The son of legendary Irish musician Pecker Dunne has made an emotional appeal for help finding a banjo that was stolen from his father almost 40 years ago.

Stephen ‘The Pecker’ Dunne, who has followed in his father’s musical footsteps, took to Facebook to ask the public to keep an eye out for the distinctive instrument, which holds huge sentimental value for his family.

In his post, Stephen admitted that finding the banjo again would be a long shot, but said he was hopeful that someone, somewhere might recognise it.

‘Hi folks. This is a longshot,’ he wrote.

‘The banjo in the picture was stolen from my father back in the 80s from his caravan. I would love to get my hands back on it.’

Stephen urged anyone who may have seen the instrument over the years, or who might have information about where it ended up, to get in touch with him privately.

‘Would be nice to get it back. If anyone has any idea. Give me a DM,’ he said, while also asking people to share his appeal.

The banjo isn’t simply an old musical instrument; it has a unique connection to Pecker Dunne and his extraordinary career.

Stephen recently came across old family photographs showing his father playing the banjo, including one particularly poignant image in which Pecker can be seen holding a young Stephen close while the instrument is in his hands.

It was seeing the photographs again that prompted Stephen to wonder whether the long-lost banjo could still be out there somewhere.

The instrument was reportedly made especially for Pecker and carried an engraving inside reading ‘specially made for Pecker Dunne’.

According to the Independent, the story behind the banjo dates back to his father’s involvement with U2’s circle in the 1980s.

Pecker had recorded material with people connected to the band, and Stephen recalls that the specially made and engraved banjo was presented to his father as a gift.