The award winning festival that honours the Late Rory Gallagher who would have been celebrating his 66th birthday today (2nd March) if it wasn’t for his untimely death 19 years ago.
Details of this year’s Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival have been unveiled today to celebrate Gallagher’s birthday having been born on this day, 2nd March 1948 at the appropriately named Rock Hospital in Ballyshannon. Organisers of the 4 day Rory Gallagher Festival have assembled a very attractive line-up for Rory and Classic Rock music fans and not mentioned above but also making a welcomed return to Ballyshannon will be former “Whitesnake” guitarist – Bernie Marsden and His Band. The legendary Rock Blues Guitarist has huge respect for Rory Gallagher having released the album “Bernie plays Rory” and having played the Rory Gallagher Theatre in Ballyshannon in 2010, Bernie released a further album entitled “Ballyshannon Blues for Rory”.
Festival Chairperson Barry O’Neill while launching the 2014 Festival said “this is without doubt the best line-up ever – Rory Gallagher would be honoured and chuffed, we are expecting our biggest attendances ever, this will be one of the most significant tributes to Rory and without doubt the biggest Classic Rock and Rock Blues Music Festival on the island of Ireland in 2014”.
The list of bands is endless, with the Festival welcoming back “Band of Friends” to Ballyshannon, that includes Rory’s former band members Gerry McAvoy and Ted McKenna with renowned Dutch Guitarist – Marcel Scherpenzeel. From “Thin Lizzy” the band’s original guitarist Eric Bell and his band, the man that arranged and performed the iconic classic “Whiskey in the Jar”. Also appearing will be the legendary Pat McManus Band (ex. Mama’s Boy’s), Johnny Gallagher & the Boxtie Band, Sinnerboy (UK), Bad Penny (Germany), Laundromat (Holland), Dave McHugh Band, local rockers – Moonchild, Laurence Jones Band (UK), Tony Dowler’s Hellhound’s, Seamie O’Dowd Band, Hot Smoke, The Mississippi Sheiks, Jed Tomas, Zero Resistance, Peter Price, the Jamie Clague Band and many more. Weekend Early Bird Tickets for the nightly Big Top Concerts are on sale at just €40 for all 3 nights with over 25 hours of Free Outdoor Street Concerts, Exhibitions and Talks also.
Donal Gallagher – brother and Manager to the Late Rory Gallagher said “I am delighted with the line-up for Ballyshannon, its a great tribute to my brother and to see so many musicians wanting to perform, its incredible and we are so looking forward”.
Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival 2014 takes place in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, Ireland between Thursday 29th May and Sunday 1st June 2014 with all details available on the Official Festival Website www.rorygallagherfestival.com Email: [email protected]