The auction of Rory Gallagher's iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster has provoked an emotional reaction, with a grassroots movement in Ireland – now supported by some government officials – campaigning to keep the guitar in the country as a “national treasure.” A GoFundMe for the campaign seeks to raise €1m, and sits at €65,000 at the time of writing.
Bonamassa had been rumored to be one of the guitar collectors interested in bidding on the highly coveted instrument. However, he is now setting the record straight by backing the Irish campaign.
When news of the Stratocaster’s sale broke, Bonamassa says he received over 150 texts asking if he planned to bid on the guitar. He has since publicly ruled himself out, stating that the guitar “should never leave Ireland.”
He tells HotPress, “I don’t want to own it because it’s not my story, it’s part of Rory’s story, it’s part of Ireland’s story. I think it’s a national treasure that should stay here. I threw in a couple grand [into the GoFundMe] anonymously.”
Bonamassa will continue to honor Gallagher's legacy with two shows in the Irish legend's hometown of Cork next summer. The concerts, scheduled for July 1 and 2 as part of the annual Live At The Marquee series, will commemorate the 30th anniversary of Gallagher’s death.
To announce these special shows, Bonamassa showed up in person in Cork, and fittingly, picked up a Strat to deliver his rendition of Gallagher's Cradle Rock from 1973's Tattoo.
The guitar is set to be auctioned at Bonhams in London on October 17. Donal Gallagher, Rory's brother and the steward of his guitar collection, recently revealed the reasons why he decided to put the guitar up for auction in the first place.
