On Friday 21st at 8pm in The Commodore Hotel Cobh, we have a truly special event in store for you. Dónal Gallagher is visiting the festival as our honoured special guest, and is going to take part in a conversation on Kick Back City, a unique tribute to Rory Gallaghers lifelong love of crime noir fiction, before a film screening of his renowned 1974 Irish Tour.

Dónal is the brother of the late Irish blues-rock legend Rory Gallagher, who passed away in 1995. Dónal has been dedicated to preserving and promoting his brother’s legacy and music ever since. This year our Festival is celebrating Rory’s life, music, and legacy.

Come join us.

One of Dónal most ambitious projects to date has been Kick Back City, a unique tribute to Rory’s lifelong love of crime noir fiction. Kick Back City is a three-disc set that includes a collection of Rory’s songs inspired by the genre, a novella by best-selling author Ian Rankin that incorporates Rory’s lyrics and titles, and illustrations by comic artist Timothy Truman that bring the story to life.

The project was conceived by Dónal and his son Daniel, who are both fans of Rankin’s work. They approached Rankin with the idea and he agreed to write the novella, titled The Lie Factory, which follows a private detective named Aidan Quinn (voiced by the actor of the same name on the audio disc) as he investigates a murder in a corrupt city full of shady characters and references to Rory’s songs.

Dónal wanted to write this because he wanted to honor his brother’s passion for crime noir fiction and his influence on other artists. He said in an interview that Rory was an avid reader of crime novels and that he often used them as inspiration for his songs. He also said that he wanted to create something different from the usual compilation albums and that he wanted to collaborate with people who shared Rory’s vision and appreciation. He said that he was a fan of Ian Rankin’s books and that he was delighted when Rankin agreed to write the novella. He also said that he was impressed by Timothy Truman’s illustrations and that he thought they captured the mood and atmosphere of Rory’s music. Dónal says that Kick Back City was a labor of love and a tribute to Rory’s legacy and creativity.

Truman, who had previously worked with the Grateful Dead and Santana, was also a fan of Rory’s music and agreed to create the artwork for the novella and the packaging. Kick Back City is a one-of-a-kind release that showcases Rory’s passion for music and literature, as well as his influence on other artists across different media. It is a must-have for fans of Rory Gallagher, Ian Rankin, graphic novels, and crime noir fiction.

Do NOT miss this event!