Over 10,000 signatures have been collected in Cork to rename the city's airport in honour of former resident and legendary figure of Irish music, Rory Gallagher.
Under the plans Cork International Airport, as it is called now, would be rebranded as Rory Gallagher Airport in a plan somewhat similar to those which led to the Belfast's airport being titled in honour of George Best, or Nottingham's being named after Robin Hood.
Leo Varadkar, the Minister for Transport, has reiterated that the plans are very far from being approved, though. Cork Airport operates at a financial loss and Varadkar maintains that in order for the airport to survive the recession a decision may have to be taken to auction the airport's naming rights to the highest bidder.
As quoted by HotPress, Varadkar did acknowledge that "Gallagher was a fine musician and artists and the people of Cork are justly proud of his association with the city."
We hope this does come to pass though, as Rory Gallagher is one of the finest musicians our island has ever produced and naming the city's airport after him would be a fitting honour for a man of his significant stature. Let's get something similar in the works for Dublin too. Luke Kelly International Airport, anyone?
Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon in Donegal but soon moved to Cork where he lived for the majority of his life. He died in 1995 after a battle with liver disease.
