The ‘genius’ farmer who ensured the show went on at Slane Castle

THIS SATURDAY Guns n’ Roses will play at Slane, exactly 25 years since they last played the Boyneside venue. On that occasion, just before the famous rockers took to the stage catastrophe struck when the sound system went down,

The blushes of Lord Henry Mountcharles, Axl Rose and his troupe were saved by a genius farmer from Kilmore between Summerhill and Dunboyne.

Noel Doherty, a two-way radio enthusiast, farmed a 50ac holding at Kilmore House. When the techies at Slane failed to reboot the silent sound system Noel was sent for and a Garda escort whisked him to Lord Henry’s amphitheatre.

With little fuss and maximum efficiency he had everything up and running in minutes. The residential farm belonging to the hero of Slane ‘92 is now for sale by executor auction with a guide price of €675,000.

Located at the apex of the threeroad Kilmore Cross the farm is 6km from Summerhill and 13km from Dunboyne. Reached by a short avenue the place is set among mature trees and overgrown gardens.

It has been unoccupied for two years and while the 1,300sqft, two-storey, four bedroom house is dry and solid it is in need of extensive refurbishment.

Other accommodation includes two reception rooms a kitchen and a scullery. Auctioneer Eamon O’Flaherty of Brady Partners Maynooth explains that a ton of electronic equipment had to be removed from the house in preparation for the sale.

The place is unusual in that it was a Land Commission property and rarely did the Land Commission built a two-storey house.

However, in this case they did and the surrounding yard has a series of old stone buildings, some of them two storey but all in need of extensive refurbishment.

The land is good Meath ground laid out in six fields level with road frontage on to two sides and watered by a stream.

The land is in need of attention and could do with tidying and fencing and general husbandry. The place will undoubtedly attract the attention of local farmers interested in acquiring a decent accessible block of land.

The place may also attract the interest of a diehard Guns n Roses fan anxious to stay in touch with the karma of the man who saved the day in 1992. The farm will be sold in partnership with Sean Doyle consultant at auction at the Glenroyal Hotel Maynooth at 3pm on Thursday, June 29.