Tánaiste Micheál Martin has hinted that one of the State’s cultural institutions could move to buy the late Irish rock star Rory Gallagher’s signature Fender Stratocaster guitar, which goes up for auction later this week.
Earlier this summer, Mr Martin pledged to raise the possible purchase of Gallagher’s guitar with Minister for Arts and Culture Catherine Martin after it emerged the Gallagher estate is putting the instrument up for sale at an estimated price of £700,000 to £1 million (€833,000 to €1.19 million).
The 1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster will go under the hammer at Bonham’s Auction House in London on Thursday.
“I would love if we could [buy the guitar] – obviously, I will talk to Minister Catherine Martin and see what’s possible, but it would be lovely if we could get that guitar back on Leeside,” said the Fianna Fáil leader, who hosted a civic reception for Gallagher when he was lord mayor of Cork in 1992/1993.
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Ms Martin previously told Labour TD Ged Nash any purchase of Gallagher’s guitar would be a matter for the national cultural institutions to decide on, but she noted the huge public interest in the matter reflecting the “continuing regard for Rory Gallagher’s music and creative achievements”.
Asked at the weekend whether the State had made any progress in trying to secure the guitar, the Tánaiste said he had spoken to Ms Martin and repeated his belief that the instrument was an important cultural artefact given Gallagher was the first Irish rock star to make it on the international stage.
“There are processes and approaches that have to be pursued here and it’s not all done by megaphone either. The national cultural institutions have a role in this, and we will let them engage in the process,” he said.
Asked if people were to take from his reply that moves were afoot to make a bid for the guitar this week, Mr Martin replied: “I wouldn’t overstate anything, but you are a good man to deduce things at times.”
The Gallagher estate, managed by Rory Gallagher’s brother and former manager Donal Gallagher, has put the Fender Stratocaster and around 150 instruments and other items from Gallagher’s 30 year long career up for auction.
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