I'm very sorry to read this. I got to know Joe when he lived in Killarney in the early 1970's and he was a great and unusual character. Even at that time he had given up playing in public but we had many good tunes and songs together in informal pub sessions, usually in the company of Andy O'Brien, who later went to America and became part of the "Irish Tradition". As was always the way of Sweeney's Men, Joe steered well clear of the popular repertoire and he introduced us to much obscure and worthwhile material. In the book "The Humours of Planxty" (by Leagues O'Toole) he is described as "a strange and lovable man". It was a pleasure to know him.