Star of celtic rock band Horslips to receive prestigious accolade

The Oh Yeah Music Centre is delighted to announce that this year’s Legend Award recipient is Barry Devlin.

The presentation will be made at the Northern Ireland Music Prize on Wednesday November 16 at Belfast’s Ulster Hall.

Following the presentation to Barry Devlin, fellow musicians and Horslips friends Jim Lockhart, Ray Fean and Fiach Moriarty will join Barry on stage for a few of the band’s best known songs.

The NI Music Prize is an annual awards night for music from the province and will include sets from shortlisted acts in the best album, single, live performer and newcomer categories as well as this very special ‘Legend’ performance.

Barry Devlin, who is originally from Ardboe in Co Tyrone, is a musician, bass player, singer and frontman with Horslips.

They have been described as the founding fathers of Celtic Rock that defined an utterly unique sound and style, making them one of Ireland’s greatest bands.

Barry is also an accomplished writer and director, having written for TV shows such as Ballykissangel, as well as directing several music videos for U2 in the 1980s.

Barry humbly said of the award: “I feel I am undeserving but thrilled” and went on the say: “I know the whole band will be delighted.

“Horslips always had a strong emotional connection to Belfast: we did the Whitla Hall and the Ulster Hall by turns (and in the early days the McMordie).

“But our final gig first time round – back in 1980 - was in the Ulster Hall, an emotional night when Charles O’Connor famously threw his fiddle into the audience.

“So it’s a nice piece of circularity to be able to scramble up on that hallowed stage one last time and run through a few old favourites.”

Paul Evans, chair of Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre said: “In the 60s and 70s, as young musicians tapped into Ireland’s legacy of traditional tunes and song, none did it with more swagger and sheer joy than Horslips and the man from Ardboe, Barry Devlin.

“The velvet loons belied the creativity and respect they brought to that heritage, opening musical avenues to those not familiar with the tradition, myself included.

“Barry has had a long and distinguished career since but, as well as his music, this award marks how he and Horslips kept the faith as they helped keep music live on northern stages during some of our worst days.

“And for that, we music fans of a certain age remain forever grateful.”

The Horslips story is well known.

They formed in 1970 and after a dozen albums (and an anthemic single “Dearg Doom”) as well as countless gigs in Ireland, England, Europe and the US, called it a day in 1980.

After what the band called ‘the longest fag break in history’, they opened part two of the saga with a raucous sold out gig at The Odyssey in 2009 and in the years in between have played gigs at the Waterfront Hall (with the NI Symphony Orchestra), Dunluce Castle, The MAC and the ultra-cool Black Box in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.

A 35 CD box set called ‘More Than You Can Chew’ is due out in December, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of their first album ‘Happy To Meet – Sorry To Part.’

The Oh Yeah Legend award is presented annually to an individual or band that has made a significant contribution to the world of music. Previous recipients include ASH and Snow Patrol.

A limited amount of tickets will go on sale on Monday August 22 at 10am from the Ulster Hall website.