Vatican astronomer simply starstruck
Tuesday March 31 2009
A visit by the Vatican's top astronomer proved a remarkable trip down memory lane as the music-obsessed cleric took a walking tour of sites associated with his guitar hero Rory Gallagher.
Brother Guy Consolmagno was in Cork for a special lecture dubbed 'The Vatican and Astronomy since Galileo'.
He took advantage of his Leeside visit to tour sites and locations associated with Gallagher, one of the cleric's great music heroes.
Br Guy (56) -- a native of Michigan in the US -- grew up listening to the world's greatest rock and blues guitarists and he ranks Rory Gallagher as one of his all-time favourites.
Yesterday he launched the 100 Hours of Astronomy at Blackrock Castle Observatory (right) before trying out a few chords in Crowley's Music Centre (left), where Gallagher bought his guitar, a Strat (61).
Although from Donegal, Rory Gallagher spent most of his life in Cork and the city now boasts numerous sites associated with the great guitarist.
Br Guy is the son of an Irish-American mother and an Italian father and traces his love for Gallagher back to his teenage years.
- Ralph Riegel
