As a teen, Joe played in the Midlands area and eventually found himself in Dublin in 1945, where he joined the Galway Rovers Band.
While in San Francisco, Cooley formed the Gráinneog Céilidh band which included accordionist Kevin Keegan, fiddlers Sue Draheim and Will Spires, Eric Thompson, and others.
[2][3] The Cooley-Keegan Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in San Francisco is named in honor of Cooley and Kevin Keegan.
On one occasion, in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Joe was presented with a beautiful Paolo Soprani C#/D accordion he dubbed "The Box" which would accompany him on his tour of America in the 1970s.
He toured the pubs of Clare and Galway with his friend the banjo player Des Mulkere until shortly before his death in December 1973.