Photo: Donegal Council
Rock and blues strat toting Rory Gallagher, whose best album is 1971's Deuce, will get a statue at Ulster Hall venue in Belfast’s City centre, which he sold-out regularly.
Rory Gallagher, whose songs include 'I'm Not Awake Yet' and 'A Million Miles Away' was and always will be one of the most iconic and legendary blues/rockers of all time. Even Hendrix is famed for saying he wasn't as good as Rory Gallagher.
This past week has seen planning permission come through for a statue to be erected after funding from Wilgar Community Forum, which is sure to be a massive draw for tourists in the coming years.
Its clearance may still run into problems if some people do decide against it, but surely the musician’s dedication to music and entertainment during ‘The Troubles’ will see any possible issues seem unnecessary.
Gallagher was born in the town of Ballyshannon County Donegal, he spent a large part of his childhood in County Derry/Londonderry and moved on to reside in County Cork.
Yet he was always drawn to Belfast.
The sheer skill, enthusiasm and energy he brought to his performances saw him rise to rock star status. His band Taste were one of Ireland’s biggest bands (during the late 1960’s and he continued to impress to his death) and he unlike other artists never let the fear of terrorism see him miss a gig.
He may have toured the UK, Europe and elsewhere in his life, but according to his brother Donal: "Rory always felt more at home in Belfast.
"He wanted somewhere to live where he felt at home with the music and Belfast offered that. He lived in Europe, London and yet that was the musical home for him" he said at the announcement of this new statue.
The Ulster Hall has played host to all manner of bands large and small over the decades and still continues to do so, but Rory Gallagher is the one who kept it ticking over when times were tough.
Gallagher sadly died in 1995 at the age of 47, due to complications after a liver transplant.
This is one more way to acknowledge the 30million selling artist, after a memorial plaque was unveiled in his honour at the same venue in 2007.
