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; Copperplate Time 505 &nbsp;&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;&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Music &amp; Mischief1. Bothy Band:&nbsp; Green Groves/Flowers of Red Hill.&nbsp; After Hours 2. Goitse: The Dog Reels.&nbsp; úr3. PJ &amp; Marcus Hernon:&nbsp; Farewell to Cashel/When Sick is it Tea You Want/Contentment is Wealth/Watt Henry’s.&nbsp; Celebrating 50 Years   4. Christy Moore:&nbsp;&nbsp; Boy in the World. A Terrible Beauty 5. Le Cheile: &nbsp;Bucks of Oranmore. Lord Mayo6. Sean Keane: Jennie’s Welcome to Charlie/The Connaught Heifers.&nbsp;&nbsp; Seoda Ceoil 7. Elaine Reilly: &nbsp;The Fergus Reel/Girl Who Broke My Heart.&nbsp; Epiphany 8. Eleanor Shanley:&nbsp; Lovely Leitrim.&nbsp; Garadice&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;&nbsp;  9. Dan Brouder &amp; Angelina Carberry:  The Fairy Jig/The Ceide Jig/&nbsp;&nbsp; The Friendly Robin.  &nbsp;&nbsp;A Waltz for Joy  10. Bobby Casey: &nbsp;&nbsp;Colonel Fraser/Toss the Feathers.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Spirit of West Clare  11. Caoimhin O’Fearghaill: &nbsp;John Lydon’s/Nora Criona. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  Uilleann Piping in Waterford  12. John Regan &amp; Patsy Moloney:  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sport of the Chase/The Priest in his Boots.  Over the Bog Road 13. Wizz &amp; Simeon Jones: &nbsp;Magical Flight.&nbsp;Late Nights &amp; Long Days14. Liam O’Flynn &amp; Mark Knopfler:&nbsp;&nbsp;  An Droichead (The Bridge).&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Masters of Their Craft 15. Eilis Kennedy: Who Knows Where the Time Goes. Time to Sail 16. Colum Sands: Look Where I’ve Ended Up Now. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Look Where I’ve Ended Up Now 17. Martin &amp; Eliza Carthy: &nbsp;The Handsome Cabin Boy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Transform Me The Into A Fish 18. Oonagh Derby: Silver Shoes.&nbsp;&nbsp; Harmony Street19. Ralph McTell: Somewhere Down the Road. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Somewhere Down the Road 20. Bothy Band: &nbsp;Green Groves/Flowers of Red Hill. After Hours

Copperplate Time 505

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Album released 30th of April.



Copperplate Time 505

Alan OLeary

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