Making music in the milking parlour... the story of Slane Rehearsal and Recording Studio and the artists who've visited

A NAVAN musician has told of how he never imagined in his wildest dreams that old cow sheds converted into recording studios on his family dairy farm on in Dunmoe would go on to host some of music's biggest names.

If the walls in Slane Rehearsal and Recording Studio could talk they would have some interesting yarns having been graced with the presence of Ed Sheeran, The Pogues, Block Rockin Beats, Daniel O'Donnell, Brian Byrne and most recently Grammy award winning R&B star Ashanti.

However it was never in the plan according to Enda Gavin who converted out buildings on the farm into a recording space for his own use.

“I started the studio about 20 years ago after getting out of dairy farming,” said Enda.

“I converted the milking parlour into a studio for myself to rehearse with bands as I play the drums,” he added.

“After a while other musicians I knew asked if they could use it for their own projects.

“Over the past nearly 20 years this has grown organically taking over disused haybarns and cowsheds.

“Today it consists of three large fully equipped rehearsal studio's, a state of the art recording studio and accommodation that hosts up to ten guests on a 50 acre farm in the middle of the Boyne Valley.

“I'm very lucky to have loads of amazing local bands and musicians who support the studios. Over the years word has spread of the great facilities and service and now we are very happy to include some very successful Irish and International acts as clients like Ed Sheeran, The Pogues, Block Rockin Beats, Danial O Donnel, BBC/Songs of Praise, Celine Byrne, Paramount Pictures, Jamie Lawson, Liam Lawton, Pat McManus, Una Healy, Samantha Mumba, Linda Martin, The Ivory sessions and Navan's own Brian Byrne.

“Another reason we get this level of acts is because we have access to any of the best musical equipment, instruments and sound technicians they could want within 24 hours through Darren McGoldrick's company MG Audio in Navan and Litton Lane sound hire.”

Enda says everyday is different in his game and that was never truer than when he got a call requesting if music superstar Ashanti could spend the day at Slane Studios in Dunmoe on Monday of last week ahead of her gig at the 3Arena gig the following day.

The American songstress was rehearsing with her band and dancers at the studios at “Crookedwood Farm” for her big show with R&B star Sean Paul.

“I got a call from a New Jersey number on Sunday morning and it was Ashanti's tour manager asking if they could book studio space,” said Slane Studios owner Enda Gavin.

“They were really nice, polite pleasant bunch, it went great. Ashanti came over to me before they left and shook my hand and said thank you for us having and for your hospitality.

“Who would have thought that a cow shed on a farm outside Navan would go on to have a Grammy winning RnB star in it!”

Gavin, who renovated buildings on his family's dairy farm into a recording studio in 2006 explains how it all happened.

“The tour manager found the studios online, they were getting into Dublin on Sunday evening and they needed somewhere to have a rehearsal and they wanted somewhere big enough to accommodate everyone.

“Slane Studios would be a lot bigger than most rehearsal studios for bands. They had a big list of gear that they needed for it and we were able to get it for them within 24 hours.

“Ashanti had her eight month old baby with her along with her mother and assistant and there is another house here on the farm and she was delighted that the house was empty and had just been recently done up and so there was a whole house available for them.”

Despite being Hollywood A listers no fancy gourmet four course meals were on the menu for the crew, instead they opted for supplies from a local supermarket!

“It was a bit surreal doing trips over and back to Centra in Blackcastle with Ashanti's tour manager who has done tours for JAY Z and Beyonce and Dr Dre but he was a great guy and chatted with the locals we met.”