Rory Gallagher – Crusader of the Blues…

Late sixties Belfast. It was the best of times. The worst of times was just round the corner. Waiting for us like a mugger in a darkened alley.

It is surprising to think back to those days, pre – troubles. Such a different time. The troubles never really started, in my opinion, until July 1969, and even then 1969 recorded only 16 deaths. I remember this period well, I travelled daily to school in Belfast and socialised occasionally in Belfast at weekends. It was a time when you could walk through the darkened streets of Belfast at night, in areas like Smithfield for example, without feeling that you were in danger. It was one such night in 1967 that I went to the Maritime Club with some slightly older friends. The main band that night was The Few, a popular Belfast blues band at the time. I remember well what happened next. The Few finished their set and the crowd drifted away from the stage to the refreshments area. As they did so the band who were doing the break for The Few started to play. Visualise people freezing mid movement then turning back towards the stage. It was a WTF moment. Rory, and his band Taste, had started to play. And that’s how it all started. In no time at all Taste were on everybody’s lips and were playing all over the North. Another big moment for fans was the release of their first single “Blister on the Moon”. I remember hearing that for the first time on route to Portrush for the Easter weekend 1968. There were five of us in the car. The excitement at hearing Rory on Radio 1!

So 1970 arrived and that mugger emerged from his darkened alley. Those words “darkened alley” seemed like a good metaphor when I started to write this but as I do it sends a shiver down my spine. I guess I’ve seen too many pictures of cordoned off alleyways, covered bodies in the background, the horror there for all to see. I remember as a student listening to the radio at night in the early seventies when tit for tat was rampant and murder a daily occurrence. I also remember reading Dillon and Lehane’s book “Political Murder in Northern Ireland” at the time. I wish I hadn’t because it depressed me for a while. Their conclusion was that the vast majority of these deaths were people who were “In the wrong place at the wrong time.”

"A statue of Irish rock and blues legend Rory Gallagher has been unveiled at Belfast's Ulster Hall.
It is located outside the venue on Bedford Street where Gallagher played regularly throughout the Troubles in Northern Ireland."https://t.co/rm2NWTBYCf pic.twitter.com/XBk9xjRJFw

— Rory Gallagher (@rorygallagher) January 4, 2025

The halcyon days of the late sixties soon became a distant memory. Northern Ireland was simmering under the surface I know. But the social fabric was intact. It is easy to portray N.I. as a place that never knew peace but as I have said you could hang about Belfast city centre at night, go to pubs and dance halls, and enjoy yourself. Fair play then to Rory who never deserted the place and did regular Christmas gigs at the Ulster Hall throughout the grim years of the seventies and eighties, although sadly I never did get to go to any of them. It was during this period that Rory came into his own I believe. Taste were surprise stars of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival but they disbanded and Rory formed a new band with bass player Gerry McAvoy and later added keyboard player Lou Martin. His song writing blossomed and his stage performances went to a different level.

Rory’s statue outside the Ulster Hall is long overdue. But I would love a wee plaque outside Greenisland Scout Hall. Seriously! You see the great man played there in 1969. I often wondered how this happened until I came across a local magazine entitled “The History of Greenisland” and discovered how. Apparently Rory had been going out with a girl from Greenisland and her brother asked him if he would play there. How strange to think that an artist with estimated worldwide record sales of 30 million once played there and who today would know that? I was there that day myself of course and my friend Ivan and his band did the break for them. Ivan was a fine guitar player but that was the best I ever heard him play – he was using Rory’s equipment!

So today I’m off to the Ulster Hall for the unveiling of Rory’s statue. I’ll soak up the atmosphere and maybe see a few old faces. Thank for all those memories Rory. “Crusader of the Blues?” Definitely. And to that I would add “Gentleman and Friend of Belfast.”