JOHN WHELAN

accordionist with Celtic band the John Whelan Band

“I would have to say that probably the first album that I ever bought would have had to have been by Joe Burke, the great accordion player from Galway. The reason I bought it was because I recorded an album for the same record company when I was 14 years old.

“It was Outlet Records in Belfast, and Joe Burke had a new album out called, ‘Galway’s Own Joe Burke.’ ”