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Horslips

From Alfawiki
Horslips
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1970
Defunct1980 (initial run)
Headquarters
Dublin
,
Ireland
ProductsCeltic rock music, albums, live performances

Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock ensemble celebrated for integrating traditional Irish melodies, including jigs and reels, into their compositions and performances. Widely acknowledged as the "pioneers of Celtic rock," they were instrumental in blending classic Irish music with rock elements, leaving a lasting impact on numerous artists both domestically and internationally. Established in 1970, the group initially dissolved in 1980. Their name is a playful spoonerism derived from The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, transformed into "The Four Poxmen of The Horslypse."

Although their commercial achievements during the 1970s were modest, a resurgence in popularity during the late 1990s solidified their status as a seminal Celtic rock band. They reunited between 2004 and 2012, issuing live and studio albums while performing select concerts before concluding their career with final shows in August 2012.

Band members

  • Jim Lockhart (born 3 February 1948) hails from Dublin and pursued studies in Economics and Politics at University College Dublin. Inspired by Seán Ó Riada, he sought to develop an orchestral dimension within Irish music. His instrumental expertise includes keyboards, pipes, whistles, flute, and he occasionally contributes vocals in both Manx language and Irish.
  • Eamon Carr (born 12 November 1948), originating from Kells, County Meath, co-founded the poetry collective Tara Telephone. He serves as the band's drummer.
  • Charles O'Connor (born 7 September 1948) comes from Middlesbrough, UK, and plays concertina, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar, slide guitar, while also sharing lead vocal duties.
  • Barry Devlin (born 27 November 1946), from Ardboe, County Tyrone, initially trained as a Columban priest prior to studying English at University College Dublin. He fulfills the roles of bassist, vocalist, and unofficial frontman.
  • Johnny Fean (17 November 1951 – 28 April 2023), originally from Limerick and Shannon, County Clare, developed skills on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica early in life. Influenced by rock and blues legends such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, he played in multiple bands before joining Horslips in 1970 to concentrate on traditional music.

Formation and line-ups

Barry Devlin, Eamon Carr, and Charles O'Connor crossed paths while employed at Arks Advertising Agency in Dublin. Initially hired to appear as a band for a Harp Lager commercial but lacking a keyboardist, Devlin suggested Jim Lockhart. The four enjoyed performing together so much that they decided to form an actual band. They later incorporated guitarist Declan Sinnott, a fellow member of Carr’s musical group Tara Telephone, and briefly included Gene Mulvaney. This lineup marked the inception of Horslips (originally named Horslypse) in 1970.

The group turned professional on St Patrick's Day 1972 after parting ways with Mulvaney and releasing their debut single "Johnny's Wedding" on their independent label Oats. Sinnott departed soon after due to dissatisfaction with the band’s involvement in a Mirinda orange drink commercial filmed at Ardmore Studios in Bray during Easter 1972. He was succeeded by Gus Guest, who appeared on their second single "Green Gravel" but left shortly thereafter. Johnny Fean subsequently joined the band, completing the classic Horslips lineup featured on all later recordings.

Concept album strategy

Horslips took charge of their visual presentation, authored their own sleeve notes, and delved into Irish mythology to produce thematic albums. They founded their own label, Oats, and arranged for international distribution through Atco, RCA, and DJM. Distinct from earlier Irish groups, they chose to remain based in Ireland.

Debut album

In October 1972, Horslips recorded their first album, Happy to Meet – Sorry to Part, at Longfield House in County Tipperary using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. The record primarily featured traditional tunes, with Jim Lockhart contributing keyboards and uilleann pipes, and Eamon Carr playing drums including the Irish bodhrán. It became the fastest-selling album in Ireland for nearly a decade. The album cover was a sophisticated concertina-style fold-out design.

The Táin project

Commissioned by the Abbey Theatre, Horslips composed music for a theatrical version of "The Táin". Released in 1973, The Táin combined original compositions with traditional melodies, highlighting rock influences. That same year, the single "Dearg Doom" topped the charts in Germany.

Subsequent albums

Dancehall Sweethearts (1974) merged folk elements with rock sounds. Their fourth release, The Unfortunate Cup of Tea, leaned more toward pop but achieved less commercial success. After RCA withdrew financial support in 1975, the band self-funded Drive The Cold Winter Away (1975), which was their most traditional work. Following this, they signed with DJM Records globally under A&R representative Frank Neilson. Their 1976 album The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony, another interpretation of Irish legends similar to The Táin, was their sole appearance on the UK Albums Chart, reaching No. 39 in 1977.

