~ Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann ~
Boston
************************************************************************************
CCE Northeast
Regional Hall of Fame Inductee
Jack Conroy - (button accordion)
Inducted to its The Hall of Fame by
The Northeast Region of the North American Province –
November 3, 2003
Jack Conroy
(button accordion) was born in Boston,
Massachusetts in 1932 to parents who had come from Connemara, Galway at a time
when Irish was not taught in the schools. Other family members, including his
mother's relatives from Carna—fluent Irish speakers— likewise settled in
Boston, and the Conroy home provided a great welcome to family and friends.
Traditional music, singing and dancing—including sean nos songs and step
dances—and Irish language were simply ways people enjoyed their time together
and conversed. Jack's mother bought 78s of Irish music, including recordings of
the dance hall bands, to play on the mechanical phonograph. Jack's father played
the melodeon at home. Many people at the time could play a few tunes or play for
a set, young people often going out to the Irish dance halls and social clubs
concentrated in Roxbury. The oldest of seven children, Jack showed an interest
in the music. His father brought him to well known button accordion player Jerry
O'Brien for lessons when Jack was a teenager. Jack's teacher Jerry O'Brien
played with O'Leary's Irish Minstrels and Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band. He also
worked for the O'Byrne-DeWitt firm, travel agent and distributor of records,
phonographs and tin whistles. And he taught private students, among them Joe
Derrane, a couple of years ahead of Jack. Jack credits Jerry O'Brien's
disciplined approach with his own early progress. As a senior in high school,
just before beginning his studies at Boston College, Jack was sent by his
teacher to play with Tommy Shields' Band at the Old Opera House in Roxbury and
their bandleader was Joe Derrane. In the 50s, Jack played with several dance
bands: first Tommy Shields'; then Martin Flaherty's Band led by Billy Caples at
Winslow Hall in Roxbury; and later he played for several years with Johnny
Powell's Band at the Hibernian and Intercolonial Halls in Roxbury. Others who
helped him along the way were Jack Diamond, John and Pat Martin, and Paul Groff.
The dance halls gradually closed as the Irish population changed
their tastes, and moved away. After college and the service, Jack traveled to
Ireland in 1960. From 1960 to 1990, he worked with the Department of Defense in
France and Germany as a secondary school teacher. In Paris, Jack found an Irish
community and fellow musicians, and even played for French television
broadcasts. During his years in Germany, he played only when he came home to
visit at Christmastime and in the summer. Returning to live in Boston in the
1990s, Jack resumed playing accordion in sessions with Larry Reynolds, whom he
had met first in the 50s, and with other Boston musicians. For about the last
ten summers, Jack has traveled to the Willy Clancy Week-for flute lessons
originally, and later for sessions.
And he has enjoyed the Boston Gaelic Roots
festivals. His flute teachers have been Shannon Heaton, Jimmy Noonan and
Catherine McEvoy. Of the seven children in his family, Jack's sisters step
danced and his brothers played instruments, and he and his younger brother
(flute) both still play avidly. They would not have developed an interest in the
music, Jack says, without their parents' help and support.
************************************************************************************
Return to
(http://www.cceboston.org/JackConroyhtml)
This Page revised 9/2/2008 ************************************************************************************
