Rousing send off for Davy Joe Fallon and Carousel

Davy Joe Fallon from Castletown-Geoghegan Comhaltas and The Carousel Céilí band, put away his ‘squeeze box’ for the last time after more than six decades on the road, at a céilí in St Michael’s Hall on Saturday night.

It is now almost 65 years since Davey Joe climbed on stage in Castletown-Geoghegan hall at the age of 14 to play in a Christmas concert and there was a night of nostalgia and memories for many.

Davy Joe’s 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.

He played 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 Céilí Band, 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 Céilí Band broke up and members went their own ways, but Davy Joe got going again with another local group of trad musicians, and later set up The Uisneach Stars Céilí Band.

The Uisneach Stars included 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.

In the early 1970s Davy Joe set up his own small group of country and western musicians called The Carltones – Johnny Corrigan and him from Castletown-Geoghegan, with Sean Carley from Dysart.

Davy has great memories of playing with The Carltones at hundreds of weddings and pub cabaret shows all over the midlands: “We had enormous fun at those cabaret shows,” he said.

In more recent years Davy Joe became involved with a bigger group of traditional musicians, The Carousel Céilí Band – Johnny Corrigan, and Davy Joe from Castletown, Anthony Coulihan, Ballycumber, Fergus O’Toole and Claire Fallon filling in when required; and formerly Patsy Ennis, Castletown, Kathleen Cahill, Abbeyshrule, and Matt McCormack, Tullamore.

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

Davy Joe Fallon is the honorary president of Castletown-Geoghegan branch of Comhaltas and the branch members were delighted to give him and Carousel a rousing send-off and say thanks for the music, song, dance and memories.