Ireland's Latest Effort to Preserve Rory Gallagher's Fender Stratocaster

Irish Government Seeks Acquisition of Rory Gallagher 's Fender Stratocaster

Ireland 's Deputy Prime Minister , Michael Martin , has expressed the government 's interest in exploring options to acquire Rory Gallagher 's iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar before it goes up for auction . The guitar , described as " arguably the most recognisable Strat in rock history , " is set to be auctioned on October 17 . Donal Gallagher , Rory 's younger brother and manager , has decided to make the instrument and the rest of Rory 's collection available for sale after almost thirty years since Rory 's passing.

Tnaiste Martin Aims to Preserve Gallagher 's Legacy

The auction of Rory Gallagher 's Fender Stratocaster has garnered global attention , leading Tnaiste Martin to consider making the guitar a state property . Martin has fond memories of hosting a civic reception for Gallagher in Cork City Hall during his time as the Lord Mayor of Cork . Cork 's current Lord Mayor , Dan Boyle , has also urged the government to intervene in acquiring the guitar , emphasizing the cultural significance of keeping it within the state.

In a bid to bring the guitar back home , the daughter of the man who sold the guitar to Gallagher has initiated a fundraising campaign to raise 1,000,000 . The guitar , purchased by Rory Gallagher on credit in 1963 , is estimated to be auctioned for up to 1.2 million . Tnaiste Martin has pledged to explore ways for the state to purchase the guitar , with the hope of securing it before the auction in London later this year.

Lord Mayor Boyle highlights the historical value of Rory Gallagher 's guitar , known for its distinctive appearance due to the varnish being worn off by Rory 's acidic sweat . He stresses the importance of preserving this cultural artifact within the state and has already reached out to government departments and state agencies to support the acquisition efforts.

Efforts to Secure Gallagher 's Historic Guitar

Music shop owner Sheena Crowley has also stepped in by setting up a Gofundme Page to try to buy back the Fender Stratocaster that her late father sold to Rory Gallagher in 1963 . The guitar , originally intended for another musician , was sold to Rory for just under 100 , leading to a significant chapter in the history of rock music . With these combined efforts , there is a growing momentum to bring Rory Gallagher 's iconic guitar back to its roots in Ireland.