Tearful scenes as Slane icon Lord Henry's kids follow coffin with ‘party on in memory' tribute & U2 star joins mourners
GRIEVING loved ones of Slane Castle's Lord Henry Mount Charles have vowed to 'party on in his memory', his funeral service heard.
His funeral was held at St Patrick's
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Lord Henry believed music could unite people which inspired him to host concerts
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The funeral was held in St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Co Meath
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Tearful tributes were given by the gig icon's children at the service
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Some of the best known names in Irish society turned out to pay their respects, including former Taoiseach
During the service, Alex Conyngham said his father 'truly loved' Ireland despite initially struggling with his Anglo-Irish identity.
Since 1981, Lord Henry, a rock fan, hosted a series of open-air concerts at his ancestral home of Slane Castle in Co
The Slane estate, which acts as a natural amphitheatre due to its sloping lands, has played host to several top acts including The
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The last Slane
His son, the ninth Marquess Conyngham, recalled a joke by Frank Kelly that described his father being 'born with a silver dagger in his back' with his unconventional but privileged position at Slane Castle.
He said his father was 'immensely lucky' to have had a 'colourful string of people' working on the estate for which he was grateful as they 'rolled through the good times and the occasional dark days' including when the castle was significantly damaged by a fire in 1991.
Alex Conyngham said: 'Dad initially struggled with his Anglo-Irish identity, and described it as feeling like he had a leg either side of the Irish Sea with each side treating him as something of an outsider.
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'It was when he went to Harvard and immersed himself in the study of Irish
He said it was there that he realised that, as an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, he belonged to one of the 'many streams' that fed Ireland and could make positive contributions towards the country.
Hundreds queue outside Slane Castle hours ahead of Harry Style's sold-out concert
'Politically, he was a passionate constitutional Republican, and he truly loved this country, its culture and people, and he counted himself blessed to be an Irishman.'
TOUCHING TRIBUTE
However, he noted that not everyone agreed with this perspective and the castle walls had previously been defaced with aggressive, negative graffiti.
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'But this only emboldened dad to strive all the harder.'
Alex Conyngham said his father had a great commitment towards peace, and it also came to him that he had to open up the castle gates while being 'driven by a conviction that music is a universal language that brings people together.'
The first 'real breakthrough' came with a
SAVE ROCK AND ROLL
At a time of financial difficulty, he said Slane Castle was 'saved by rock and roll'.
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Alex Conyngham also paid tribute to Lord Henry's interest in
Although his political ambitions were unrealised, he found other ways to express his opinions – including the 'Lord Henry' column in the
After saying Lord Henry was blessed to enjoy the love of two remarkable women – his first wife Eileen and his second wife Iona, he thanked his father for trusting him with his legacy.
He added: 'Dad's thanks and mine to all of you in Slane and online who have gathered here to say 'slan' to Henry.'
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WISE WORDS
The service featured readings by Lord Simon Conyngham and Wolfe Conyngham, as well as U2 member Adam Clayton.
Lord Henry's daughter Tamara read a tribute called 'lessons from my dad', which included: 'Never give up, ever.'
She said: 'Dad was one of the most determined people that I know and he proved what can be achieved when you truly put your mind to it.'
Also recalling an anecdote about being admonished for going to bed before the last of our guests, she added: 'He fought for so long because he didn't want to leave the party and all we can do now is party on in his memory.'
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Following the service, his coffin was carried out of the church while Bad by U2 played.
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Rocker Adam Clayton of U2 made an appearance at the funeral
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Family and friends followed the coffin
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Lord Henry died aged 74 on June 18 following a 'valiant' battle with cancer
Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin
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Lord Henry Mount Charles has been remembered as someone who lived his life with the "conviction" that music is a universal language that can bring people together. The funeral service for the 8th Marquess Conyngham - who died last week aged 74 - took place at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Slane, Co Meath this afternoon. As the service came to an end, a recording of U2's song 'Bad' rang out in the packed building. Lord Henry was then laid to rest in the adjoining graveyard. In attendance were U2 bassist Adam Clayton, as well as Denis Desmond of promotors MCD, and Dundalk musician David Keenan, who gave a rendition of 'The Parting Glass' during the service. Aide-de-camp Commandant Joe Glennon represented both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris at the service. Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar was in attendance, as was local TD and Minister for Education Helen McEntee. Such were the numbers in attendance, and the size of the church, a live stream of the service was shown in a nearby pub, which too was full. Lord Henry's son Alex led the tributes during the service. He said that, in the midst of "palpable political tension", his father was "driven by a conviction that music is a universal language that brings people together". "That's exactly what happened that day in the field at Slane. People came from all four quarters of the island and there was no trouble, just music. "That day, the Slane Castle estate was also saved by rock and roll," he added. Alex said: "Thankfully, the legacy of the concert has continued to protect and sustain it [the estate] ever since and long may it continue to do so." He said his father was always grateful to the community of Slane and the concerts would not have been possible without their support over the decades. Alex added that while Lord Henry was never elected to the Dáil or Seanad, he relished the opportunity of knocking on doors when canvassing and listening to people's thoughts and opinions. In 1992, Lord Henry ran in the general election for Fine Gael, polling fifth in the then-four-seater Louth constituency. Alex also said that his father taught him about the power, importance and value of making time for people - something he said Lord Henry felt was now being eroded in modern life. His father, he said, found other ways to express himself in life too, particularly in his weekly column for The Irish Mirror that he was initially "coaxed" into writing. However, Alex said his father soon loved working for a "red top as opposed to a high-brow broadsheet". The tribute was also filled with moments of Lord Henry's mischief and his quick turn of phrase through the years. He was remembered as someone who had a connection with people, both in the Slane community and the wider public. His son reflected that his father was not a lord that locked himself away in his castle, but rather a people person who shared what he had, creating unforgettable moments for hundreds of thousands since the first Slane concert headlined by Thin Lizzy in 1981. This was a funeral service very much centered around Lord Henry's family and friends. His daughter, Tamara Conyngham, also gave a heartfelt tribute to her father titled 'Lessons from Dad'. She said that he taught her a number of important life lessons, including to be generous with your time, to surround yourself with good people who will get you out of trouble and that if "you're lucky to grow up somewhere as beautiful as Slane, share it". The number of stories that the family had been told by people over recent days was testament to how generous Lord Henry had been with his time, she added. Recalling an anecdote about being admonished for going to bed before the last of our guests, Tamara said: "He fought for so long because he didn't want to leave the party and all we can do now is party on in his memory." An old friend of Lord Henry's, Nick Koumarianos, spoke about the many memories the pair shared. Although, he said some details would have to be omitted as he was aware he was speaking in a church. The second reading was read by Adam Clayton, whom Lord Henry considered a close friend and someone who he credited with helping him to get sober. The choice of 'Bad' by U2 at the end of the service was a nod to the band's 'The Unforgettable Fire' album that was recorded at Slane Castle. Perhaps, one of the most poignant moments of the day, as Lord Henry Mount Charles left Slane Castle for the final time - a venue that put Ireland on the map for the world's biggest rock 'n' roll and pop stars.
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