Davy Joe puts ‘squeeze box’ away for last time

Davy Joe Fallon from Castletown Geoghegan Comhaltas and The Carousel céilí band has decided, after more than six decades on the road, to put away his ‘squeeze box’ for the last time.

Its now almost 65 years since Davey Joe climbed on stage in Castletown Geoghegan hall as a lad of 14 to play at a Christmas concert.

Now after a lifetime of involvement with traditional music, Davy Joe is returning to that same stage to play at a Christmas and farewell céilí on December 28 next. It should be a night of nostalgia and memories for many.

When it comes to traditional music, Davy Joe’s curriculum vitae is impeccable. His father David Fallon was an outstanding bodhrán player and played in halls and houses all around Westmeath as well as participating in fleadhanna throughout Ireland. David Fallon also had the distinction of playing with the The Chieftains on their first television show in the 1970s and was with them for their first LP recording, also in the ’70s.

Davy Joe was just a youngster when he starting playing with The Doraheen Ceili Band, who were traditional musicians from around Castletown, such as Noel Corcoran, John Keenan, Patsy Keenaghan, Jimmy D’Alton, Pat Carey, Mick Hogg and Seamus Fallon.

After a number of years the Doraheen Ceili Band broke up and members went their own ways, but Davy Joe got going again with another local group of trad musicians. He set up The Uisneach Stars Céilí Band.

The Uisneach Stars was a bigger outfit, with musicians such as Billy Whelan, Castletown, Des Coughlan, Kilbeggan, John Davey, Kilbeggan, Mick Kincaid, Ballymore, Mick Ward, Ballymore, Nicholas Lavin, Castletown, John Fowler, Dublin, and a sister of Davy Joe’s, Margaret (Fallon) McKeown. The Uisneach Stars played “everywhere” including weddings and carnivals all over Westmeath and Offaly.

In the early 1970s Davey Joe got involved with setting up his own small group of country and western musicians called The Carltones which consisted of Johnny Corrigan and himself from Castletown Geo along with SeanCarley from Dysart.

Davy has great memories of playing with The Carltones at hundreds of weddings and pub cabaret shows all over the Irish Midlands and he declares “we had enormous fun at those cabaret shows”

In more recent years Davy Joe became involved with a somewhat bigger group again of traditional musicians and he called them The Carousel Céilí Band. The group consists of Johnny Corrigan, and Davy Joe himself from Castletown, Anthony Coulihan, Ballycumber along with Fergus O’Toole and Claire Fallon filling when required and formerly they had Patsy Ennis Castletown, Kathleen Cahill, Abbyshrule and Matt McCormack Tullamore.

“We have been playing by and large at céilís all over Ireland but mainly throughout County Mayo” says Davy Joe. He says that The Carousel must have played in every hall and community centre in Mayo and he will always have a special place in his heart for Mayo and its traditional dancing public.

On Wednesday night last Áras an Mhuilinn organised a special night for Davy Joe during which a unique Comhaltas award was conferred on him for his contribution to traditional music in the Irish midlands over the past 65 years.

It was a full house at An Aras, with friends and family of Davy Joe’s turning out to salute one of the true musical greats of Ceili and traditional music.

Camillus Glynn Cathaoirleach in An Aras welcomed Davy Joe and his family. He thanked him for his contribution to traditional music especially in Westmeath and recalled how Davy Joe just couldn’t say “no” when asked to contribute at a Comhaltas function anywhere.

Davy expressed his appreciation to everyone who made the tribute night possible and gave one last promise to his supporters that he hopes to continue to support An Aras trad’ nights and he assured his friends that he will bring his old melodeon with him just in case someone asks him to play...