Dermot O'Reilly

Dermot Anthony O'Reilly (1942 – 17 February 2007) was an Irish-born Canadian musician, producer and songwriter.

Dermot Anthony O'Reilly
Background information
Born1942
Dublin
Died17 February 2007
St. John's
GenresIrish, Folk
Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Record producer, Television producer
InstrumentsGuitar, Mandolin
Associated actsThe Sons of Erin,
Sullivan's Gypsies,
Ryan's Fancy ,
Brishney

Life

He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and educated at Inchicore, County Dublin.[1]

In March 1968, O'Reilly emigrated to Toronto where he met future bandmates Fergus O'Byrne and Denis Ryan. He was one of the founding members of The Sons of Erin and helped form the band Sullivan's Gypsies in 1970.

In 1971, O'Reilly, O'Byrne and Ryan moved to St. John's and began performing as Ryan's Fancy. Ryan's Fancy became a popular Irish group that released 12 albums and hosted a successful television program for several seasons. O'Reilly wrote and produced many Irish songs as a member of Ryan's Fancy, as a solo artist and later as a member of the group Brishney. O'Reilly performed regularly with Fergus O'Byrne.

In 2004, Ryan's Fancy was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the East Coast Music Association. After Ryan's Fancy disbanded, O'Reilly founded Piperstock Productions, a video production and marketing company based in Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

O'Reilly died of a heart attack, aged 64, in St. John's and is survived by his wife, Ann, and their three daughters.[2]

Works

Some of Piperstock's video productions are:

  • The Last Run
  • Rigs, Jigs and Songs from the Heart
  • Cain's Legacy

See also

References
  1. Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador (ISBN 0-9693422-1-7)
  2. CBC obituary Archived August 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
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