Slane Castle in Co. Meath is well used to hosting high-profile concert events, and next June one of the most popular bands in the world, Bon Jovi, will play their first ever live show at the storied irish venue.

Jon Bon Jovi is so thrilled about the appearance that he flew in to Meath last week for a few hours to help promote the show, which is set for June 15.

“I’m so excited to be here. From the Point to the RDS to Lansdowne, this was always the goal,” said Bon Jovi, referring to his band’s other shows in Ireland.

U2 has, of course, played Slane in the past, and Bon Jovi says the DVD of their performance there has served as an inspiration.

“I’ve seen Slane on video,” he said.  “When I’m getting myself wound up in the dressing room I put on U2’s Go Home DVD.”

Bon Jovi is no stranger to Ireland, as the band have played there four times in the past six years.  Slane holds 80,000 so a sell-out could be tough, but Slane owner Lord Henry Mountcharles is confident that the Jersey boys will pack the joint.

Italian Bon Jovi told the media during a press event at a Slane pub that he’s a big fan of Irish women, particularly his wife, Irish American Dorothea Hurley.

“There’s just something about the Irish women. Maybe it’s because my wife is of Irish descent, or maybe it’s just that they are my type,” he said. 

Bon Jovi also paid tribute to the Irish surgeon who helped to mend his knee after a tour mishap last year.

"A doctor in Helsinki told me, 'That's it. The tour is over.’  I was devastated; I didn't want to cancel all those dates. So I rang my doctor in New York for a second opinion and he advised me the best surgeons for this sort of surgery were in Ireland, which was great as our next date was in Dublin,” the rocker recalled.

"The surgeon really put my wheels backs on. I had a week off to recover before we started the tour again and my knee has been perfect ever since."

Bon Jovi and his crew are also fans of old Irish rockers Thin Lizzy and deceased frontman Phil Lynott. The band might even throw in a Thin Lizzy cover for the Slane show.

"Our whole electric guitar cowboy theme came from Thin Lizzy. We got away with it because Phil and Thin Lizzy really aren't that well known in America and only had one Top 10 hit,” Bon Jovi said.

Tickets for the show are priced at roughly $100, and go on sale on Thursday.