Rory Gallagher's Fender Strat should never leave Ireland, says US rock guitarist

Rory Gallagher’s guitar belongs in Ireland and should never leave here, the US rock guitarist leading two tribute concerts to the Cork blues hero next year has said.

New York-born bluesman Joe Bonamassa is to head a two-night tribute to the late Leeside legend next July as part of the Live at the Marquee concert series.

Arguably Ireland’s first rock star, Rory Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon in 1948, moving to Cork with his mother and his younger brother Dónal in 1956. One of the world’s most influential musicians, he passed away in 1995 at the age of 47. 

The July concerts, which were described by promoter Peter Aiken as “a deeply personal project” for Mr Bonamassa and him, will occur a fortnight after the 30th anniversary of Rory Gallagher’s death.

Auction

The announcement of the two Live at the Marquee concerts by Joe Bonamassa and his band celebrating Rory Gallagher comes at a time of renewed interest in the Lee Delta bluesman, with his 1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster guitar expected to sell at auction for as much as £1m (€1.19m) in London this month.

In 1963, Michael Crowley sold the Strat to Rory for £100, and now a GoFundMe campaign to buy the guitar for the people of Cork, started by Michael’s daughter Sheena, has received pledges worth more than €64,000.

The Rory Gallagher celebration concerts were launched at a press conference in Cork’s Oliver Plunkett Bar, followed by a short, blistering gig with Joe Bonamassa’s four-piece tearing through Rory covers from ‘Cradle Rock’ to ‘Bullfrog Blues’.

Promoter Peter Aiken described the tribute gigs as “a labour of love” for all concerned, saying he couldn’t think of any better musician to do justice to Rory Gallagher than Mr Bonamassa.

“This isn’t a tribute act, this is a celebration,” Mr Aiken said. 

“He’s the real deal, and you couldn’t think of another guitarist who has the chops to pull off the Rory thing.”

Mr Bonamassa, a bluesman who, at the tender age of 12, opened for the legendary BB King, is one of the world’s leading guitar collectors, and owns more than 700 vintage instruments.

Rory's story

He told The Echo that he did not want to buy Rory Gallagher’s Strat, as he felt it belonged in Ireland and “should never leave”.

“I don’t want to own it, because it’s not my story, it’s part of Rory’s story, it’s part of Ireland’s story, it belongs here and should never leave.”

He added: “I think it’s a national treasure that should stay here.

“It’s going to take someone with a lot of money to buy it, and hopefully that’ll be someone who will let it stay here in Ireland.”

Asked whether he might chip in to the fundraiser to buy the guitar, Mr Bonamassa asked: “Who says I didn’t already?”

He added: “When I saw the GoFundMe, I was like, ‘I got a couple of grand for that’.”

Donal Gallagher said he felt “mind-blown and lost for words” at Mr Bonamassa’s interpretation of his late brother’s work, especially coming up to the 30th anniversary of Rory’s passing.

“Every day is an anniversary, in some ways, particularly when it’s the 10s, 15s, 20s, but for this to happen is extraordinary,” he said.

Joe Bonamassa plays Rory Gallagher Live at the Marquee on July 1 and 2, 2025. Tickets go on sale this Friday.