Hitting the Stardust notes
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| Noeleen Eston and Joe O'Neill. |
Because when she's not working behind her counter, she's quite likely to be on a stage somewhere, singing with Joe O'Neill under his famous musical family's 'Stardust' banner.
It's a pretty new departure for Noeleen, who became engaged to Joe last year. "I sang a song at the family's 'October Seis' a couple of years ago, and they said I should do more," she says. "So now Joe and I, and his brother Kevin when he's available, perform regularly in Laois, Carlow and Kildare."
Stardust don't do pubs, but they are familiar performers in ballrooms, hotels and clubs in the region. Joe and Noeleen have recently taken up a residency in the Crookstown Inn on Sunday nights, which has started adult dancing sessions.
Other regular slots include the Manor Hotel in Abbeyleix, Eire Og in Carlow, and Napper Tandy's in Stradbally. "We also do weddings, and any kind of parties and functions. And since Joe took early retirement from Kildare County Council, we do a lot of nursing homes entertainment during the week."
Noeleen can take the time because she has her sister Colette and her daughter Natasha helping out part-time in Kilcullen PO, a sub-branch which she took over at the end of 2005. Previously she had worked in Newbridge PO for nine years, and on the Curragh for three. It's very much in the family blood, as another sister runs the PO in Athboy, and for a time Noeleen also operated the sub-office in Kells, Co Meath.
"I originally worked as an instructor in the clothing trade, working contracts for Forbhairt and FAS in companies to show them how to operate more efficiently. But when the clothing trade died, I was fortunate to be able to get into the Post Office because I had previously worked in the service."
Stardust is a long O'Neill family tradition in Athy. Joe's father, also Joe, was the leader of the Stardust Orchestra which performed at dance venues all over the country during the 1940s and 1950s, alongside the greats like Mick Del and Maurice Mulcahy. Joe Snr also founded the St Joseph's Boys Band and later the CBS Brass and Reed Orchestra. When he died in 1989, he left a large family of musicians to carry on the musical work.
Every October, the family commemorates Joe Snr by holding an October Seis weekend in some part of the world where one of them lives. The proceeds go to a charity nominated by the member who organises it. Since 2006 the Seiseanna have been held in Cavan, Tewkesbury in the UK, New York, Naas, Westport and Athy.
This article was first published on the Kilcullen page of the Kildare Nationalist.
