Rory Gallagher, a renowned Irish rock and blues artist, had his signature Fender Stratocaster guitar sold for an estimated £700,000 (roughly €841,000) before a “premium” surged the overall price to £889,400 (around €1,069,000) at a Bonham’s Auction House in the city of London last Thursday. Plans have been made to gift the instrument to the National Museum of Ireland (NMI). The 1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster, pivotal to the Ballyshannon-born musician’s illustrious career, was purchased by Live Nation Gaiety Ltd.
The purchase, made in adherence to Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, was announced by the Minister for Arts, Catherine Martin. She elaborated that the procurement agreement guarantees that the guitar would remain under state property, accessible to the public and Gallagher’s global fans.
Describing her joy on the guitar’s return to Ireland, Martin stated her department had been diligently coordinating with the National Museum to bring about this successful acquisition, an act highly welcomed in association with the NMI. She applauded the generous donation to the museum, emphasizing that it would ensure the popular instrument’s protection for coming generations and musicians. Additionally, it would draw visitors from around the globe.
Martin anticipates learning more about the museum’s intentions to exhibit the legendary Strat, which she believes would prominently feature Cork, where the iconic musician spent his formative years. The guitar initially procured for IR£100 on a loan from Crowley’s Music Store in Cork in 1963 was sold around 6pm at a predicted price ranging between £700,000 to £1 million (approximately €1.2 million). The guitar will now reside with about 150 artefacts and items, part of Gallagher’s extensive 30-year career collection, presently managed by Gallagher’s sibling and past manager, Dónal Gallagher.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin previously incited anticipation that a renowned cultural treasure of the state, Gallagher’s signature Stratocaster, may be up for acquisition. He proposed discussing the potential acquisition of the guitar with the Minister for Arts and Culture, Catherine Martin. He expressed his wish for the guitar to return to Leeside, where Gallagher had resided since childhood.
Though the majority of items in the collection were open to bidding online, the highly coveted Fender Stratocaster was exempt from this condition. The auction, taking place on a Thursday afternoon, presented various other items for sale, including a 1958 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, Rory’s “backup Strat”, expected to fetch between £100,000-£150,000, and a 1966 Fender Telecaster electric guitar, estimated between £120,000-£150,000. The selling list also features other electric and acoustic guitars, a mandolin, several amplifiers, and additional musical accessories. The auction’s earnings will endow several charities.
Gallagher, both a solo artist and member of the band Taste, had a successful career, with record sales surpassing 30 million across the globe. As one of Ireland’s pioneer international stars of rock music, he was recognised for his mastery on the guitar, and his influence reached musicians such as Eric Clapton, Queen’s Brian May amongst others. Gallagher’s sudden passing in 1995, due to complications post-liver transplant, occurred when he was just 47 years old.