When I wrote last year’s ‘Year in Review’, I noted that 2024 had been one of the busiest years in recent memory for news and developments surrounding Rory. Yet 2025 has proven to be even busier! Marking 30 years since Rory left us, it saw a host of special anniversary events, with the Cork Rocks for Rory Festival leading the charge and demonstrating the city’s dedication to preserving his legacy. But there were, of course, countless other celebrations and commemorations along the way, and I will do my best to cover them all here. As we look ahead to 2026, who knows what surprises and milestones await? But one thing is certain: Rory’s spirit continues to inspire, excite and bring us together, even in the face of a changing and unpredictable world.
JANUARY
Unveiling of Rory Statue in Belfast
The year began on a high note with the unveiling of a statue of Rory outside Belfast’s iconic Ulster Hall – a venue he played annually throughout the 1970s. The statue’s installation marked the culmination of years of tireless campaigning by the Rory Gallagher Statue Trust Project, led by Barry McGivern. Inspired by a Melody Maker magazine cover from January 1972, which captured Rory onstage at the Ulster Hall, the statue was created by sculptors Anto Brennan and Bronze Art Ireland’s Jessica Checkley and David O’Brien. While its likeness sparked much debate and controversy among fans for its poor resemblance to Rory, many chose instead to embrace its symbolic meaning as a tribute to a man who brought immense joy and unity to the young people of Northern Ireland during a time of great unrest.
“The day couldn’t be more fitting, given that Rory played here on the fourth of January four or five times,” said his nephew, Eoin Gallagher, at the ceremony. “As you can see from the size of the crowd, he’s still held in great affection. His music is timeless – it has universal themes everyone can identify with. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is: music unites, art unites, culture unites – and Rory was truly a wonderful ambassador for that.”
The day’s celebrations concluded in fitting style with a special screening of Irish Tour ’74 within the hallowed walls of the Ulster Hall.
Le Plan Exhibition
December 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of Le Plan, the celebrated music venue in Ris-Orangis France. To mark the occasion, a special exhibition ran throughout January 2025. Le Plan has a particularly special connection with Rory: he performed there in 1994 for the venue’s 10th anniversary, and following his passing, the owners successfully petitioned to have the street in front of the club renamed Rue Rory Gallagher. Although the venue has since moved a short distance from its original location, Rory’s presence continues to be felt. The anniversary exhibition featured several photographs of Rory – one from his 1994 performance at Le Plan and another from his 1980 show at Baltard in 1980. A permanent display also honours Rory’s legacy, featuring items donated by his brother Dónal, including one of Rory’s shirts, neckerchiefs, guitar straps and a slide.
Anil Prasad Interview
Anil Prasad’s 1991 interview with Rory for Innerviews has always been one of my favourites to read, offering such rich insight into Rory’s creative process, particularly during the making of Fresh Evidence. So, it was music to my ears when, on 6 January, Anil announced on Facebook that he had uploaded the original audio to his YouTube channel. At the time of the interview, Anil was just 21 years old and working for a small Canadian newspaper. He was stunned to be offered the chance to speak with Rory and leapt at the opportunity. Though he later admitted to feeling nervous beforehand, none of that comes across in the recording. Anil sounds knowledgeable, relaxed and genuinely engaged, while Rory is in excellent form throughout. Their conversation flows naturally – never forced or awkward like some interviews can be – making it a real pleasure to listen to. You can check it out here.
Rory Gallagher Tribute Festival
On 10 January, a very special Rory tribute festival took place over two days in Mühlhausen, Germany. Leading bands Blueprint, The Double Vision, The Loop and Brute Force and Ignorance all took to the stage to celebrate Rory’s music and legacy in front of an enthusiastic crowd of fans. The festival proved so popular that organisers have announced plans to hold it again next year, this time with Simone Galassi, The Hellhounds, The Double Vision, Barry McGivern and Bluesband.
Podcast with Mark Stevens
Following our Q&A about Rory Gallagher: The Later Years, which was published on journalist and author Mark Stevens’ blog last year, Mark kindly invited Rayne and me onto his YouTube channel in January to discuss the book. We had a thoroughly enjoyable hour-long conversation, which you can catch up with here.
Open Societal Challenges Article
For those following Rewriting Rory on social media, you may have seen that I’ve been conducting an academic study over the past year with fans who met Rory, focusing on the meaning of the music keepsakes they received from him. Back in January, my university asked me to write a short blog post on my initial findings from the study, which they shared as part of their Open Societal Challenges programme. If interested, you can read it here.
