Snow Patrol get PRS Music Heritage Award

Legendary rock group Snow Patrol have been honoured by the PRS for Music Heritage Award.

A special plaque was erected last week in Belfast where the original group Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar) Jonny Quinn (drums) and Mark McClelland (bass) first performed, at the Duke of York pub in Belfast in 1998.

PRS for Music set up the Heritage Award last year to recognise the unusual 'performance birthplaces' of famous bands and artists. Snow Patrol is the sixth band to be given the honour of receiving the permanent plaque.

Current members – Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (lead guitar), Paul Wilson (bass guitar), Jonny Quinn (drums) and Tom Simpson (keyboards) were there to see the plaque unveiled.

The band said it was "an honour that their very first gig at the Duke of York has been recognised like this and it's a pleasure to be back here"

Gary Lightbody continued: "We never sold out the Duke Of York, and to be honest, getting 30 people back then was a good night. To be playing for up to 40,000 people now is incredible for us."

Snow Patrol have been nominated for five BRIT Awards, five Meteor Ireland Music Awards and an Ivor Novello.

For more information please go to www.prsformusic.com/heritageaward