The Weekend On One With Brendan O'Connor

Bellbottoms wrote: »

This has always confused me. While he might of organised the first couple of concerts. And I don't know if he did.

All he is really doing is renting a venue to a concert premoter. In exchange he gets a fee, gets to run one of the bars , have his own "VIP area", and to the face of the whole thing.

Everything time the RDS holds a concert. The media don't go interviewing the head of RDS or acting as if they have arranged everything. They are just a venue. Renting itself out. Why does Mountcharles get treated differently?

I THINK the reason RTÉ give him air time is cronyism and simple laziness on their part

Usually there’ll be an interview and a few pr shots of “Lord” mountcharles wearing some tacky leather jacket to show how cool and with it he is....spare us...

in reality he is allowing a concert promoter to use his (inherited) land and facilities to hold the concerts

All for a big pay cheque. That’s the important bit

Yet some on here have him down as some great unrecognised Irish hero to the music scene

Bellbottoms

Isn't the family name Cunningham, and the house named Mountcharles.

Shouldn't it be Lord Henry Cunningham. I suppose it hasn't the same ring as Mountcharles.

Rabbit Redux

Bellbottoms wrote: »

This has always confused me. While he might of organised the first couple of concerts. And I don't know if he did.

All he is really doing is renting a venue to a concert premoter. In exchange he gets a fee, gets to run one of the bars , have his own "VIP area", and to the face of the whole thing.

Everything time the RDS holds a concert. The media don't go interviewing the head of RDS or acting as if they have arranged everything. They are just a venue. Renting itself out. Why does Mountcharles get treated differently?

Because he's a toff, and there's still an ingrained element of tugging the forelock towards people of his "class".

Bellbottoms wrote: »

Isn't the family name Cunningham, and the house named Mountcharles.

Shouldn't it be Lord Henry Cunningham. I suppose it hasn't the same ring as Mountcharles.

Think his “proper” title is Marquess Conyngham.

He did great work keeping the estate, and castle, viable. Not to mention creating an incredible, outdoor, venue that can attract some, very high profile, international “acts”.

Slane is, by far, the best outdoor venue in Ireland. The sound at any of the others is, nearly always, terrible.

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Think his “proper” title is Marquess Conyngham.

He did great work keeping the estate, and castle, viable. Not to mention creating an incredible, outdoor, venue that can attract some, very high profile, international “acts”.

Slane is, by far, the best outdoor venue in Ireland. The sound at any of the others is, nearly always, terrible.

Go on any of the Slane threads on this site and you will see hundreds of comments absolutely tearing into Slane as a concert venue

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Think his “proper” title is Marquess Conyngham.

He did great work keeping the estate, and castle, viable. Not to mention creating an incredible, outdoor, venue that can attract some, very high profile, international “acts”.

Slane is, by far, the best outdoor venue in Ireland. The sound at any of the others is, nearly always, terrible.

The only reason high profile acts played there is because the promoter paid them whatever their appearance fee is.

Sorry now but Nothing to do with “lord” Henry or his field

It’s about money. It’s called the music business for a reason

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Eh what ?

Sorry now but what has he done ? Tell us more?

Other than facilitated gigs on his own property (which he inherited) and made sure to make big profits from them?

And as well He didn’t even discover new bands. The acts that play slane are lazy safe options.

Off top of my head Someone like Philip king of south wind blows and other voices has done far more for the Irish music scene

He brought stadium levels of quality rock and roll to little olde Ireland when just a year previous, Bob Geldof wasn't even allowed play in a field in South Dublin.

He's also rock'n'roll so suck it up baby- we want our heroes to have titles, live in castles and be imperfect- you can keep your suit in the RDS whoever they are. :pac:

[Deleted User] wrote: »

He brought stadium levels of quality rock and roll to little olde Ireland when just a year previous, Bob Geldof wasn't even allowed play in a field in South Dublin.

He's also rock'n'roll so suck it up baby- we want our heroes to have titles, live in castles and be imperfect- you can keep your suit in the RDS whoever they are. :pac:

What?

Look I’ve no issue with him renting out his field for gigs. It’s capitalism. It’s business

I’d do same had I such inherited privilege.

Just don’t make him out to be some sort of hero.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Just don’t make him out to be some sort of hero.

I will if I want to :pac:

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I will if I want to :pac:

Go on then - you do that!?

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Go on then - you do that!?

Thanks, you're so kind. Not that I need your permission or anything- but good to get your endorsement - what changed your mind eventually?

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Go on any of the Slane threads on this site and you will see hundreds of comments absolutely tearing into Slane as a concert venue

I’ve been there, myself, on a number of occasions. The only “issue” I ever remember was the queue for drinks one year were a joke. There were bus complaints another year but that didn’t “affect” me.

The natural “acoustic” provided by the hill means it provides great sound, for an outdoor venue. I suppose you’d take that away from him too as it’s the hill doing all the work.

Perhaps if he wasn’t from the old Anglo-Irish “set” he wouldn’t be getting such harsh criticism, hmmm?

Government buildings

NIMAN wrote: »

Got to agree with you there.

I would always have listened to talk radio during the day, usually RTE1 as I can't pick up NewsTalk where I am.

I honestly think listening to the misery for 9 months on RTE1 over the pandemic was as bad for mental health as lockdown was. At the start of this year I made a conscious decision to get back to listening to music again, just getting my news at 9pm on the TV (occasionally I would catch the odd RTE1 show or Last Word).

