As the build up to the Northern Ireland Music Prize continues towards November, the Oh Yeah Music Centre has announced Barry Devlin as the recipient of this year’s Legend Award. He’ll be presented with the award at the Music Prize on 16th November in the Ulster Hall. Best known as frontman and bass player of Horslips, Devlin will be joined by friends and fellow members of the band described as the founding fathers of Celtic Rock to perform a few of their best known songs. Originally from Co Tyrone, Barry Devlin 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 Devlin said of the award: ‘Undeserving but thrilled. 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 Oh Yeah Music Centre said: “In the 60’s and 70’s, 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 USA, called it a day in 1980. After ‘the longest fag break in history’, they opened part two of the saga with a raucous sold out gig in The Odyssey in 2009 and in the years in between have played gigs in the Waterfront Hall (with the NI Symphony), Dunluce Castle, The Mac and Black Box Belfast among others.
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, Snow Patrol and Gary Moore (Posthumous). This year’s NI Music Prize will also include sets from shortlists acts of the other categories including Album, Single, Live and Newcomer. More information on the NI Music Prize can be found on their website.
A limited amount of tickets will go on sale on Monday 22nd August at 10am from the Ulster Hall and Waterfront website. https://www.ulsterhall.co.uk/what-s-on/
