U2 Were in Belfast Last Night to Receive Three Hot Press Awards.

This time the band won Best Band and Best Live Act at the annual Hot Press Irish Music Awards, while Bono was voted Best Male Singer.

Dundalk group the Corrs also had a successful evening picking up the Best Pop Act, while drummer Caroline was presented with the Rory Gallagher Musician Award.

Taking place at the BBC's Blackstaff studios in Belfast, Downpatrick band Ash opened the evening with a rousing rendition of their hit single Burn Baby Burn and were also invited up to the podium to collect awards for best album for Free All Angels and best single with Shining Light.

DJ David Holmes received the Special Contribution to Music Culture Award while Westlife took the Outstanding Achievement in Popular Music Award.

Radiohead bagged the top Live Gig by an International Act for their performance at Belfast's Odyssey.

U2's shows at Slane Castle last summer won the award for the 'Best Live Gig In Ireland by an Irish Act'. And as Hot Press reports, 'This was always going to be a special gig for "The Biggest Band in the World" - a homecoming of sorts given that they had made their first appearance at Slane Castle supporting Thin Lizzy twenty years previously. Then, in the week leading up to the gig, the band were rocked by news of the death of Bono's father, lending even greater significance to the occaision. Peaking with an emotional version of "Kite" dedicated to Bob Hewson, Slane 2001 will always be remembered not merely as a concert, but also as an extra special day that will live long with those who witnessed it.

The Irish Music Awards will be broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland tonight (Friday 26 April) at 2235 BST and on BBC Choice at 1900BST on Sunday.