I think my spirits and mood have improved a lot since this change. Its not healthy listening to Tubridy do his misery slot, then Claire Byrne obsess over Covid, then more Covid on the news, then Joe's misery slot and then grumpy old Ray. The only break from the pain was Ronan Collins for an hour.

So I would advise more people to get the CD collection out, or stick on Spotify or an online radio station, there is plenty of choice online.

Life's too short.

These people used to annoy me so much. Tubridy, D'Arcy and Duffy,
I kept thinking of how I was paying their outrageous wages. Wall to wall c ovid or cancer, or some other disease or tragedy. My head is now much calmer, I don't know how I listened to them for so long. And the politicians talking shyte. It is only when you tune back in occasionally that you realise this.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks, you're so kind. Not that I need your permission or anything- but good to get your endorsement - what changed your mind eventually?

Going on your assessment of “Lord” Henry - Let me know if you want to buy some magic beans sometime

Bellbottoms

[Deleted User] wrote: »

He brought stadium levels of quality rock and roll to little olde Ireland when just a year previous, Bob Geldof wasn't even allowed play in a field in South Dublin.

He's also rock'n'roll so suck it up baby- we want our heroes to have titles, live in castles and be imperfect- you can keep your suit in the RDS whoever they are. :pac:

I think you are confusing Lord Henry with Sir Henry!

Bellbottoms wrote: »

I think you are confusing Lord Henry with Sir Henry!

Of Cork or Rawlinson End?

The funniest thing about the Mountcharles interview was the texter who wrote, very meaningfully they must have thought, that Mountcharles's "tradition" (??) is also part of the Irish identity and culture and needs to be respected.

What, feudalism? I sincerely hope (s)he wasn't referring to his religion or historical roots. It would be laughable to imply the man is representative of protestants or unionists, if that was the notion behind the comment.

I don't like or dislike Mountcharles. I don't know much about him, beyond what I could write across my thumb. Slane is probably very good. It's the media, especially state media, infatuation with aristocracy and worse, royalty, that is often puzzling. I suppose it's our own fault for never having embraced, or at least endorsed, the guillotine in our history.

A Lamb Named Miltiades! wrote: »

The funniest thing about the Mountcharles interview was the texter who wrote, very meaningfully they must have thought, that Mountcharles's "tradition" (??) is also part of the Irish identity and culture and needs to be respected.

What, feudalism? I sincerely hope (s)he wasn't referring to his religion or historical roots. It would be laughable to imply the man is representative of protestants or unionists, if that was the notion behind the comment.

I don't like or dislike Mountcharles. I don't know much about him, beyond what I could write across my thumb. Slane is probably very good. It's the media, especially state media, infatuation with aristocracy and worse, royalty, that is often puzzling. I suppose it's our own fault for never having embraced, or at least endorsed, the guillotine in our history.

What’s your point? It’s lost on me

recipio

Deleted User wrote: »

What’s your point? It’s lost on me

He is a decent and capable businessman. If he wants to represent the British tradition in Ireland then so be it. Many just keep their head down in their wealth.
We can ill afford anglophobia in Ireland when the first place we head for in times of strife is in fact the UK.

elperello

It's quite simple really Henry Mountcharles is box office.

Furze99

recipio wrote: »

He is a decent and capable businessman. If he wants to represent the British tradition in Ireland then so be it. Many just keep their head down in their wealth.
We can ill afford anglophobia in Ireland when the first place we head for in times of strife is in fact the UK.

Scratch the skin of any Irish man or woman and do a DNA test and you'll find we have very, very close affinity indeed with our neighbours across the Irish Sea. Hating them is a bit like hating your older sibling who always got the most attention.

elperello wrote: »

It's quite simple really Henry Mountcharles is box office.

Is he?

Or is he a very privileged man who inherited Slane castle and he rents said castle out for concerts?

Hmmmm

elperello

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Is he?

Or is he a very privileged man who inherited Slane castle and he rents said castle out for concerts?

Hmmmm

Your description is correct but doesn't tell the whole story.

What makes him box office is -

1- he lives in said castle.
2- has rubbed shoulders with some of the worlds best rock acts
3- is well spoken and media friendly with an interesting back story
4- has his own distillery which produces a fine drop

We are a small country with a limited pool of interesting people to interview on radio and tv programmes.

A guy like HM would make the cut almost anywhere.

Del.Monte

Bellbottoms wrote: »

Isn't the family name Cunningham, and the house named Mountcharles.

Shouldn't it be Lord Henry Cunningham. I suppose it hasn't the same ring as Mountcharles.

Henry Vivien Pierpont Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Is he?

Or is he a very privileged man who inherited Slane castle and he rents said castle out for concerts?

Hmmmm

Didn’t he “inherit” the castle when it was in a bad state? The family were going to be forced to sell it, or something.

They mentioned his dad calling him “back” from working in England to sort it out, I’m open to correction on that because I in and out with the interview.

Bellbottoms

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Of Cork or Rawlinson End?

Cork of course.

Bellbottoms wrote: »

Cork of course.

Yeah, it’s always Cork,

Richard Dawkins must be on hard times if he's trying to peddle his paperbacks on a minor Irish radio programme. Good to know he's still alive. A strange individual.