Henry Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles
Encyclopedia
Henry Vivien Pierpont Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham (born 23 May 1951) holds a title in the Peerage of Ireland
, and is a former politician.
Styled Viscount Slane until 1974 and Earl of Mount Charles from 1974 until 2009, he succeeded his father in 2009, although in Ireland
he is usually referred to as Henry Mountcharles. The Marquess Conyngham has a high profile in Ireland with a weekly column in the Irish Daily Mirror. He is often termed "the rock and roll aristocrat" owing to his very successful series of rock concerts
from 1981 held in the natural amphitheatre of the grounds of Slane Castle
which have included The Rolling Stones
, Thin Lizzy
, Queen
, U2
, Bob Dylan
, Bruce Springsteen
, David Bowie
, Guns N' Roses
and Madonna
. He received the Industry Award at the 2010 Meteor Awards
. In his autobiography Public Space–Private Life: A Decade at Slane Castle, he described his business career and the challenges of being an Anglo-Irish
peer in modern Ireland, and how being Anglo-Irish has gradually become more accepted there.
He is the son of Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham
and his wife, Eileen Wren Newsom.
Conyngham was educated at Harrow School
and Harvard University
. He had two children with his first wife, Juliet Ann Kitson:
Henry and Juliet divorced. He remarried in 1985 to Lady Iona Charlotte Grimston (b. 1953), youngest daughter of John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam
, by whom he has a daughter:
In 1992, he ran an unsuccessful election campaign to win a seat for the Fine Gael
party in Louth
. He stood for Seanad Éireann
in 1997 for Trinity College, Dublin
and as a Fine Gael candidate for a European parliament seat in 2004. He lives both in Beauparc House in County Meath
and at Slane Castle, the ancestral home which was badly damaged by fire in 1992, but which has since been restored.
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
, and is a former politician.
Styled Viscount Slane until 1974 and Earl of Mount Charles from 1974 until 2009, he succeeded his father in 2009, although in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
he is usually referred to as Henry Mountcharles. The Marquess Conyngham has a high profile in Ireland with a weekly column in the Irish Daily Mirror. He is often termed "the rock and roll aristocrat" owing to his very successful series of rock concerts
Slane Concert
Slane Concert is a concert held most years since 1981 in the grounds of Slane Castle near Slane, County Meath, in Ireland. The castle is owned by Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham, who was the Earl of Mountcharles until 2009. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest...
from 1981 held in the natural amphitheatre of the grounds of Slane Castle
Slane Castle
Slane Castle is located in the town of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family home of the Conyngham Marquessate since the 18th century....
which have included The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. He received the Industry Award at the 2010 Meteor Awards
2010 Meteor Awards
The 2010 Meteor Music Awards ceremony took place on Friday February 19, 2010 in Dublin. They were presented by Amanda Byram. The launch took place in La Stampa on January 7, 2010 and was attended by The Coronas and Danny O'Donoghue from The Script....
. In his autobiography Public Space–Private Life: A Decade at Slane Castle, he described his business career and the challenges of being an Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
peer in modern Ireland, and how being Anglo-Irish has gradually become more accepted there.
He is the son of Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham
Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham
Frederick William Henry Francis Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham , known to intimates as "Mount", was an Irish nobleman and soldier, styled Earl of Mount Charles until 1974....
and his wife, Eileen Wren Newsom.
Conyngham was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He had two children with his first wife, Juliet Ann Kitson:
- Alexander Burton Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles (born 30 January 1975), who is married to a granddaughter of the 4th Baron TerringtonBaron TerringtonBaron Terrington, of Huddersfield in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1918 for the former Liberal Member of Parliament for Huddersfield, Sir James Woodhouse, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a Baronet in the Baronetage of the United...
(died 1998), and has a daughter and a son, Rory Nicholas Burton Conyngham, Viscount Slane (born 2010). - Lady Henrietta Tamara Juliet Conyngham (born 1976) who is married to the Earl of LichfieldThomas Anson, 6th Earl of LichfieldThomas William Robert Hugh Anson, 6th Earl of Lichfield is an English aristocrat.He is the only son of the 5th Earl of Lichfield and former wife Lady Leonora Grosvenor, a daughter of the 5th Duke of Westminster. He succeeded as the 6th Earl of Lichfield upon his father's death on 11 November 2005...
Henry and Juliet divorced. He remarried in 1985 to Lady Iona Charlotte Grimston (b. 1953), youngest daughter of John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam
John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam
John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam , known as the Honourable John Grimston until 1960, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament ....
, by whom he has a daughter:
- Lady Tamara Jane Conyngham (born 1991).
In 1992, he ran an unsuccessful election campaign to win a seat for the Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
party in Louth
Louth (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Louth is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
. He stood for Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
in 1997 for Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and as a Fine Gael candidate for a European parliament seat in 2004. He lives both in Beauparc House in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
and at Slane Castle, the ancestral home which was badly damaged by fire in 1992, but which has since been restored.
Sources
- Public Space-Private Life: A Decade at Slane Castle, September 1989, Faber & Faber