To Rory admirers everywhere greetings from Cork, in these strange times I hope you and yours are all safe and well, to anyone unwell bless you and I wish you comfort.
At the time of speaking, many ‘Rory’ events have had to be understandably postponed, the unveiling of Rory’s statue, at the Ulster Hall, Belfast, the annual Ballyshannon Festival, to mention a few, though like Rory’s timeless music there’ll be a sweet refrain, meantime, we all have had to learn to improvise like the master himself did.
Though 25 years have evaporated since my brother passed away, his presence is still as pronounced as ever and his star-light continues to shine even brighter still, as freshly evidenced by ‘Check Shirt Wizard’, hitting the top of Billboard’s Blues Album charts for three weeks – a fitting tribute he would have strived for in his shortened lifetime.
My thanks to all of you for honouring and supporting Rory’s good name and music down through years, I wish you well through these dark but brightening days.
Dónal Gallagher