“Kim Deal with Bruce Springsteen’s guitar”: Statue of Rory Gallagher is unveiled in Belfast... but fans aren’t happy

A new statue of the late great Rory Gallagher has been unveiled in his hometown of Belfast. High time, of course. Gallagher left us 30 years ago, in 1995, at the ridiculously young age of 47. But it’s not the guitar that people are getting upset about. It’s the guitar he’s depicted carrying.

“Wrong guitar,” wrote one fan on social media. Another lamented that “Rory owned a Tele. But his… STRAT was his iconic trademark.” “No Strat? Not too clever,” moaned a third.

It should be said that the statue recreates a pose from a picture that featured on the cover of Melody Maker in 1972. In it, Gallagher stands arms aloft at a gig in Belfast, and yes, in the photo he has a Tele round his neck. And of course, like many musicians who reach a certain level, Gallagher didn’t just stick to one guitar – he also used Les Paul Juniors and Gretsch Corvettes at other times.

But the criticisms didn’t stop there. There’s also the fact that the statue looks, er how can we say this... somewhat feminine. One YouTube commenter described it as “Kim Deal with Bruce Springsteen’s guitar”. Other comments included: “I don’t know who that is supposed to look like but it ain’t Rory Gallagher!” and “Looks more like Madonna.”

And it wasn’t just the anonymous online hordes. Thomas Walsh, the Irish musician best known for his band Pugwash and being half of the Duckworth Lewis Method with Neil Hannon, posted a photo of the statue and quipped: “Ireland has unveiled its latest statue celebrating the life and career of one of our most beloved rock icons – KT Tunstall.”

Recreating someone in sculpture is notoriously difficult - even more so when the subject is a beloved public figure. Gallagher won’t be the first iconic musician whose likeness hasn’t been captured perfectly in this form. One only has to think of the risible statue of Michael Jackson that for many years resided outside Fulham’s Craven Cottage Ground in South West London. Or the terrible ‘tribute’ to John Lennon that for some reason was placed in Oxborough in Norfolk and looks more like Barry Gibb than the ex-Beatle.

Still, at least Belfast now has some tribute to Gallagher’s legacy. “It has been many years in the making, and we are incredibly grateful for the support we've received from fans, fellow musicians, and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rory’s legacy alive,” said Frank Girvan, a member of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust.

“We hope more people will join us in these efforts, as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives.”