Rory Gallagher

AKA:

The Greatest Guitarist You Have Never Heard Of

Birth Name:

William Rory Gallagher

Birth Date:

March 2, 1948

Birth Place:

The Rock Hospital, Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland

Death Date:

June 14, 1995

Place of Death:

King's College Hospital, London, England

Age:

Cause of Death:

Staphylococcal infection (MRSA) following a liver transplant

Cemetery Name:

St. Oliver's Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Music

One of Europe's great guitar players, Rory Gallagher's single-minded dedication to the blues and refusal to change his style for radio success forever relegated him to small clubs and the college tour circuit. Born in Ballyshannon, Ireland Gallagher formed his first band, Taste, in 1968. A blend of heavy metal power chords and American blues, Taste recorded several well-received on the ATCO record label. With so few Irish rock bands apart from Van Morrison and Them, Taste began to garner critical and popular acclaim touring with Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Yes, Cream and Blind Faith before disbanding under a cloud of financial mismanagement. Gallagher continued as a solo act, touring the U.S. no less than 25 times. Voted Musician of the Year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972, Gallagher's popularity dropped considerably over the next decade. In 1994, during a small tour of Europe clubs and college gigs, Gallagher fell seriously ill in very short order and underwent a liver transplant in 1995. He died of a massive infection while still recuperating in the hospital.

Fun Fact

Rory Gallagher fans included the Edge of U2 and Bob Dylan, who was initially turned away backstage at a 1978 show because Gallagher didn’t recognize him.

In 1969 at the original Woodstock Festival, a journalist asked Jimi Hendrix how does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? Jimi replied, “I don’t know, ask Rory Gallagher.”

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

St. Oliver's Cemetery

Carrigrohane

Cork, ,

Ireland

Europe

Map:

Map of St. Oliver's Cemetery in Cork, Ireland

Grave Location:

Gallagher Family Plot, Block 6

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery after parking your car, walk straight ahead past the cemetery office on your left. Walk to the second paved walkway and turn right. Now go to the next walkway and look to your right, two spaces from the path, for the gold sunburst gravesite for one of the great yet underrated rock guitarist Rory Gallagher.