Out There
Viewers tuning into the second episode of the ITV drama Out There – which follows a Welsh father and son who become entangled in the drug trade – were pleasantly surprised to hear Rory’s ‘Laundromat’ featured in the episode’s soundtrack.
Cork Person of the Month
At the end of January, Sheena Crowley was named Cork Person of the Month in recognition of her tireless efforts to keep Rory’s iconic Stratocaster in Ireland, as well as for her longstanding contribution to Cork’s music community over several decades. Speaking at the award presentation, Sheena said: “It took a lot of work but I’m delighted that the campaign to keep the guitar in Irish hands ultimately proved successful and I’m thrilled that it will be put on display for the public to enjoy. Rory is a cultural icon in Cork, Ireland and across the world’s rock and blues community, and I’m sure that he will continue to be celebrated for decades to come. Awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan commended Sheena for her dedication: “It’s fair to say that without Sheena’s tireless campaigning over many months, it’s very possible that the guitar would have been lost to the country, perhaps forever. This award serves as a token of thanks from all Cork people for the tremendous service she has provided in ensuring that Rory’s Strat, the ultimate Cork cultural artefact, stays in the hands of the people.” You can hear Sheena speaking at the ceremony here.
FEBRUARY
Rory Tribute Nights in Greece
Ever since his legendary 1981 concert in Athens, Rory has become somewhat of a cult figure in Greece. Reflecting his enduring popularity in the country and to mark the 30th anniversary of his passing, two special Rory tribute nights were organised in Athens and Thessaloniki on 7 and 8 February. The events were headlined by Band of Friends, with additional performances by Sakis Dovolis and Nick Dounoussis, two of Greece’s finest blues guitarists and long-time admirers of Rory’s work.
Rory Tribute Nights in Norway
On the same dates, Oslo Rory Nights returned to the Herr Nilsen Jazz Club for a 2-day celebration of Rory’s music. The event featured performances from a diverse lineup of bands, including Calling Cards, Knut Roppestad & Muskogee Hotel, Etched in Blue, Mississippi Sheiks, Mary and Doug Carroll and Mechner.
Rory Gallagher – Irish Blues
A new French-language book on Rory, Rory Gallagher – Irish Blues by Neville Rowley, was released in mid-February. The book takes an interesting approach, telling Rory’s story through an analysis of 12 songs spanning his career. While the premise is promising, I have to confess that I was disappointed by the sheer number of factual inaccuracies throughout the book. Also, of the 150 pages, just 15 are dedicated to the post-Jinx period and, of course, they fall into the familiar ‘rise and fall’ narrative, dwelling on Rory’s weight gain and health issues while overlooking the strength and depth of his later work. And yes… that damn Hendrix ‘quote’ makes an appearance too.
Bonamassa Given Rory’s Treble Booster
At the end of February, blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa revealed that he had been gifted Rory’s number 1 Rangemaster treble booster by the Gallagher family. Bonamassa described the gesture as leaving him “beyond blown away.” The treble booster was presented to him by Daniel Gallagher – with Donal’s blessing – just before his show at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
Cork Person of the Year Awards
On 28 February, the 32nd Annual Cork Person of the Year Awards ceremony took place at the Cork International Hotel, where Rory was honoured with an ‘in memoriam’ award. The award was collected by Eoin Gallagher on behalf of the family. “Rory Gallagher was Ireland’s first international star and led the way for many others such as U2,” said awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan. “We found a groundswell of opinion in Cork that people just wanted to recognise his greatness.”
MARCH
Ballyshannon St Patrick’s Day Parade
This year, Eoin Gallagher served as Grand Marshal for the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in Ballyshannon. He was driven around town in style in a vintage car, waving to the crowds, while a young guitarist walked alongside, performing ‘Shadow Play’.
26th International Rory Gallagher Tribute Holland
On 7-8 March, the 26th International Rory Gallagher Tribute was held at Café de Zon in Wijk aan Zee in Holland. Performers included Crest of a Wave, Bullfrog Taste Express, Stephan Graf’s Double Vision, Whisky Flowers, Zac Schulze Gang, Heavy Duty and Aiden Pryor Band.
APRIL
Laurence Jones – ‘Bad Penny’ and ‘Follow Me’
UK-based blues rock guitarist Laurence Jones unveiled a special Record Store Day release featuring new versions of Rory’s ‘Bad Penny’ and ‘Follow Me’. The tracks are built around Rory’s original studio recordings, creating the effect of the two musicians performing together. They were later issued as singles on streaming platforms. While I admire the concept, I have to admit that the performances are really not my thing.
