Joe Dolan 'story wall' unveiled

A new story wall detailing Joe Dolan's rise to fame has been unveiled on the corner of Dominick Place, beside Dolan's Bar and Mojo's Club.

The Joe Dolan statue located on Mullingar's Market Square is a massive draw for visitors to the town and this new addition will be yet another point of interest for music fans, and of course, for those coming into the town for Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.

"RTÉ's Nationwide were in town today filming ahead of the Fleadh, and did a short piece on the Joe Dolan Story Wall," explains Joe's nephew, entertainer Ray Dolan. "Originally the story wall was located in Belvedere, where the first album cover was taken of the Drifters Showband on the steps of Belvedere House," he adds.

"Now it's been moved to the centre of town and I think people will enjoy it. Already today, I couldn't get over the amount of people who stopped to read the history and take pictures, so Joe's memory remains strong in people's hearts"

Ray says it will also form another stopping point along the Joe Dolan Trail, which takes in Walshestown Cemetery where Joe is buried; Joe's homeplace in Grange; the Joe Dolan Bridge; Belvedere; the Cathedral of Christ the King, where Joe's funeral Mass was celebrated; the Joe Dolan statue; and the Greville Arms Hotel, where Joe performed one of his last concerts.

"My dad (Ben Dolan) had wanted to put up something in the bar for a while, and we had the story wall in the studio, so we thought we'd put it up outside. So, it's got the thumbs-up from my father, and Tommy Swarbrigg, one of the original Drifters, happened to stop by so and we got a nice photo there together."

The new Joe Dolan story wall is certain to be an Instagrammable hit with those attending Mullingar for the fleadh, which will become the centre of Irish music for eight days during Sunday August 6 to Monday August 14.