Horslips to play in the Ulster Hall

John Rogers, promoter of the show said: “During the early days of the Northern Ireland Troubles it wasn’t a great time for music fans in Bast. Major acts detoured away from the country and as a result the live music scene all but died.

“Among the few who took the risk and played was Northern Ireland’s finest guitarist Rory Gallagher and legendary Celtic rockers Horslips.

“The Ulster Hall was an important venue for the band in their heyday so there was no question for me about where we should stage this show.

“We are also happy to announce the show is in association with the Ulster Bank Festival at Queen’s and will join a fantastic programme of events set by the festival this year.

Horslips final show was on October 12, 1980 and the band chose the prestigious Ulster Hall as their farewell with no public announcement, just an encore of the Rolling Stones song The Last Time and Charlie throwing his mangled fiddle into the audience.

Also, 40 years ago in October 1974 The Horslips played, what would become one of their most memorable concerts in Belfast, at the Ulster Hall touring with their album Dancehall Sweethearts.

Now four decades on from Dancehall Sweethearts and 34 years, almost to the day, of their final show the band will return to Belfast to recreate the magic of their Ulster Hall days.

Jim Lockhart said: “Everyone one knows the Ulster Hall is special for us. Our last ever gig was there, well we thought at the time it was our last ever gig.

“Charles O’Connor is still looking for the fiddle he threw out into the crowd.”

Barry Devlin added: “We finished in 1980 simply because we were knackered. We’d done 10 studio albums and two live ones in just under eight years and we’d played about 1700 gigs.

“We are looking forward to getting back into the Ulster Hall again and I still have the programme from the 1967 Queen’s Festival. So I’m delighted to be linking up with it again through City Of Rhythms Promotions.”

Special guests of the show are Belfast band The Ex Producers. U105 Drivetime star Johnny Hero is the drummer of The Ex Producers.

The 2014 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s runs from October 16 to November 1 in venues all over Belfast, for more information and to book tickets log onto www.belfastfestival.com.

Horslips will play Belfast’s Ulster Hall on Sunday October 26. Tickets priced £35 (standing) and £39.50 (seated) are available from www.ulsterhall.co.uk, 028 9033 4455 or direct from Queen’s Festival www.belfastfestival.com.