United States and later releases

Aiming for success in the US market, Horslips appointed Jim Slye as manager; he later sold their publishing rights for £4,000. In 1977, they issued Aliens, an album reflecting nineteenth-century Irish-American themes, and toured extensively across Britain, Germany, Canada, and the United States. Their performance at the Royal Albert Hall was notably loud. The 1978 album The Man Who Built America, produced by Steve Katz from Blood, Sweat and Tears, centered on Irish emigration and received some radio play but limited critical praise. Its heavier style attracted certain American listeners but distanced some folk enthusiasts. Their final studio effort, Short Stories, Tall Tales (1979), met with poor reception from both critics and their record label.

"The Last Time" performance

During the height of The Troubles, Horslips performed impartially throughout both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, earning widespread acceptance. Their last recordings were live shows at Whitla Hall, Belfast, in April and May 1980. On 12 October 1980, they held an unpublicized final concert at the Ulster Hall, concluding with an encore of the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time"—a symbolic reference to their debut album's studio—and Charles O'Connor famously hurled his broken fiddle into the crowd. After a decade together, the band disbanded.

Musical pursuits following the split

Prior to Horslips' dissolution, Johnny Fean and Eamon Carr established the Zen Alligators in 1980, delivering straightforward rock and soul performances throughout Ireland and releasing several singles. Another offshoot, Host, included Fean, O'Connor, and Carr; they produced one album titled Tryal in 1984 alongside two singles.

The final collaboration between Fean and Carr during the 1980s was the 1986 release The Last Bandits in the World.

Barry Devlin launched a solo project with the album Breaking Star Codes in 1983, supported by Jim Lockhart. The 12-track record drew thematic inspiration from zodiac signs. Additionally, Lockhart and Devlin joined forces to compose the theme music for the well-known RTÉ drama Glenroe.

In 1986, Fean relocated to England and contributed guitar work to the indie band Jacobites on their album Ragged School. He also performed with Horslips tribute group Spirit of Horslips and played pub shows with The Treat, at times featuring former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell.

Significantly, in 1990, the electric guitar introduction from "Dearg Doom" was incorporated into Put 'Em Under Pressure, Ireland’s anthem for the 1990 World Cup, composed by Larry Mullen and featuring the national football team alongside Moya Brennan. This rendition arguably became more widely recognized in Ireland than the original track.

Charles O'Connor issued an instrumental album named Angel on the Mantelpiece in 1997, collaborating with Paul Whittaker.

Additional endeavors

  • Johnny Fean maintained live performances alongside Stephen Travers (formerly of The Miami Showband).
  • Following his retirement from performing, Eamon Carr shifted focus to producing emerging rock artists during the mid-1980s and founded Hotwire Records, which supported bands such as punk act The Golden Horde. He later pursued a career in music and sports journalism with Dublin’s Evening Herald, hosted American music radio programs including 'Carr's Cocktail Shack', and in 2008 co-wrote tracks with Henry McCullough culminating in the album Poor Man's Moon. That same year, he authored The Origami Crow, a work combining travel writing, poetry, and sports reflections.
  • Barry Devlin ventured into screenwriting and directing for radio and television; his portfolio includes producing mid-1980s videos for U2 and writing credits for series such as Ballykissangel (RTÉ/BBC) and ITV’s The Darling Buds of May.
  • Jim Lockhart holds the position of head of production at RTÉ 2fm, where he contributes to both production oversight and music arrangement.
  • Charles O'Connor operates two antique shops located in Whitby, England, while continuing to produce folk and traditional music from his personal studio.

Reissues and rights disputes

For two decades, William McBurney, who led Belfast-based Outlet Records, collected royalties from vinyl and CD sales including various compilations. He asserted that he had legitimately acquired rights from Jim Slye, Horslips’ manager from the late 1970s until their final performance. However, due to substandard artwork and poor audio quality, these releases were sold cheaply, causing dissatisfaction among the five former band members. They contested this situation legally and on 7 March 1999 secured a court ruling in Belfast affirming their copyright ownership along with a significant financial settlement. Subsequently, Horslips reclaimed full control over their catalogue and reissued all their back catalogue on CD during 2000/2001 featuring refreshed artwork and digitally remastered audio.

