A new statue honoring late electric guitar great Rory Gallagher has been unveiled in his home city of Belfast, but it hasn’t gone down particularly well with some of his fans.
Unveiled by Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Muray and designed by Anto Brennan, Jessica Checkley and David O’Brien of the Bronze Art Ireland, the statue immortalizes a particularly famous pose once struck by Gallagher, which can be seen on the cover of a 1972 issue of Melody Maker.
On said cover, Gallagher can be seen with a Fender Telecaster slung around his shoulders, with his arms aloft onstage mid-gig. It is one of Gallagher’s most enduring images and the statue has rather accurately translated it into statue form, but its final appearance has stirred up some discontent among fans.
However, Gallagher of course did play a range of guitars throughout his career, including the Telecaster that featured on Melody Maker and that was chosen to accompany the statue. Gibson Les Paul Juniors and a Gretsch Corvette were just some of the other guitars Gallagher was partial to using.
“Wrong guitar,” wrote one fan, while another lamented, “Rory owned a Tele. But his… STRAT was his iconic trademark.” “No Strat? Not too clever,” voiced a third.
But criticisms of the new tribute didn’t just stop at the guitar of choice, though, with others slating the appearance of the statue itself for its apparent dissimilarity to Gallagher himself.
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To that end, others commenting on the YouTube video of the statue’s unveiling argued it had a “feminine” appearance, with one likening it to “Kim Deal with Bruce Springsteen’s guitar”.
“I don’t know who that is supposed to look like but it ain’t Rory Gallagher!” said another. “Looks more like Madonna,” wrote a third.
Irish musician Thomas Walsh, meanwhile, posted a photo of the statue to Facebook with the caption, “Ireland has unveiled its latest statue celebrating the life and career of one of our most beloved rock icons – KT Tunstall.”
Regardless of the negativity surrounding the unveiling, the statue still hopes to honor Gallagher’s memory in a city that has been so profoundly affected by his influence, and stand as a tribute to his legacy.
“It has been many years in the making, and we are incredibly grateful for the support we've received from fans, fellow musicians, and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rory’s legacy alive,” said Frank Girvan, a member of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust.
“We hope more people will join us in these efforts, as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives.”
“It’s fitting that the city he loved so much is where his memory will be celebrated for generations to come,” added Donal Gallagher, Rory's brother and former manager.
Gallagher died at the age of 47 in 1995. Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee green-lit development of the statue in 2016.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