Radio Nova Rory Special
On 26 April, Radio Nova aired a special one-hour documentary on Rory as part of the Marty Miller podcast. Titled Bad Penny, it featured some of Rory’s best-loved songs along with interviews with Joe Bonamassa, Gerry McAvoy and Dónal and Daniel Gallagher. With adverts removed, the actual runtime was closer to 23 minutes. While it doesn’t offer anything new for longtime fans, it serves as a nice introduction to Rory for newcomers.
TX Interview
Every now and then, RTÉ unexpectedly opens up its archives and releases new video footage online. In April, Rory fans were treated to a delight: a newly surfaced Rory clip. It’s a brief three-minute excerpt from the 1980 TX programme, featuring an interview with David Heffernan. In the clip, Rory is his usual sweet, shy self, discussing his recent national tour, the current band line-up and the music he enjoys listening to. You can watch it here.
MAY
Bullfrog Pod Podcast Series
In May, a new Rory Gallagher podcast, Bullfrog Pod, was launched by fan Neil Goss, who both developed and hosts the series. To date, six episodes have aired: a welcome episode, three focusing on Taste, one on Rory’s Stratocaster; another on his other guitars and amps, and a special episode featuring Sam Davidson, who plays in the latest iteration of ‘Taste’.
Photography Exhibition at Gallagher’s Pub
A special Rory photography exhibition was launched at Gallagher’s Pub on MacCurtain Street on 10 May. Organised by Ramon Muntjewerff, the exhibition showcased striking images by three iconic Dutch photographers – Govert de Roos, Rob Verhorst and Gijsbert Hanekroo – who photographed Rory throughout the 1970s. The exhibition ran until December.
Social Sciences and Humanities Open Paper
The first academic paper from my music keepsakes study was published at the end of May in Social Sciences and Humanities Open. Focusing on a misplaced watch and a lost Guinness can that once belonged to Rory, the paper examines how these objects endure as material hauntings, evoking Rory’s aura and eliciting feelings of mystery and unease. You can read it here.
JUNE
Mojo Magazine Feature
The June edition of Mojo featured a six-page spread on Rory. The piece was a simple biographical tribute to mark the 30th anniversary of his passing, but it was a nice piece that offered a nuanced view of Rory’s complex personality and inner struggles and acknowledged Jinx and Defender as fan favourites. It also included reflections from Mark Feltham, who is too often overlooked in Rory features, and rightly noted that no band member was closer to Rory than he was. It’s just a shame that Mojo opted for the “wrong” Gallagher brothers on the front cover as the issue also featured Oasis.
Stratocaster Handbook
In the most recent edition of Guitarist magazine’s Stratocaster Handbook, they argue that Rory’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster might very well be the best. ““We can probably identify a year that combines an optimum combination of woods, good pickups, and high build quality. Hence, we’d humbly suggest 1961 as our peak year. Why? Well, firstly, you have a slab rosewood board—and, all things considered, we’d choose that over a veneer board, if only because its potential to be refretted without damaging the maple beneath is higher than with the thinner veneer boards. Necks were slim in ’61, ensuring slinky playability, and as far as pickups go, no one has ever suggested Rory Gallagher’s ’61 sounds bad, to say the least.”
Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival
As always, the annual Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival took place over the Bank Holiday Weekend in Ballyshannon, featuring an impressive lineup that included Jimmie Vaughan, Band of Friends, Vanja Sky & Her Band, Nine Below Zero, Pat McManus Band, Johnny Gallagher & Boxtie Band, Laurence Jones, The Zac Schulze Gang, Grainne Duffy & Her Band with Mary Stokes, Seamie O’Dowd and the Rory Gallagher All-Star Band. There had been fears that rising costs might make this the festival’s final year, but organiser Barry O’Neill later confirmed that sufficient funds had been raised to keep it going. A particular highlight of the festival was the opportunity for young musicians to play some of Rory’s guitars, which organiser Barry O’Neill had secured at the Bonhams auction in 2024, along with harmonicas and a mandola. Musician Ciarán Hodgins described it as “a once in a life [opportunity] to play the instrument.” “It’s surreal and it’s a real honour to play it and to keep Rory Gallagher’s legacy alive in Ballyshannon,” he added.
Dave Fanning – Rory Gallagher Special
On the eve of the 30th anniversary of Rory’s passing, DJ Dave Fanning presented a special two-hour programme on Rory Gallagher for RTÉ Gold. The show featured highlights from Fanning’s interviews with Rory over the years, along with some of his favourite Rory songs.
