• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Page 23 cc Echo Lifestyle / Irish Echo November 26-December 2, 2008 www.irishecho.com usic heard so deeply / accordion, Joe played for a time with the That it is not heard at all, Echo Ceili Band in Ireland. In the New “Mbut you are the music / York metropolitan area he led his own While the music lasts.” Those lines from dance band for many years, working by T. S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets” floated day as a carpenter and sometimes by back to me during the requiem Mass for weeknight and usually on weekends as Joe Madden. What he meant to so many a musician. In 1992, he was inducted people came into sharp focus starting at into Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann’s Mid- 11 a.m. on Tues., Nov. 18, inside St. Atlantic Region Hall of Fame, which his Patrick’s Church in Yorktown Heights, daughter Joanie also entered in 2007, N.Y. and he was inducted into the Galway Musicians paid tribute to him in the Association’s Hall of Fame for his life- best way they know how: by perform- long contributions to Irish music. ing. Among them were Mike and Mary Before Joe Madden passed away, he Rafferty, Mattie and Deirdre Connolly, and his daughter Joanie had the chance Felix and Brendan Dolan, Martin Mul- to record a number of tracks together in haire, Liz Carroll, Jimmy Keane, Billy Ireland, and it’s hoped that the music and Sean McComiskey, the two made with Charlie Lennon Brian and Rose Con- accompanying on piano will be issued way, John Whelan, Jerry on a CD in the near future. O’Sullivan, Donna Until the release of that recording, Long, Aoife Clancy, you can listen to Joe Madden’s distinc- John Nolan, Laura tive button accordion playing on such Byrne, Mirella Murray, albums as “Fathers and Daughters” in Roisin Dillon, Mary © TIMOTHY RAAB 2008 1986, Joanie Madden’s “A Whistle on the CEOL Coogan, Marie Reilly, Joe Madden in concert at the Catskills Irish Arts Week, July 16, 2008. Wind” in 1994, Cherish the Ladies’ “At Earle Pat Keogh, Gabe Dono- Home” in 1999 and “The Girls Won’t Hitchner hue, and Mick Moloney. Leave the Boys Alone” in 2001, and letters Other performers Mike Rafferty’s “Speed 78” in 2004. That @irishecho.com whom I saw watching last CD features a 90-second track called from the pews included Robbie O’Con- A beloved figure “Story About Joe Madden,” told by nell and Willie and Siobhan Kelly, while Mike, one of his closest friends. stepdancer Donny Golden stayed I also strongly recommend visiting beside Joanie Madden, Joe’s daughter Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann’s website and leader of Cherish the Ladies. to see and hear “Comhaltas Live #243.” It was an extraordinary display of in Irish music: It’s a video of Joe Madden on the accor- music steeped in admiration and affec- dion and Joanie Madden on the flute, tion for Joe Madden, the 70-year-old backed by Felix Dolan on keyboards, button accordionist from Portumna, playing three reels during a break at the East Galway, who lived in New York Joe Madden 2004 CCE North American Convention from 1959, the year of his immigration, in Parsippany, N.J. until his death on Nov. 14, from compli- Last spring at the CCE North Ameri- cations of an accidental fall at his York- can Convention in the same N.J. town, I town Heights home. had a lengthy conversation with Joe A fellow Galwayman, Monsignor He prized family, friends, and tunes during Saturday night’s ceili in the main Charlie Coen was the lead celebrant of ballroom. He asked about my health, the Mass, and his sermon struck just the dote about selling a car to Joe Madden Joseph recalled, pointing to his dad’s my work, my last trip to Ireland, and right balance of mourning for the loss for $50. “I think it blew up,” he said. proud union membership as a main rea- several other topics, and the entire time and expressing gratitude for the life of Joseph Madden, Joe’s son, gave the son. But after the performance and visit, we spoke, I was aware he was not men- Joe Madden, a skilled tradesman and eulogy. Fighting back tears, he Joseph quoted his father saying this: tally multi-tasking. He was giving me builder who was a member of Carpen- described the new master kitchen his “You know, that Georgie Bush is not a his undivided attention and full focus. It ters Union Local 608. Quoting St. Paul, father had completed on the same day bad fellow.” was a gesture born not of habit or gra- Coen said that all creation is groaning to he fell, a kitchen with top-grade appli- Joseph also quoted a Furey Brothers’ ciousness but of real caring, something be redeemed, and he cited Joe Madden ances to make life easier mainly for song, “The Old Man,” and read a poem Joe Madden always had in abundance. as someone who succeeded. “His life Helen (nee Meade), his Miltown Mal- written by his sister Joanie for their After a while, we stopped chatting and was spent on ladders, scaffolds, and bay-born wife of 45 years. father. turned our attention back to the crowd- roofs,” Coen said. “He could redeem An amusing anecdote also surfaced With soft keyboard backing, she ed bandstand he had left for a brief rest. stones, lumber, nails, and plaster into a in Joseph’s remarks. On St. Patrick’s played a soaring tin whistle solo that “God, that’s mighty music,” he said. beautiful house. And Joe’s accordion Day, 2004, Cherish the Ladies per- finished with tears overwhelming her. As St. Patrick’s Church emptied after music could compel people to swirl formed at the White House and brought The music before, during, and after the his funeral Mass on Nov. 18, I stayed around the floor. He redeemed sound.” along family members, Joe Madden Mass would have thrilled Joe Madden, behind to hear the musicians continue Humor bubbled up in a Coen anec- included. “He couldn’t stand Bush,” as Joanie herself said out loud at one to play. I thought of those no longer point. It featured such liturgical hymns with us, including Andy McGann, as “Shepherd Me, O God,” “Going Paddy Reynolds, Martin Wynne, Tom Home,” and “How Great Thou Art”; the Doherty, Martin Mulvihill, Johnny 18th-century hymn “Amazing Grace,” Cronin, Maureen Glynn, and now Joe sung by Deirdre Connolly; the Irish Madden. What a privilege to have heard melody “Come Give Me Your Hand”; their music firsthand. and the ballad “John O’Dreams,” sung And what a privilege to hear the by Mick Moloney. musicians in St. Patrick’s Church keep “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” a the sound of their departed comrade Joe contemporary, gospel-flavored hymn alive. I watched the musicians’ intent rooted in country music, was stirringly faces, felt the swing and power in their sung by Deirdre Connolly. The song playing, and became strangely wistful was composed by Vince Gill in memory for the Irish traditional music I had not of his older brother Bob, who died in lost. It was right in front of me, and I 1993. This is the refrain: “Go rest high realized the breath and fingers of these on that mountain / Son, your work on musicians spoke far more eloquently earth is done / Go to heaven a-shoutin’ about Joe than the imperfect words I / Love for the Father and Son.” It muster here. seemed especially fitting for Joe Mad- From behind me, I overheard some- den, a man larger than life in the mem- one say, “What a sendoff.” Those words ory of many, a man who worked hard are perfect. and well with his hands. What mighty music, friendship, and Joe Madden (in green tie, fifth from right) was among the performers at the North An All-Ireland champion on button memories Joe Madden gave us. American Convention of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann last spring in N.J. .

Load more

  1

Copy Link