There is a decent four-figure sum in streaming royalties for his estate but no one is getting rich.
But not much for Donal.
The back catalogue is likely the property of UMC now - at least as long as RGE has some measure of artistic presentation control, it appears.
Folks, I have just had a positive thinking brainwave. I offer it to the music business brains on this forum for inspection.
THE PLAN
1. Combined fans of Rory Gallagher in Ireland, Europe and elsewhere gather funds together quickly and, with sympathetic assistance from Cork & Donegal Councils,
find and redesign suitable premises for a Rory Gallagher Museum in both Cork (main) and Ballyshannon (satellite).
2. Rory Gallagher Estate (RGE) commits to
lease the instruments and other personal effects to a new entity in Rory Gallagher Museum (RGM) - largely in Cork but with another space in Ballyshannon, possibly sharing the effects between them.
3. In return for the lease of the above listed,
RGE get 50c from every admission ticket sold for the next 2 years or else till RGE accumulate total royalties of an agreed figure of € x. Only when the agreed period or royalty sum has been attained will title of the aforesaid instruments and personal effects be transferred to the trustees of the RGM. RGM has the option of buying themselves out of this deal at the aforementioned cost.
3a. To avert the failings of other museums,
RGM will not engage in any enterprise unrelated to the core purposes of RGE which might put it into conflict with neighbouring enterprises in Cork or Ballyshannon. For example, RGM will not have its own coffee shop as this would be damaging to nearby cafés and also require more extensive space within the premises for the patrons' toilet areas, space better used for the museum proper.
Neither will its music and memorabilia shop sell albums, photos, printed clothing, etc related to artists other than RG.
4. A combined
"Rory Day" & Rock Festival - venue and date to be arranged each year according to patrons' convenience - is to be organised by an experienced impressario so as to maximise both local and tourist patronage to RGM. Maximisation of RGM income to be achieved via sales of official year-specific T-shirts, "Rory suits" (check shirt, denim/cord jacket, jeans + sneakers) at cheap prices.
5. When the above structures are in place and the business plan on track, RGM can consider
developing other related facilities, e.g. modern music performance academy, RG médiathèque, exchange programs, modern music scholarships, etc.
6. To avoid any conflict between the interests of RGM and RGE in the coming years,
RGE will have a representative on the trustees council of RGM. This will afford RGE due consultation and input to any proposed ventures for the furtherance of RGM consolidation and development, it being accepted that RGE has a bona fide interest in the tasteful presentation of the late artist's work and image rights.
This interaction will be respectful and consultative at all times but it will not amount to an all-out veto by RGE's representative on any of RGM's intentions otherwise agreed by stakeholders, i.e. fans, local authorities, arts council, local and national public.