The End Of Windmill Lane Studio

[wolf]

U2's iconic studio at Windmill Lane is demolished

The Windmill Lane studios, located in Dublin's south inner city, was the iconic site for a host of top international music acts who recorded tracks going back to the 1970s, when they were opened by Brian Masterson.
The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, REM, Sinéad O'Connor and Elvis Costello all recorded in the studios.

However, it was U2, who recorded parts of 'The Joshua Tree' album at the site, who were best associated with Windmill Lane.

Bulldozers and wrecking balls moved in over the weekend with just the iconic graffiti walls still surviving after the weekend's work.

The actual studios were moved out of the buildings and relocated to Ringsend some time ago. The buildings were then purchased by property investment company Hibernia REIT, who bought the loans held against the Hanover Building on Windmill Lane for €20.16m, as well as an adjoining one-acre development site for €7.5m.

Fans have continued to visit the site over the years and paid tribute to the buildings' former glory days by adding graffiti to the walls around the site.

There had been plans to construct a six-storey office block on the old site but this was dropped after it led to criticism from local resident groups in 2008.

It is understood parts of the 'decorated' walls will be maintained and may even be sold off or donated.

Residential, retail and office units will be developed on the site.

However, Hibernia REIT has previously stated it would "take into account" the site's history.

Irish Independent

U2's iconic studio at Windmill Lane is demolished - Independent.ie

I went to Windmill Lane Studios for the first time back in 1992 on my first visit to Dublin. The band were play ZOO TV shows in Germany at the time. I remember being amazed by all the U2 graffiti on the walls outside the studio. There was a person in the studio mixing a new VHS video tape to be released, Achtung Baby The Videos or something like that and he turned up the volume and let us listen to a little bit of it. He wouldn't let us in the recording studio though.
I went back to Windmill lane several times on subsequent trips to Dublin. One thing to note is that you can tell U2 mania had not hit yet in the summer of 1984 because in the Unforgettable Fire video you can see there is not one drop of painted graffiti on the walls outside the studio. I was there eight years later and the placed was covered in it. I suspect the graffiti started in 1987.
Boy, October, and War were recorded at Windmill Lane Studios. Parts of the Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, and Achtung Baby were also recorded at Windmill Lane studios.

 

[Galeongirl]

Was there latest back in 2011 I think, it was a complete dump. The graffiti was one big mess and there wasn't anything worth seeing anymore. Shame, but I can understand why it was demolished.

 

[corianderstem]

That was my reaction when I was there in 2011 as well.

 

[elaine2112]

My trip in 2000:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155463225460026.1073741843.602155025&type=1&l=4804bfd1cc

 

[last unicorn]

Windmill Lane destruction: apt ending for a misunderstood story - Independent.ie

 

[Popmartijn]

Was there latest back in 2011 I think, it was a complete dump. The graffiti was one big mess and there wasn't anything worth seeing anymore. Shame, but I can understand why it was demolished.

Yeah, the "Fuck Off Bono" graffiti on the road was the most interesting part.
BTW, it was 2012 you were there.

 

[Galeongirl]

Yeah, the "Fuck Off Bono" graffiti on the road was the most interesting part.
BTW, it was 2012 you were there.

Damn you're right. My memory is really blurring the years lol. 2011 was Canada of course, 2012 was Snow Patrol with you guys. Good times!