Cork Rocks for Rory Festival
The city of Cork marked the 30th anniversary of Rory’s passing with a massive festival on a scale never seen there before. It began on 13 June with an opening reception, followed the next day by the unveiling of Rory Gallagher Avenue – the main access road leading to Cork Airport – and a special Gallagher Fest concert in Fitzgerald’s Park featuring local bands Tres Hombres, Watermelons, Captain Kangaroo and Moonchild. The festival also saw the launch of three exhibitions: ‘The Continental Op’ at Cork Public Museum, focused on Rory’s concerts and instruments, ‘Lyrics, Vinyl and Visuals’ at Cork Central Library, highlighting Rory’s songwriting and book and LP collection, and ‘Rory’s Early Impact’ at Cork City Hall, exploring his early music career in showbands and with Taste. Additionally, a permanent walking trail dedicated to Rory was unveiled across Cork City, celebrating the places and streets that formed his stompin’ ground.
Other events included guitar workshops at Cork Public Museum, a screening of Taste at the Isle of Wight at Triskel Arts Centre, a Shinkicker tribute concert at Gallagher’s Pub, performances by Deuce at Fred Zeppelins, a Q&A with Gerry McAvoy at Cork City Opera House, a Rory pub quiz at The Gables and a bus tour of Cobh with Rory’s cousin Pat O’Mahony. The festival culminated with three consecutive nights of live performances by Joe Bonamassa at the Marquee in a special tribute to Rory. After the shows, the Gallagher family gifted him Rory’s Irish Tour ‘74 Polydor certificate. For a detailed account of the entire festival, check out my blog post from earlier this year.
Rory Gallagher Fan Day
On 15 June, the Metropool in Hengelo, the Netherlands hosted a special Rory Gallagher Fan Day, celebrating his life and music. The event featured a live performance by Marcel Scherpenzeel, displays of Rory’s original guitars, amps and other memorabilia – generously provided by the ever-reliable Vincent Wolting – and a heartfelt thank you message from the Gallagher family.
Ireland’s Eye Article
A fairly shoddy two-page feature on Rory appeared in the June edition of Ireland’s Eye to mark the 30th anniversary of his passing. The piece was riddled with misinformation and, unfortunately, included the dreaded Hendrix ‘quote’. On the bright side, at least Rory made the front cover – something positive to take from it, I suppose!
Hot Press Classics Episode
Daniel Gallagher and Muireann Bradley were special guests on June’s Hot Press Classics episode, which focused on Rory’s 1971 eponymous debut solo album. Host Paul Nolan discussed with Daniel Rory’s lo-fi self-production process, his hands-on approach to mixing and recording and the genius of his guitar playing, while Muireann spoke about her recent appearance at the Rory Gallagher festival in Ballyshannon, Rory’s unique style of bluesmanship and the inspiration she draws from him. You can listen to the episode here.
Irish Leaving Cert Higher Level Paper 2
Students sitting the Irish Leaving Cert Higher Level Paper 2 exam in June were surprised to find a reading comprehension passage about Rory, The comprehension text, titled “Rory Gallagher – Laoch ceoil” (Rory Gallagher – Music Hero) focused on his journey from Ballyshannon to international fame.
James Trussart Workshop Video
It’s always a thrill when a ‘new’ Rory video suddenly surfaces online, seemingly from out of nowhere. So, you can imagine my extra excigtement when it was a clip from 1990 that appeared this month. Recorded at the James Trussart workshop in Guitar Station ,Paris, it features a charming interview with Rory, along with a tour of the workshop and a chance to see him try out one of Trussart’s distinctive steel-body electric guitars. You can check it out here.
JULY
RIFFS Article
July kicked off with the publication of a special article I had been working on with Bonhams guitar tech, Steve Clarke, about Rory’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster. Drawing on autoethnographic methods, this visual essay – published with RIFFS – explores the transformative materiality of the guitar, the layered narratives embedded in its form and the successful efforts to recognise its status as a crucial part of Ireland’s material music heritage. You can read it here.
Metal Book
A second edition of the French book, Metal, 40 ans de musique puissante, was released this month, featuring a one-page spread on Rory. Although I’m not sure how Rory would feel to be labelled a heavy metal artist, it’s nice to see him recognised in a mainstream music book. The piece includes quotes from Rory himself, as well as Dónal Gallagher, David Coverdale, Pat McManus and Joe Bonamassa.
