'Galway Joe' Dolan

Not to be confused with Joe Dolan.

Joseph "Galway Joe" Dolan (1942 – 7 January 2008) was an Irish musician, song-writer and artist. Known as "Galway Joe" to distinguish him from Joe Dolan of Mullingar, he was born in Galway, County Galway, Ireland.

Dolan was an arts student in Dublin before becoming involved in the Irish showbands of the 1960s, playing guitar with The Capitol Showband and The Swingtime Aces.[1][2]

He is best known as one of the three founding members, together with Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan, of the highly influential folk group Sweeney's Men, which was formed in Galway in May 1966; Dolan also chose the group's name. Sweeney's Men invigorated the Irish folk scene, and had an unexpected Irish top 10 hit with Old Maid in the Garret in 1967.[3]

He quit the band with the intention of travelling to Israel, to take part in the Six-Day War. For many years afterwards he was presumed to have been killed in the fighting, but in fact never reached Israel at all; it was joked that Dolan had arrived on the seventh day. He then went on an archaeological expedition to the Negev desert.[4] He wrote "The Trip to Jerusalem" (recorded by Christy Moore in 1978 on The Iron Behind the Velvet) Tara cat. no. CD2002 about his trip.[5] His song "The Foxy Devil" was also recorded by Moore on the same album. The Dubliners covered "Nelson's Farewell", which was a hit in Ireland, and the trio Ardvarna released a beautiful version of "Mayfly Days".[6]

Dolan subsequently dropped professional music in favour of painting, but continued to compose robust, bitter-sweet songs, and would pass on tapes to anyone who was interested; he also continued to play in local sessions.

Dolan died of cancer in January 2008, survived by his son Andy and sister Chris. His autobiography, Lost Miles and Broken Strings, has not yet been published.

References

  1. ↑ "The Capitol Showband (1960–1972)". Showbands. GMS Productions. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Power, Vincent. Send 'Em Home Sweatin': The Showband Story. Cork: Mercier Press; Revised edition (31 December 2000). ISBN 978-1856353304.
  3. ↑ Irish Folk, Trad and Blues: A Secret History, Colin Harper and Trevor Hodgett, 2005
  4. ↑ Joe Dolan, notes to Christy Moore's The Iron Behind the Velvet, 2002
  5. ↑ Moore, Christy (2000). One Voice. London: Lir/Hodder and Stoughton. p. 64. ISBN 0-340-76839-8.
  6. ↑ John Rabbetts (26 March 2008). "Obituary – 'Galway' Joe Dolan". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2012.

External links