Donegal’s Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival has been named among the Best Festivals in Ireland winning the accolade at the Irish Festival Awards.
The Ballyshannon festival scooped the Best Small Festival for ticketed attendances up to 5,000 people. The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival claimed the award ahead of some 20 other Festivals in its category with “Electric Picnic” winning the Best Major Festival Award.
The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival was established in 2002 and since then has firmly become one of the most popular Music Festivals in Ireland, attracting hundreds of overseas visitors and in particular dedicated Rory Gallagher Fans to the North West.
Chairperson and founder of the Rory Gallagher Festival Committee, Barry O’Neill has greeted the announcement with delight.
“Its absolutely fantastic news for the locality to have the Rory Gallagher Festival named Irish Festival of the Year in the Small Festival Category,” Barry said. “It’s an honour for the hard working voluntary committee but also we would like to thank the thousands of people who come to Ballyshannon every year to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher.
“We are looking forward to the 2017 Tribute Festival, with tickets to date sold in 22 countries across the World.”
Speaking from his London home, Donal Gallagher, brother and Manager of the guitar hero said: “The news of the success for the Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival at the Irish Festival Awards is well deserved and Rory’s fans will be in particular very pleased by this news.
“I congratulate all the committee members on a fantastic achievement, it’s a truly amazing result and would mean so much to Rory.
“Ballyshannon have over the past 15 years ensured that Rory’s music and legacy remains strong and has became a focal point for thousands of Rory’s fans from all over the world to meet on annual basis, we are so proud of this award.”
Donal Gallagher pictured at the statue to his brother, the Late Rory Gallagher in Ballyshannon.
The 16th Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival takes place in Ballyshannon from June 1-4.
The Full Festival line-up and Programme will be announced on March 2 at a special launch at Arthur’s venue at St. James’ Gate, Dublin to coincide with what would have been Rory Gallagher’s 69th birthday.
Among the Headline acts set to perform between 1st & 4th June 2017 are Band of Friends featuring Gerry McAvoy and Ted McKenna (Rory Gallagher Band), “Taste of Rory” featuring John Wilson and Richie McCracken (Rory’s “Taste” Band members) as well as Woodstock legends “Ten Years After”, Bernie Marsden Band (ex. Whitesnake) and there is massive interest also in Scottish Rockers “King King” who will be making their Ballyshannon debut.
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