“I would love to keep it in Ireland if we could”: The Irish government wants to ensure Rory Gallagher’s iconic Fender Strat remains in the country

Left-Rory Gallagher playing his '61 Fender Strat on stage; Right-A 1961 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, Vox AC30 amplifier and Rangemaster treble booster owned by the late Irish musician Rory Gallagher, photographed during a studio shoot for Guitarist Magazine/Future via Getty Images.

Rory Gallagher's iconic ’61 Fender Stratocaster is expected to fetch between £700,000 and £1,000,000 at auction this October. However, a representative of the Irish government recently announced that the government is considering purchasing Gallagher's guitar to keep it in the country due to its national significance.

Cork, the city where Gallagher bought the guitar, is now leading the way in a campaign to keep the guitar in Ireland. Tánaiste [the second-ranking member of the government of Ireland], Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin publicly said he is working to bring the matter to the attention of Catherine Martin, the country's Culture and Heritage Minister.