JP and PJ’s song scores €1,000 for local charity

by David Flynn

Two Athlone men who wrote and recorded an uplifting Irish song, ‘Ireland, Mother Ireland’ have seen their composition gain popularity over the last eighteen months, prompting them to give the song’s €1000 proceeds for the benefit of the South Westmeath Hospice foundation.

The song lyrics, written by Athlone thriller author, JP Burke, and the music composed and sung by local stalwart musician, PJ Stacey, told the story of Ireland through the eyes of its emigrants. It mentions many figures like Athlone's world-famous tenor, John ‘Count’ McCormack and Irish writers Yeats, Behan and Joyce and gives a special mention to the late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor.

JP Burke is the pseudonym of Athlone man Sean Burke, who, to date, has written ten crime novels, most of which are part of a series featuring Detective Sergeant Scobie Tierney.

PJ Stacey has been involved in music for over 55 years as a singer, organist, French Horn player and also as a music teacher. He has been more than 30 years as choirmaster of Ss Peter’s and Paul’s Church.

The two Athlone men presented the €1000 cheque from the proceeds of ‘Ireland, Mother Ireland’ to members of the committee of South Westmeath Hospice last Friday afternoon.

Pat Braiden, Treasurer of the group, said the money from the record was fantastic support, which would help the hospice.

“People are very generous in the support of the Athlone and South Westmeath Hospice; for the home care palliative team and for the in-patient services in the hospice,” said the Treasurer.

“We've been open for about thirteen, fourteen years, and fundraising is going on longer than that for the homecare team. All in all, it’s about twenty two years.”

Aine McFadden, committee member of South Westmeath Hospice said that it is the likes of people like PJ and JP giving funding that started the hospice back in the day.

“It was those that gave the fivers and tenners that made the difference, and here we are today, and now the new building is coming along and hopefully we’ll be involved in helping to ki it out and making it comfortable for the clients,” said Aine.

Pat Braiden said that she and Aine were mindful of the late Malachi Cullen, who passed away during the week and the late Gerry Daly who passed away last Christmas, and their involvement in the beginning of the hospice.

“Malachi was the engineer involved in the building and Gerry was the architect involved,” said Pat. “They were two men who were involved in starting this from the ground up and now we’ve lost both of them.”

PJ and JP are proud of their own involvement in fundraising and said that they raised the money through people buying their CD, and without the benefit “of having a big night”.

“Our CD with ‘Ireland, Mother Ireland’ was just a fiver, and ideal for people who are in New York and London,” said PJ.

The two men grew up in Athlone town and only knew each other peripherally before recording their first song in 2022.

“I did know the Stacey family though,” said JP.

“I think we might have clashed at basketball at some stage, with the army band and St. Mary’s, just across the wall there,” said PJ laughing and pointing towards the old basketball court in St. Mary’s Hall.

The two artists revealed they have an upcoming dance track composition recorded, entitled ‘Queen of the Crescent Ballroom’.

‘Ireland, Mother Ireland’ is still available for purchase from the musicians for €5.