the call and when I arrived the east wing was already ablaze. It swept through the upper part of the house," he said, as firemen continued to battle to save the west wing of the building.

"The damage is really very extensive. I dread to think of what it will cost to put things right, but so much loss," he said….

As history shows he did not let the fire determine the future of Slane Castle and he immediately set to work in trying to bring it back to its former glory. Music and concerts were central to that. Slane became an iconic venue for the worlds leading musicians and bands to perform.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )