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Trespassing at Slane Castle

Slane Travel Blog › entry 38 of 68 › view all entries

After a layoff from my first job out of college, my friends began asking what I’d do. I jokingly responded, “I think I’ll go to Ireland.” But the more I said it, the more it sounded like a good idea, so I started looking into it. I compiled several travel itineraries I found online - for Ireland as well as the UK. With some free maps from AAA, I highlighted all of the points of interest, connected the dots, and made my own itinerary. And using my credit card points, the airfare was free.

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Trespassing at Slane Castle

August 18, 2002

the 'shut' main entrance to Slane Castle

From Brú na Bóinne, I traveled 15 minutes west into Slane to find the castle where U2 had recorded their amazing album, The Unforgettable Fire and shot the corresponding documentary video. From front to back, I followed the curve around N51 looking for an entrance to Slane Castle. At the main, if unassuming gate, I spoke with some construction workers who informed me that the castle was shut to prepare for an upcoming Stereophonics concert.

Dismayed, I drove back to the northeast side of the wall for a peak through the gate I had stopped at earlier. At the tall wall of wood, I met a German cyclist who also wanted to sneak a glimpse. He spoke no English, but gestured an invitation to use his bike as a stepstool to gain a boost, so we both jumped over for a better look. Close to the fence, a good 200 meters from the gray, stone façade, I handed my camera to the German in spandex and stood for picture before vacating the property.

From Slane Castle, I took the N2 southeast toward Dublin. Tuning the radio, the only frequency I could find airing any tradi’ was oddly enough the German language station and my dial stayed put for most of my ride. As I had observed in The North, east of Ireland has better developed infrastructure than the rest of the country and there are also more trees, so the landscapes seem smaller. In a town before the city, I filled the Almera’s petrol tank for a whopping 48€ (~ $47)!