Rory Gallagher’s iconic and heavily worn 1961 Fender Stratocaster is finally being put on display at the National Museum in Ireland.
The Irish bluesman bought the guitar second-hand for £100 from Crowley’s music store in Cork in 1963, and it was his number one guitar throughout his storied career. The Strat, the first one to reach Irish shores, had originally been ordered by Jim Conlon of the Royal Showband, but he was left disappointed when the sunburst model, as opposed to the red one he ordered, turned up.
It has, save for several museum stays, been kept in the possession of Gallagher’s brother and former manager, Dónal, since his passing in 1995. Much furore was caused when its sale was first announced last July, with Irish politicians, and the daughter of the man who sold Gallagher the instrument, campaigning the keep the guitar in Ireland.
“This guitar means so much to us in Cork, and we need to become the custodians of that magical guitar,” Sheena Crowley wrote at the time. “We feel tied to him, and the guitar is a symbol of what he represents for us.”
Joe Bonamassa was also behind the campaign, and hailed the news that it would be donated to the National Museum at Collins Barracks, Dublin, following its $1.16 million sale as “the best news I've heard all year.”
From October 16, the guitar is set to be displayed at the museum as one of 250 pieces relating to Irish history and culture. It comes as part of the biggest expansion of its public galleries in over two decades.
The exhibition, entitled The Changing Ireland Galleries, puts the country’s most important moments under the microscope, with artifacts from those times speaking of its history. The fact that Gallagher’s Strat — and quite possibly his 1932 National Resonator recently taken for a spin by Joe Bonamassa — will feature alongside a decommissioned RPG7 rocket launcher used by the IRA in the 1970s, during the Troubles, and items from the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) shows its cultural significance.
Speaking about the electric guitar last year, Gallagher's nephew, Daniel, stressed its importance in his career.
“It meant a hell of a lot to him, and was a huge part of his sound,” he said. “He played it to death. I don't think he would have swapped it for anything in the world.”
Bonamassa recently played three nights in Gallagher’s hometown of Cork, and even bought a sunburst Strat from Crowley’s Music in a bid to follow in his footsteps. Since then, he’s spoken with Guitar World about why Gallagher’s talents are underrated by many.
“Rory always played with a fiery intensity and communicated great emotional depth in every performance,” he wrote. “And within the world of slide guitar, he is one of the greatest ever.”
Discussing his earliest memories of Gallagher with Guitar Player last year, he recalled being rapt by his “Live in Europe” album.
“Here's this guy with long hair, a flannel shirt and he looked like he just came out of an auto factory playing some of the most gutbucket blues and rock you've ever heard,” he said.
The sale of Gallagher’s Strat, which was bought by Live Nation Gaiety Ltd, makes it one of the most expensive Strats ever sold at auction. It’s bested only by David Gilmour’s Black Strat ($3.9M). the Reach Out to Asia Strat ($2.7M), which was auctioned for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and Gilmour's 1954 #0001 Strat ($1.8M).
Fender CEO Andy Mooney had once, unsuccessfully, tried to buy Gilmour's famed #0001 Strat, calling it his “holy grail.” Considering the eye-watering price it ultimately went for, it’s no surprise that Gilmour wasn’t willing to do a deal.
It was first owned by country player Rex Gallion, and passed through the hands of Seymour Duncan before it made its way to the Pink Floyd guitarist. It's on that guitar that he recorded the Nile Rodgers-esque rhythm parts in "Another Brick in the Wall."
