A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for the purchase of Rory Gallagher’s 1961 Fender in order to keep it in Ireland. Earlier this week, Bonhams announced “The Rory Gallagher Collection” auction, which will oversee the sale of numerous items from Gallagher’s gear collection. .
The Strat in question is synonymous with the late Irish blues legend, who used the heavily worn ‘61 Fender to cement his position as one of the all-time greats of guitar music. Its upper estimated value of £1,000,000 – which could even be exceeded when the auction rolls around on October 17 – is testament to the musical and cultural significance it holds. However, the guitar is seen as equally significant for the citizens of Cork – the Irish city in which Gallagher lived – who want to raise enough money in order to buy the guitar and keep it in the country.
The fundraiser has been set up by Sheena Crowley, the daughter of Michael Crowley, who first sold Gallagher for £100 in 1963. As Sheena explains, Gallagher has been a hugely influential Irish figure, and has been an idol for many of the country’s musicians. “This guitar means so much to us in Cork, and we need to become the custodians of that magical guitar,” she writes on the GoFundMe page.
“We feel tied to him and the guitar is a symbol of what he represents for us.” The GoFundMe has a target of €1,000,000. If successful, the campaign will approach the City Council, the Department of Heritage and “wealthy.