AMERICAN heavy metal band Metallica will return to Ireland next year to headline the iconic Slane Castle.
The famous rockers will take to stage at the County Meath venue on Saturday 8 June next year in what will be their first Irish show in over ten years.
The band confirmed the Irish date this morning along with a full UK and European tour.
We’re returning to the UK & Europe next summer for a run of outdoor gigs at stadiums, parks, & even one at a castle! Our friends @thebandGHOST and @Bokassaband will be joining us along the way.
Tickets on sale 9/28 @ 10 AM local time.⁰ Fan Club presales begin 9/25. pic.twitter.com/obP19bL0mW— Metallica (@Metallica) September 24, 2018
They will be supported by Ghost and Bokassa with more acts to be announced.
Organisers have suggested that up to five acts could be on the bill.
Lord Henry Mountcharles, who owns the 1500 acre estate, confirmed the news this morning with a statement.
“Metallica are great fans of Thin Lizzy who headlined the first Slane,” he said.
“I said to myself how the hell do we follow Guns N Roses, and Metallica were a very obvious choice.
“I wanted to show Slane’s rock n’roll roots are alive and well for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes you get to a juncture where the lyrics of a song like Nothing Else Matters really resonates."
Thin Lizzy were supported by U2 in the first ever concert held at Slane Castle in 1981.
Presale tickets for members of Metallica’s fan club will become available tomorrow with general sale taking place this Friday at 10am.
Tickets will be limited to eight per person.
Guns N’ Roses sold out 80,000 tickets in just one day when they were announced as headliners at the last Slane in 2017.
Metallica are nine-time Grammy award winners and have sold over 125 million albums worldwide.
Metallica made their Irish debut on the Master of Puppets European Tour in 1986 with a legendary show at Dublin's St Francis Xavier Hall in September of that year.