In July 2025, acclaimed blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa played three nights live at the Marquee in Cork in tribute to the legendary Rory Gallagher. Since the sudden death of Rory Gallagher on June 14, 1995, at the age of 47, his status in the music world has only grown larger and more relevant. Rory was a self-taught virtuoso who brought about a musical revolution, avoided the pitfalls of fame and stardom, and yet became an internationally acclaimed superstar and inspiration for many. Rory's influence reached across generations – every aspiring guitarist who encountered him was undoubtedly inspired or transformed by the power of the guitar. Only a handful of guitarists can even remotely do justice to Rory's music and guitar playing, and Joe Bonamassa dutifully took on that challenge, which he himself called "the greatest challenge of my musical life." During three sold-out nights, Joe and his fantastic band brought Gallagher's music to life!
