Jun 10 2023
Irish Premiere of Tony Palmer’s Irish Tour ’74 Film
19th Cork International Film Festival June 8-15
The Irish Premiere of Tony Palmer’s Irish Tour ’74
On the 10th of June 1974, Tony Palmer’s documentary on Rory Gallagher’s tour of Ireland in ’74 premiered at the 19th annual Cork International Film Festival. The famed documentary filmmaker, had met Rory when he was filming Cream’s farewell concert at the Albert Hall in 1968. Rory’s band Taste were the support band for Cream at the show.
The [opening] group was a group called Taste. And I’m sitting watching Taste and thinking, “My God, these guys are good. Especially that guitarist, whoever he is.” I went to find Robert Stigwood [Cream’s manager] and I said, “We really ought to film Taste as well. I think there’s something there rather special.” Stigwood refused permission. He said, stick with Cream. — Music Film web Interview 2014
Despite Stigwood’s refusal to film Taste, Tony went backstage after Taste’s set and introduced himself to Rory and told him how remarkable his playing was. The two agreed to keep in touch, and in late ’73 when Rory decided to film his upcoming Christmas shows in the south and the north of Ireland he requested Tony Palmer to do them. Intrigued by the idea of filming the exceptional guitarist on both sides of the border, and despite the dangers involved in those turbulent days of ‘The Troubles,’ Tony jumped at the chance. Rory’s decision to play in the North was however, not a political statement but a musical one; as he says in the critically acclaimed documentary:
In an Irish tour, I always try to include Belfast and the North of Ireland. After all, I lived there for a while and I learned a lot playing in the clubs there, so I’ve a sort of home feeling for the place.
Rory’s tour of Ireland didn’t go off without a few tense moments. The day prior to his show at the Ulster Hall in Belfast ten bombs went off at various locations around the city and many thought he would call off the shows but Rory would have none of that. Despite the potential threats of violence the shows went on and were a tremendous success.
It was a very, very difficult period. The camera crew were detained at Belfast Airport, locked in a room and interrogated very closely about what they were filming and why. So, you have to remember that there was a very tense atmosphere. But every time Rory appeared on the stage, North or South, east or west, there was a true sense of peace and love, not in any hippy sense of the word, but a true and genuine sense of community and happiness. — Tony Palmer, Hot Press 2024
The documentary film, Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 premiered at the Capitol Cinema in Cork on the 10th of June 1974, one of Ireland’s entries in the Feature’s section of the Cork International Film Festival. Rory was in attendance at the first screening of the film and met the press afterwards at a buffet reception at the Savoy Cinema where he was presented with a Golden Disc by John Woods, General Manager of Polydor Ireland, in recognition of selling 250,000 sales of his album Live in Europe.
Another film being screened at the Savoy later that evening was the U.S. entry, Blazing Saddles. Rory and his brother Donal were huge fans of this Mel Brooks comedy, so much so that when Rory’s film ‘Irish Tour ’74’ premiered at the Cork Film Festival, Rory nominated Blazing Saddles to be also screened as part of the festival. Just two weeks earlier, on the 29th of May Rory had worn a Blazing Saddles t-shirt on stage during his show at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes in Barcelona.
Rory was an avid moviegoer and was often seen on the streets of Cork on his way to the local movie houses such as the Palace or Capitol Cinemas, often going there 10 – 15 times a month when he was home and had some downtime between tours. To now be the star of his own film premiering in his hometown must have been special! The posh premiere didn’t sit well with one fan however, who wrote to the local newspaper complaining that Rory’s true fans weren’t able to go to the premiere because it was for the season ticket holders only.
Why Keep Us Out? SIR — On reading your paper tonight I was disgusted to see that only season ticket holders will be allowed to see the Cork Film International. There is one film I would like to see and cannot afford the price. The film is Rory Gallagher Irish Tour ’74. I cannot imagine a load of 90 year olds at this film and enjoying it, so why not let us teenagers in to see it at a special price. LONG LIVE RORY! — 28 May 1974 edition of the Evening Echo
I’m sure Rory would well have commiserated with the young lad if he had known his plight, for it wasn’t so long ago that he himself had too few pennies to push as well. Hopefully the lad got to see his hero not long after, once the 90 year olds had their listen. Long live Rory indeed!
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