AUGUST
Crime Fiction Studies Article
Another academic piece by me on Rory was published this month, this time in Crime Fiction Studies. The article explores Ian Rankin’s ‘novel’ approach to Rory’s music through a detailed examination of the Kickback City boxset, using textual and multimodal analysis. If interested, you can read it here.
The Gone, Episode 5
Viewers of the BBC drama The Gone, about a young Irish couple who vanish from a small town in the North Island of New Zealand, were treated to a blast of Rory’s music in the show’s recent episode 5. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the song, so if anybody remembers, please let me know and I can update this!
Gallagher-Blues
The first Hungarian Rory book, Gallagher-Blues – Rory Gallagher tükrökkel, sallangok nélkül – Könyv,written by Ágnes Kertészwas released this month. The book was later launched at the Museum of Rock in Budapest with a performance by blues guitarist Zsolt Benkő.
SEPTEMBER
Cogent Arts & Humanities Article
The second paper from my music keepsakes study was published in Cogent Arts & Humanities in early September. Drawing on object-oriented interviews with Rory fans, it examines how everyday music-related keepsakes mediate four sequential rites of passage in the fan experience: discovering Rory’s music, seeing him in concert, meeting him and hearing the news of his death. You can catch up with it here.
OCTOBER
Italian Rory Tribute Nights
The eighth edition of the Italian Rory Tribute Nights took place in Bergamo on 3 and 4 October at the Irish Pub O’Deas. The event featured electrifying performances from Big Guns, Riki Massini Trio, The Faif Band and Innes Sibun Band.
Annual Rory Gallagher Dublin Tribute Night
Dublin fans gathered on 10 October at the Workman’s Club for the 7th Annual Dublin Tribute to Rory Gallagher. The evening was headlined by Crest of a Wave and the Aiden Pryor Band, with special guests Steph Ashcroft, Whisky Flowers and Christian Volkman.
Muskerry Local History Society Lecture
On 13 October, Ben Cuddihy delivered a lecture on Rory Gallagher for the Muskerry Local History Society. Entitled ‘Against the Grain’, it covered Rory’s early career through to recent developments in his legacy.
Rory’s Strat Unveiled at National Museum of Ireland
16 October marked an emotional milestone as Rory’s beloved 1961 Fender Stratocaster was officially unveiled at Collins Barracks, National Museum of Ireland as part of the new ‘Changing Ireland’ exhibition. Speaking ahead of the event, Lynn Scarff, Director of the Museum, expressed her delight: “We are thrilled that Rory’s guitar is destined for the national collection. He is one of Ireland’s most iconic musicians, and his talent for playing the guitar is legendary and celebrated globally. It’s fitting that these guitars will become part of Ireland’s national collection, to be treasured and secured for generations to come.” Here’s a short interview with Dónal for RTÉ at the exhibition.
Rock Music Studies Paper
In mid-October, Rock Music Studies published a paper I’ve long wanted to write. The study tackles the notorious Hendrix ‘quote’ about Rory, using digital archival research and social media analysis to trace the legend’s origins, circulation and reception. It also reflects on why this myth remains so persistent—and so divisive—particularly in relation to Rory’s musical legacy and questions of Irish national identity. If you’d like to read it, you can do so here.
Cork Jazz Festival
As part of this year’s Cork Jazz Festival, Cork City Hall played host on 26 October to a special tribute night, ‘Rory Gallagher – The Legend Lives On’. Organised by Tom Keating, the event brought together some of Ireland’s finest rock musicians to honour Rory’s music and memory. Bands including Deuce, Moonchild and Crow Black Chicken filled the hall with the type of energy and spirit that continues to keep Rory’s legacy alive in his hometown.
NOVEMBER
13th Rory Gallagher Weekend Fürth
Rory fans from across Europe flocked to the Kofferfabrik in Fürth, Germany on 28th and 29th November to take part in the 13th Rory Gallagher Weekend. The venue featured energetic performances from Clemens Beisch & Rory’s Heritage, Deuce, The Mississippi Sheiks, Higgins and The Loop. Vincent Wolting was also there to exhibit the precious Rory items in his personal collection.
DECEMBER
Rory 2026 Calendar
Cork City Libraries released a limited-edition 2026 Rory calendar to celebrate the success of the Cork Rocks for Rory Festival. Offered free of charge and restricted to one copy per person – and only to those living in Cork – the calendar quickly ran out, leaving many fans disappointed.
Say Nothing
Fans tuning in to the Channel 4 drama Say Nothing, which chronicles four decades of Northern Ireland during the Troubles, were delighted to hear a brief snippet of ‘A Million Miles Away’ at the start of Episode 3.
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