Initial comeback: 2004 to 2006

In March 2004, Horslips fans Jim Nelis, Stephen Ferris, and Paul Callaghan curated an exhibition of Horslips memorabilia at The Orchard Gallery in Derry. The band marked the occasion by performing five acoustic tracks, marking their first public appearance in nearly a quarter of a century. Buoyed by this reception, Horslips entered a Westmeath studio in the summer of 2004 to record Roll Back, an acoustic album featuring fresh arrangements of their most iconic songs.

The exhibition later relocated to Drogheda in October 2005, with support from longtime admirer Paddy Goodwin, and was inaugurated by Horslypse, a tribute group of nine teenage musicians. Horslips themselves played the song "Furniture." Following this, the exhibit toured Belfast from February to March 2006 and was scheduled for New York in 2007. Subsequent showings took place in Ballinamore (February 2008) and Ballybofey (July 2008).

In November 2005, the double DVD Return of the Dancehall Sweethearts was released, containing a documentary alongside live footage from the 1970s, including promotional videos and appearances on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

December 2005 saw Horslips deliver their first electric live performance since October 1980 for RTÉ's Other Voices in Dingle.

This phase concluded with a TG4 tribute broadcast on 25 March 2006 before a private audience. Prominent Irish figures discussed Horslips' influence on contemporary Irish music through interviews conducted in Irish.

Reunion from 2009 to 2012

On 2 July 2009, Horslips announced their reunion for two public concerts—their first since 1980—held at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on 3 December and Dublin's 3Arena on 5 December. Drummer Eamon Carr did not participate in these shows but continued to support the band as a fifth member; his position was taken by Ray Fean, brother of Johnny Fean. Performances from these events were recorded and released as the DVD/CD Live at the O2 in November 2010. The Dublin concert featured support from the Irish band Something Happens.

Prior to these events, Horslips played two private warm-up gigs in Drogheda on 26 and 27 November. A scheduled appearance at Cork City's "Live at the Marquee" in June 2010 was cancelled due to Jim Lockhart’s health issues.

Later in 2010, with Ray Fean on percussion, Horslips toured Ireland with four concerts including shows at Killarney’s INEC, Castlebar’s Royal Theatre, Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, and a return engagement at the O2 Arena on 4 December. In January 2011 they performed at Glasgow's Celtic Connections Festival and were special guests at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival in August.

On St Patrick's Day 2011, Horslips appeared in a BBC concert with the Ulster Orchestra at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall. They also played at the London Feis festival that year alongside artists such as Christy Moore and Van Morrison.

Closing performances

Horslips headlined the Rory Gallagher Tribute Festival in Ballyshannon, County Donegal on 3 June 2012. That August they delivered two concerts with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at Ireland's National Concert Hall.

Biography release and compilation album

On 4 November 2013, Horslips published their biography entitled Tall Tales, authored by Mark Cunningham with contributions from band interviews. Simultaneously, they released Biography, a double album compiling singles issued outside Ireland. In June 2014, they performed at Dunluce Castle near Portrush and later that August appeared at Limerick’s Milkmarket.

Post-Horslips Activities

On 12 March 2019, Barry Devlin and Jim Lockhart took part in a commemorative event at Dublin’s National Concert Hall marking the 50th anniversary of a student occupation at University College Dublin. They performed alongside a house band that included members of Chris Meehan and his Redneck Friends, as well as other notable musicians connected to the original incident.

During 11 and 12 May 2019, with Charles having stepped away from performing, original members Barry Devlin, Johnny Fean, Jim Lockhart, and Ray Fean reunited for two shows at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. These concerts were presented under the billing 'Barry Devlin, Johnny Fean & Jim Lockhart from Horslips'.

Johnny Fean passed away in April 2023.

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

  • Tracks from the Vaults (1977)
  • The Horslips Story - Straight from the Horse's Mouth (1989)
  • Treasury (2009)
  • Biography (2013)
  • More Than You Can Chew (2023) Box Set
  • At the BBC (2025) Box Set

Live Albums

Filmography

  • The Return Of The Dancehall Sweethearts (2005)
  • The Road to O2 - A Film About Getting to the Gig (2010)

Bibliography

  • Tall Tales (2013)

External links

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