The Boxman from Wineport well known

A popular music man with links to ceili bands in the midlands going back to the late 1950s, is Johnny Rushe. Johnny is not just popular in the world of trad music, but in manner, and you won"t find anyone with a bad word to say about him. In fact, you will hear nothing but good about him being a nice man, and also you"ll hear great things from the many local people who danced to the celli band, in which Johnny played the accordion. Johnny is known from the townland of Wineport, close to Ballykeeran where he grew up and across Athlone to St Anne"s Terrace in the Batteries, where he lives today, and many other areas beyond that perimeter. One time he smoked a pipe, though these days he"s more likely to be seen walking throughout the town, living the healthy life. He has played a polished accordion, for almost 60 years, during many occasions. Johnny learned to play the button accordion as a very young fellow, and later accompanied his mother, Nellie, who played the accordion and piano at home. The Rushe home was always great for music sessions, and Johnny"s father Jack was also known in years gone by to play a bit on the accordion and was excellent on the dew harp. Nellie died in 1985, but Jack is an extraordinary man, and is still living, hale and hearty! In the late 1950s Johnny was part of a midlands band called "The Larouse Celli Band", and they enjoyed great popularity which increased further when they retitled themselves as: "The Riverside Ceili Band". The group was made up of legendary Westmeath musicians such as Noelie Collins, Fintan Moore, Louis McGaurin, Johnny Rushe, Michael Fitzpatrick, Charlie O"Brien, JJ Carr, Bridie Casserly and Frank Slevin. Throughout the late 50s and early 60s, The Riverside played in midland venues such as: St Mary"s Hall, Athlone, and the Harrison Hall, Roscommon. Along the way, Johnny met and married Marie O"Connor from St Ann"s Terrace. They originally met in St Mary"s Hall, Athlone. 'I got down off the stage and asked the lady to dance,' says Johnny about the night he met Marie. Johnny and Marie got married in Ss Peter and Paul"s Church in October 1963. They have four children, John, Christine, Helen and Michael. John, Christine and Helen followed Johnny into music, mostly by being members of Athlone"s Ss Peter and Paul"s Parish Church choir and folk groups. John Jnr is a very talented box player, just like his father; Christine plays the keyboard in the church folk group and in recent years Helen was an alto singer in the church choir and folk group. For many years now Marie has also been a soprano with Ss Peter"s and Paul"s church choir. In the days of good summer, Johnny, Marie and the children spent many Sundays cycling from Athlone to Wineport to Jack and Nellie"s house, where after the dinner the family usually took part in an afternoon session of music. Johnny talks fondly about the old days growing up in Wineport and seeing magazines such as "Ireland"s Own", "The Reader"s Digest", "The Immeldist" and "The Messenger" on the kitchen table. In the late 50s and early 60s, Johnny and the Riverside Celli Band used to travel regularly by taxis into Athlone and Roscommon to go to play at the dances. They used to have to hire two cars, one for the musicians and one for the instruments. Johnny started school in Glasson Infants School and then went to Tubberclair National School. 'When I was growing up, I was involved in making the hay out in Wineport, but the biggest work I did was in the bog, rearing the turf during the summer, day in and day out, and we got hot summers back then,' said Johnny. He got his first job in Joe McFarland"s furniture store in Connaught St, Athlone. Johnny started work with Westmeath County Council in 1963, which was the year he and Marie married. He started working for the Midland Health Board in 1972, and was based at St Vincent"s Hospital, Athlone, as a maintenance man. Johnny remained working for the Health Board for more than 20 years and continued playing music, mostly in social gatherings, and he was always guaranteed to give a great tune on the box. He has always admired such celli group stalwarts as the Gallowglass Celli Band, the Ballinamere Celli Band and The Jackie Hearst Celli Band. Johnny recalls their many nights of dancing to the showbands of the 1960s, such as the Clipper Carlton in Sportex Hall and The Crescent. 'I was always a celli man, but I always loved the showbands,' says Johnny. Johnny was a member of a group that supported the Clipper Carlton in the Sportex Hall, Athlone, in the early 1960s. That group was called the "Clipper Satellites" and was led by the late great Athlone piano accordion, Frank Dolphin. Johnny also enjoyed Mick Delahunty, Maurice Mulcahy, Gerry Cronin and the Ohio, Butch Moore and the Capitol and the Athlone showband, Syd and the Saints. He also bought many celli records in his young days in music, such as records by Jackie Hearst, the Gallowglass, the Kilfenora and the Aserroe Celli Bands. Two of his favourite programmes on RTÉ Radio were "Take the Floor" with Dinjo, and "Celli House Requests". Johnny is a quiet unassuming sort of man, who after being given a gentle little push to play, makes great music on the box. Johnny and Marie, who are one of the Connaught side of Athlone"s most well-known married couples, renewed their vows on Halloween night 2003, which was exactly 40 years from the day of their wedding. The Rushe couple had their marriage vows renewed at Ss Peter and Paul"s Church before Canon Liam Devine and their neighbour from The Batteries, Fr Eamon Kelly. On October 31, 1963, Johnny and Marie"s union was blessed at the same church by the well-remembered, Monsignor John McCarthy. At the 40th anniversary celebration and marriage vows renewal, John, Christine and Helen took part in the music in the church, along with PJ Stacey and his choir, accompanied by Brian Sullivan. During the ceremony the couple lit a candle between them, symbolizing their 40 year marriage. Canon Devine paid tribute to the popular couple and their children, by saying that they have 'enriched the parish with their music and are the kind of people who are kind, outgoing and generous.' With Johnny coming from such a great music house in Wineport of the 40s, he is more entitled than most to be popularly named over the years as - "The Boxman From Wineport".