Cork to rock as city recalls guitar hero Rory
Fender, the company which made Gallagher’s iconic Stratocaster guitar, will also name the conference room in its Arizona headquarters after the Ballyshannon native who grew up in Cork.
The news emerged as Rory’s brother, Donal, announced more details in City Hall yesterday of the Remember Rory events, which kick off on Friday. He also hinted at the release soon of never-before-seen material by Taste, Rory’s band, which has been tied up in red tape for more than 40 years.
Cork City Council and Camden Palace Hotel arts centre have joined forces to organise a series of commemorative events across the city this weekend.
Donal’s son, Eoin, will play a Gallagher tune on the famous Shandon bells at 1.10pm on Friday as part of a citywide tribute.
Local radio stations RedFM, 96FM and C103, and UCC 98.3FM will broadcast Gallagher’s ‘Tattoo’d Lady’ s at the same time as a Gallagher tribute act performs live on Rory Gallagher Plaza on Paul St. There will also be a reading of Louis de Paor’s evocative ‘A Poem for Rory Gallagher’, before Cork City FC take to the pitch at Turner’s Cross against Bray Wanderers that night to the sound of a Gallagher tune.
VISIT OUR SPECIAL RORY GALLGHER COMMEMORATIVE SECTION HERE
Donal said it will be a bittersweet time for the family.
“Because his music is so well recorded on tape, CDs, and DVDs, and because I am constantly working with his music, going back through everything he wrote, going back through old interviews in magazines or old radio interviews, his presence is immense,” said Donal.
“He constantly reoccurs in my dreams. In some ways, it doesn’t feel like he is gone.
“He was such a perfectionist that, when you are working with his music, you have to be careful you don’t tamper with it, and you do feel he is looking over your shoulder at what you do.
“And some nights, I have nightmares where he comes in to the room, and he asks me to play back an album or look at something — and I’m there, waiting for his approval. But we do what we can and I feel he is smiling down.
“It’s great to be here to announce these commemorative events in City Hall — where he won a talent competition aged nine, and played some of his best gigs.
“We are quite happy that his legacy is intact, and increasing if anything.”
Eoin has also helped develop a community-based music studio in the Camden Palace Hotel Community Arts Centre, which will feature Gallagher memorabilia provided by the official Rory Gallagher archive.
It is hoped the Rory Gallagher Music Studios, which include a live music and rehearsal room with an adjoining recording suite, will provide affordable facilities for bands and songwriters.
The studios will be open from 10am to 10pm Monday to Saturday.
www.camdenpalacehotel.org
READ MORE: Shandon bells to ‘rock out’ as Cork recalls legend Rory
VISIT OUR SPECIAL RORY GALLGHER COMMEMORATIVE SECTION HERE
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