A 1920’s restored mandolin that Ballyshannon-born blues guitarist Rory Gallagher once used is set to be donated to Ballyshannon & District museum on Friday.
The donation will take play on the same day thousands are expected to flood Ballyshannon for the Rory Gallagher International Festival on May 31.
Gallagher used the vintage George La Foley mandolin to play several tunes following the discovery of the instrument in a bin in the early 1970’s Joseph Cohen outside the Belfast-based Crymbles Music Store.
Upon hearing about the mandolin’s restoration, the blues guitarist suggested the stringed instrument be brought to Boosey & Hawkes Ltd in London for historical verification before playing several his songs.
Belfast man, Cohen, will donate the instrument to the Ballyshannon and District Museum, on the top floor of Slevin’s Department Store, for permanent display on Friday at 11:30am.
The event is opened to the public.
