RTE star Ronan Collins has paid tribute to “talented musician” and pal Joey Gilheaney - one of Joe’s Dolan’s original band members in his Drifters - who died on Tuesday.
Mr Gilheaney, also known as The Gill – was the original member of Joe Dolan and The Drifters, and The Times Showband, in the early 1960s.
Joey was part of the original brass section, playing trombone. He passed away on Tuesday night but the cause of death is unknown.
Announcing the news of his death, Mr Collins said on his RTE Radio One show on Wednesday: “The early Drifters, Joe Dolan and The Drifters back in 1962. He was only a young fella when he joined the band with Tommy Swarbrigg and Ben Dolan. The three of them made up the brass section of what became known as The Drifters Sound with Joe Dolan all those years ago.
“Joey and I became great pals in the early 70s and indeed the first time I went o America in about 1975 was I think with Joey Gilheaney and he introduced me to the joys of the music shops in New York… and to clubs like, the jazz clubs like Birdland and The Village Vanguard.
"He was a terrific trombonist and wonderful musician and a lovely, lovely guy. He died yesterday. I send my condolences to his family, particularly to his sister Maureen with whom I stayed with in New York up in Queens many, many times.
“May he rest in peace - what a sound he made,” he added.
Of his days spent with Joe Dolan and The Drifters, Joey previously said: “I arrived in Mullingar and joined Joe’s band when I was 16. The next seven years were the best years of my life because you didn’t have any responsibilities, everything was done for you. So it’s nice to be back in Joe’s home town.”
