Belfast is making a degree of honouring its biggest guitarists. Earlier this month, town unveiled a statue of the legendary Rory Gallagher – and plans at the moment are in place to erect a statue of former Skid Row and Skinny Lizzy guitarist and blues legend Gary Moore.

The information has been shared by Belfast’s Inexperienced Get together councillor, Brian Smyth. “Belfast Metropolis Council agreed to my proposal to hold out a land verify of web sites within the Cathedral Quarter for a possible Gary Moore statue,” he writes on Instagram. “As a proud son of our metropolis and East Belfast, he blazed a path and has left an enduring legacy for rock and blues followers internationally.”

“Gary was one of many biggest ever guitarists and deserves to be honoured in his dwelling metropolis,” he continues. “We now have by no means been nice at celebrating our individuals who have achieved nice success. It’s time to alter that in relation to Gary Moore and inform his story for future generations of aspiring musicians in Belfast.”

The statue must be privately funded, nonetheless. Smyth is working with the Wild Frontier Memorial Challenge to hopefully increase €80,000 for the statue.

Smyth additionally famous the necessity for personal funding on the January assembly of the council’s Metropolis Development and Regeneration Committee. As The Irish Information studies, Smyth famous that Moore was “most likely the best guitarist to come back out of Belfast.”

“[The statue will] rejoice Moore’s contribution to blues and rock,” Smyth defined to the council. “[It] encourage future generations of musicians, encourage tourism into Gary’s native metropolis, and rejoice considered one of Belfast’s most exceptional abilities, who’s admired world wide.”

Earlier this month, Gallagher’s statue was unveiled beside the Ulster Corridor on Bedford Road. Followers weren’t too impressed by it, nonetheless.

“A statue of Irish rock and blues legend Rory Gallagher has been unveiled at Belfast’s Ulster Corridor.
It’s situated exterior the venue on Bedford Road the place Gallagher performed repeatedly all through the Troubles in Northern Eire.” pic.twitter.com/XBk9xjRJFw

— Rory Gallagher (@rorygallagher) January 4, 2025

One consumer on Instagram in contrast the statue’s look to comedic actor “Bizarre Al” Yankovic. Elsewhere, others have criticised the selection to have Gallagher utilizing a Tele when he famously beloved a Fender Strat.

Should you’re eager to assist Gary Moore’s statue, you’ll be able to donate to the Gary Moore Statue for Belfast marketing campaign.