Bronze Statue Rory Gallagher Inaugurated In Northern Ireland

JAKARTA - A statue of Irish music legend Rory Gallagher was officially introduced. The bronze statue stands tall at the Ulster Hall located in the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast.

Meanwhile, this statue was created by three artists, namely Anto totaling, Jessica Checkley, and David O'Brien, under the supervision of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust and the support of the guitarist's brother and manager, Donal.

Frank Girvan representing Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust said the statue was founded in memory of Rory's musical heritage.

"This project has been created for years, and we are very grateful for the support we receive from fans, fellow musicians, and everyone who continues to show their commitment to keeping Rory's legacy alive," Frank Girvan said, citing Ultimate Classic Rock (UCR), Wednesday, January 8.

"We hope more people will join us in this effort, while we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who has changed many lives," he continued.

However, UCR reports that the statue has drawn some criticism from fans, one of which is the choice of Fender Telecaster guitar attached to the statue.

Although Rory once used this type, fans felt the guitarist who died on June 14, 1995 was better known as a Fender Stratocaster player.

Further disappointment arises because the statue is deemed not similar to the figure of Rory. One fan wrote on Facebook that the statue looked more like anyone else.

"His face doesn't look like him at all, and his upper body looks like a woman," said one fan.

"Unfortunately, the statue looks more like David Coverdale than Rory," said another fan.

For information, Rory Gallagher was born at the Irish Ballyshannon on March 2, 1958. He is known as the blues rock virtuoso which has inspired many other major guitarists, such as Rush's Alex Lifeson and Queen's Brian May.