Prized guitars belonging to the late Philip Chevron of The Radiators From Space and The Pogues were presented to music students at Mountjoy Prison by Billy Bragg today, October 14.
The donation is part of Bragg’s Jail Guitar Doors initiative which is committed to providing musical instruments and equipment to help rehabilitate inmates serving time across the world and it’s the first one in the Republic of Ireland.
Bragg was approached by Chevron weeks before his death last year with the idea that he would make the donation of the instruments.
Bragg said: “Jail Guitar Doors believes that music can help offenders on the path to rehabilitation. Phillip and I spoke about how his guitar collection could make a contribution to this process.
"Thanks to his insightful donation, Jail Guitar Doors is able to take its first steps in Ireland, having provided guitars to over 50 prisons in the UK in the past seven years.”
An evening to celebrate the life and work of Philip Chevron, Chevron Lives, will be held on Sunday, November 23rd in The Sugar Club, Dublin and will feature contributions from Roddy Doyle, Joseph O’Connor and The Trouble Pilgrims, the new band arisen from the ashes of the Radiators.
