Fans urged to show support as the first images of Gary Moore’s statue for Belfast are unveiled
Fans have been asked to provide their financial support to help erect a statue of Northern Ireland’s very own music legend Gary Moore in Belfast.
It comes after the first impression - or clay impression - of the statue has now been completed, which is first step in the statue-making process and will be used to make the mould from which the final bronze statue is cast.
Belfast boy Moore rose to fame with Dublin band Skid Row, during which time he toured the USA alongside the Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa and more.
Moore played in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees Thin Lizzy, and also G-Force and Colosseum II. During his career, he recorded and released 37 career albums and 53 singles.
Moore, who had a global hit with his ‘Still Got The Blues’ album in 1990, died on February 6, 2011. His guitar mastery saw him collaborate with stars such as Ozzy Osbourne, BB King, George Harrison, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker.
The Wild Frontier Memorial Project – which was formed in 2018 – are responsible for the fundraising support for the statue in Belfast.
Belfast City Council has given its full support for the statue and is currently aiming to secure a suitable location in the city’s cultural and tourism hub. While fan support has covered the costs of the clay impression, which is now secured and ready for bronze casting, another £70k is needed to complete the statue plus additional costs to deliver it from the artist’s studio in Scotland and install it in Belfast.
An online crowdfunding page has been launched to support the project while fans host annual Gary Moore tribute gigs as fundraisers.
Sculptor David A Annand, who was chosen on artistic merit, most notably for the incredible likeness of his Billy Connolly statue in Glasgow, has completed the full size clay model of the statue which has met the approval of the late rock and blues legend’s family.
Gary’s sister, Patricia Moore, said: “It was overwhelming to see the first images of Gary’s statue. It now feels like a reality. We always wanted this to be a statue that Gary’s fans had ownership of. We wanted to allow every fan to say, ‘I helped put this statue here.’
“It feels so close but there’s still a way to go. We are all looking forward to a day when people will visit Belfast to pay their respects to Gary and the statue. We just need a big push to get the funding needed, and we hope fans will be encouraged with the clay model images!”
Among his many award-winning works, Mr Annand has created memorials for road racing legends William and Robert Dunlop in Northern Ireland, a sculptor of Hollywood screen legend Philip Seymour Hoffman at New York’s Eastman Museum, a statue of golfer Old Tom Morris at St Andrews in Scotland, and Marie Curie in Belfast.
David said: “It’s with great pride that I have been entrusted to create an impression of Gary Moore for his native city, Belfast. Gary was a wonderful guitar player, and I hope the joy he brought to so many with his talent will be revisited when his statue takes pride of place in his wonderful city.”