Rory Gallagher

[Begbie]

A fantastic early summer evening in Ballyshannon saw the beautiful Rory statue by David Annand unveiled to a fabulous gathering of Rory fans and the town people of Ballyshannon.

Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste during the late 1960s. A talented guitarist known for his charismatic performances and dedication to his craft, Gallagher's albums have sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide.Gallagher received a liver transplant in 1995, but died of complications in 1995 in London, England aged 47.

Although born in Ballyshannon, his family moved, first, to Derry City, where his younger brother Dónal was born in 1949, and then to Cork, Ireland, where the two brothers were raised. Their father Daniel played the accordion and sang with the Tir Chonaill Ceile Band in Donegal, and their mother Monica was a singer and acted with the Abbey Players in Ballyshannon. The Theatre in Ballyshannon where Monica once acted is now called the Rory Gallagher Theatre.

After winning a talent contest when he was twelve, Gallagher began performing in his adolescence with both his acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar he bought with his prize money. However, it was his purchase three years later, of a 1961 Fender Stratocaster for £100 that became his primary instrument most associated with him for the span of his lifetime.

Though he sold over thirty million albums world wide, it was his marathon live performances that won him greatest acclaim. During the heightened periods of political unrest in Ireland, as other artists were warned not to tour, Gallagher was resolute about touring Ireland at the least, once a year, during his career, willing him the dedication of thousands of fans, and in the process, becoming a role model for other aspiring young Irish musicians.

From the late 1980s, he suffered increasingly poor health, yet he continued touring. By the time of his final performance on 10 January 1995 in the Netherlands, he was visibly unwell. A liver transplant became necessary and was nearly successful, but just before being discharged from the hospital, an MRSA infection developed.[citation needed] His health quickly worsened and he died in London on 14 June 1995. He was unmarried and had no children.

Gallagher was buried in St Oliver's Cemetery, on Model Farm Road just outside Ballincollig near Cork City, Ireland. His headstone is a replica of an award he received in 1972 for International Guitarist of The Year.

Fifteen years after his death and the greatest rock man ever to come out of this country still has a massive following worldwide.

I'm sure many of us have heard the story of Jimi Hendrix being asked by an interviewer after Woodstock what it was like to be the greatest guitar player in the world. Hendrix replied that he did not know. "You would need to ask Rory Gallagher sir".

The Greatest Guitarist and Rocking Bluesman of them all. Rest in Peace.

Any fans on here? I regret not going to see the Rory statue unveiled yesterday, would have been a fantastic atmosphere there and it was some day for it.

There's a documentary on RTE on June 10th.