Joe Burke

Joseph Burke (11 April 1939 – 20 February 2021) was an Irish musician. He was noted as button accordion player who recorded and performed traditional music for over half a century.

Early life Burke was born in Kilnadeema, south of Loughrea in east County Galway, on 11 April 1939. He won the All-Ireland Senior Accordion Championship in Thurles in 1959 and again in Boyle the following year. Together with fiddler Aggie Whyte, he won the All-Ireland duet championship in 1962 in Gorey, Wexford.

Career Burke co-founded of the Leitrim Ceili Band with Padden Downey in 1956.

After residing in the US from 1988 until 1991, Burke returned to Kilnadeema in 1992. There, he carried on teaching and performing music. He died on 20 February 2021 at Galway Hospice. He was 81. Three years later, he received an award in Musical Mastery from Boston College.

Discography Solo albums Galway's Own (1971). Outlet SOLP 1015, reissued as Joe Burke on Outlet PTICD 1015. The Tailor's Choice (1983)

Collaboration – Joe Burke, Michael Cooney and Terry Corcoran Happy To Meet & Sorry To Part (1986) The Bucks of Oranmore (1996)