A campaign is under way to erect a permanent memorial in Portstewart, County Londonderry, to guitarist Henry McCullough, who is described as the only Irishman to have performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. McCullough died on 14 June 2016, according to Wikipedia, and his widow Josie has said a statue would properly recognise his contribution to music.
McCullough appeared at Woodstock as lead guitarist with Joe Cocker and the Grease Band, and one source names him as the sole Irish performer at the festival, according to IMDb. Over the course of his career he also recorded and toured with Sir Paul McCartney's band Wings, and worked alongside acts including Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.
Speaking about her late husband, Josie McCullough said a statue would carry deep meaning for those who knew him.
"A statue would mean a lot… he deserves to be recognised for the very unique person that he was," McCullough's wife Josie said.
Where did his career begin?
McCullough was born in Portstewart on 21 July 1943, according to Wikipedia, and began performing with a series of local bands, including Eire Apparent, who toured alongside Jimi Hendrix. By the late 1960s he had joined The Grease Band, which served as Joe Cocker's backing group at the time of the Woodstock festival, one of the most celebrated events in modern music history. He went on to record five albums with Joe Cocker and the Grease Band between 1969 and 1975, according to a music retrospective, showing his Woodstock appearance was part of a much longer working partnership rather than an isolated moment.
How did he come to join Wings?
McCullough spent 18 months recording and touring with Wings during the 1970s after Sir Paul McCartney invited him into the band following several informal jamming sessions. McCartney later praised McCullough's guitar solo on the US number one single My Love, calling it "a classic".
Why does Portstewart matter to his legacy?
According to Josie McCullough, her husband remained closely tied to his hometown despite decades of international touring.
"It would be wonderful to have something to mark all of that. We all know Henry was very humble, I think that came from his upbringing. He never forgot his roots. It made him what he was. It is very important to have something in Portstewart," she said.
She added that, whatever stages he played on around the world, Portstewart remained his true home.
Who is pushing for the memorial?
Local musician Wes Gilmore has held discussions with Causeway Coast and Glens Council about establishing a permanent tribute to McCullough. He said he is also in contact with local MLAs and hopes to arrange a meeting with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
"I am hopeful something will happen," he said, adding McCullough's music "means a lot to me".
Gilmore said he grew up admiring McCullough's style of playing and wants his influence properly acknowledged in the town where he was born.
What happens next?
Causeway Coast and Glens Council has been asked to comment on the proposal, and no decision on a memorial has yet been announced. Campaigners say further conversations with local political representatives and arts bodies are expected as the push for recognition continues.
Key Facts
- Henry McCullough was born in Portstewart, County Londonderry, on 21 July 1943 and died on 14 June 2016.
- He played guitar for Joe Cocker and the Grease Band at Woodstock in 1969, reportedly the only Irish performer at the festival.
- He spent 18 months with Sir Paul McCartney's band Wings in the 1970s.
- He recorded five albums with Joe Cocker and the Grease Band between 1969 and 1975.
- Local musician Wes Gilmore is lobbying Causeway Coast and Glens Council and Northern Ireland's Arts Council for a permanent memorial.
