Brush Shiels, one of the great legends of Irish rock, was presented with a Hot Press Lifetime Achievement Award last night, at the Remembering Noel Bridgeman gig in Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre.

The gig was organised by Terry O’Neill and featured Audrey Bridgeman – Noel’s daughter, who is a renowned singer and drummer in her own right. Many of the leading Irish musical heroes with whom Noel rubbed shoulders and played during his lifetime’s work as one of Ireland’s outstanding drumming talents performed at what was a highly emotional – and ultimately celebratory – occasion.

The award was planned as a surprise for Brush, who was there to perform. After he had been introduced, leading RTÉ presenter Ronan Collins – himself a drummer and a singer of note – stepped forward to make a special announcement.

"While celebrating Noel and his fantastic contribution to Irish music tonight, we also want to take this opportunity to publicly celebrate another one of the greats, who started out in the same era as Noel,” Ronan said.

"Alongside Noel, he was a member of what many people describe as THE seminal Irish rock group Skid Row, who released two brilliant, ground-breaking LPs.

"He truly is one of the greats – we are very proud tonight to present Brush Shiels with a Hot Press Lifetime Achievement Award. Can we have a huge round of applause for the very great, inspirational, Irish musical legend that is BRUSH SHIELS!!!"

Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

The award was presented by Audrey Bridgeman, who was joined for what was a highly emotional moment by Hot Press deputy editor, Stuart Clark.

The award was designed by Hot Press illustrator David Rooney, who is renowned as the pioneering figure in using the scraper-board technique in this part of the world.

In addition to his remarkable work with Hot Press, David produced 100 drawings for BBC’s acclaimed television series A History of Ireland. He was also commissioned, in 2015, by the Royal Irish Academy to produce 42 new, original scraper-board portraits commemorating the lives of the main players in the 1916 rising, which were published in 1916 Portraits and Lives by James Quinn, Lawrence William White and David Rooney.

“Brush is a hugely deserving recipient of a Hot Press Lifetime Achievement Award,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “I remember seeing him onstage for the first time in CUS in Leeson Street, with Skid Row, when Philip Lynott was lead singer. That was a brilliant band, with Noel Bridgemen on drums, Gary Moore on guitar and Brush – an immediately striking figure – on bass.

"They released their debut single ’New Places, Old Faces’ in 1969, and it was the start of a marvellous musical adventure.

“Power trios were in vogue at the time, and Skid Row slimmed down shortly afterwards, with Brush donating a bass guitar to the departing Philo, that would prove to be such an important aspect of the success he went on to achieve with Thin Lizzy.

"Skid Row signed to CBS Records in the UK and released two legendary albums – hitting the UK Top 30 with their debut there. It was a marvellously ambitious and innovative record that made a landmark statement as to just how great Irish rock could be.

“That three-piece version of Skid Row was among that elite group of artists who set new standards for Irish music in so many ways at the time – alongside the great Rory Gallagher, Van Morrison and the emerging Thin Lizzy.

"Since then, we have known Brush in many different guises – as a TV presenter, a fantastically witty broadcaster on radio and as a healer – but throughout the intervening years, he has always been a great songwriter, and a brilliant live performer.

"He has released nine solo albums, including the epically titled Celtic Road Warrior in 1997, and the brilliantly autobiographical Brush With Life in 2012. And he has played venues the length and breadth of Ireland – like the true Celtic Road Warrior he has always been.

"To celebrate all of that magnificent music-making and his seminal role in opening up this country to great music of all shades and stripes, we are very proud to present Brush Shiels with a Hot Press Lifetime Achievement Award. He truly is a member of the Irish Music Hall of Fame."

Copyright Miguel Ruiz.