Joe Cooley (1924–1973) was one of the great masters of traditional Irish music on the button accordion. Cooley was born in Peterswell, Galway and began playing accordion as a child tutored by his parents. As he grew older he was regularly employed throughout the west of Ireland and in Dublin, performing arduous labor as was typical of the time. In Dublin he met Sonny Brogan and Johnny Doran and it is likely they influenced his music.

He was later recruited to join the Tulla Ceili Band and a recording of him can be heard on copies of the 1975 album "Cooley" on one of the tracks playing reels including "The Ships are Sailing" and "The Morning Star". Tony MacMahon, who idolized Cooley, picked this individual track because he thought it accurately shared Cooley's massive impact on the band's sound. The Tulla later went on to win multiple All-Ireland Medals and other awards.

In the 1950's Joe left Ireland, first visiting London and then leaving for America. He spent time in Boston (whose Comhaltas branch still bears his name [Reynolds-Hanafin-Cooley]), New York, Chicago, and eventually San Francisco, where he stayed for some time. He was rarely without his musical partner Kevin Keegan during these travels.

In 1973 Joe was severely ill with cancer. He toured and made several recordings for which we have Tony MacMahon and Des Mulkere to thank. Since he has influenced many great accordion players and is still, to my ear, unparalleled among boxplayers in his ability to combine emotion and wildness in his music.

I was given this recording with the hope that it would be shared. This seems like a good medium in which to do so.

Joe Cooley: Apples in Winter (jig)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Copperplate Time 495 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; presented by Alan O'Leary &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;  1.&nbsp;Bothy Band: &nbsp;Green Groves/Flowers of Red Hill. &nbsp;&nbsp;1975  2. Ushers Island: &nbsp;The Half Century Set. &nbsp;Ushers Island 3. John Doyle/Ushers Island:&nbsp;&nbsp; Heart in Hand. &nbsp;Ushers Island  4. Carlos/Sweeney/McCartin: The Tinker’s Stick/Spoil the Dance/Humours of Lissadell. &nbsp;The One After it 5. Dan Brouder &amp; Angelina Carberry: Michael Gorman’s/Tommie Potts’/Alice’s Reel/Finbarr Dwyer’s. A Waltz for Joy 6. Mick O’Brien &amp; Coaimhin O’Raghallaigh: &nbsp;Na Ceannabhain Bhana/Alisdrum’s March/Munster Buttermilk.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kitty Lie Over 7. Eamonn Cotter: Lady Gordon’s/Lord Gordon’s.Trad Music from Clare 8. Christy Moore: &nbsp;The Broomie Law. &nbsp;A Terrible Beauty 9. Laoise Kelly: &nbsp;&nbsp;Little John’s Home/The Spey in Spate.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ceís 10. PJ &amp; Marcus Hernon: The Brown Coffin/The Liverpool HP/The Good Natured Man.&nbsp; &nbsp;Celebrating 50 Years 11. James Cullinane: Eddie Kelly’s/The Happy Man/Boy on the Hilltop:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Here It Is  12 Eleanor Shanley/Garadice: &nbsp;&nbsp;Motherland. Garadice 13. Paddy Canny &amp; Eileen O’Brien: The Bunch of Green Rushes/Gerdie Commane’s. The Old Reels of the World  14. James Keane: The Hunter’s Purse/The Flowing Bowl/Tillie Finn’s. &nbsp;With Friends Like These 15. Declan O’Rourke: &nbsp;&nbsp;Galileo. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Since Kyabram  16. Bob Dylan:&nbsp; The Girl From the North Country.&nbsp; The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan17. Ralph McTell:  &nbsp;West 4th Street &amp; Jones. Hill of Beans 18. Johnny Cash: &nbsp; Big River.&nbsp; Compilation 19. Bothy Band: &nbsp;Green Groves/Flowers of Red Hill. &nbsp;&nbsp;1975

Copperplate Time 495

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Album released 30th of April.



Copperplate Time 495

Alan OLeary

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