Dermot Anthony O'Reilly was an Irish-born Canadian musician, producer and songwriter.

O'Reilly was a member of Ryan's Fancy

Ryan's Fancy

Ryan’s Fancy was a musical group active from the 1960s until the 1980s, all three of whose members were Irish immigrants to Canada.-Early years:...

and became a solo artist when the band disbanded in 1983. He was educated at Inchicore, County Dublin

Inchicore

-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...

.

In March 1968, O'Reilly emigrated to Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 where he met future bandmates Fergus O'Byrne

Fergus O'Byrne

Fergus O'Byrne is an Irish-Canadian folk musician, best known as a member of the popular Irish-Newfoundland band trio Ryan's Fancy, and as a banjo, concertina and bodhrán player.-Biography:O'Byrne was born in Dublin, Ireland...

 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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

 and began performing as Ryan's Fancy

Ryan's Fancy

Ryan’s Fancy was a musical group active from the 1960s until the 1980s, all three of whose members were Irish immigrants to Canada.-Early years:...

. Ryan's Fancy became a popular Irish

Music of Ireland

Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...

 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

Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Torbay is a town located on the eastern side of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.The town is located north of the capital city of St. John's and is part of the St. John's Metropolitan Area. Due to the Torbay's close proximity with St. John's, the town's population is...

.

Some of Piperstock's video productions are:

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

Death

O'Reilly died of a heart attack, aged 64, and is survived by his wife, Ann, and their three daughters. (CBC obit).

External links

• Bio at Ryans Fancy website
• Songs by Ryan's Fancy, some written by Dermot
• Interview by Independent after surgery
• http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=11296&sc=79News on his death from The Telegram
  The Telegram
  The Telegram is a daily newspaper published in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:The Evening Telegram was first published on April 3, 1879 by William James Herder. It adopted its current name in 1998, although it was also briefly published under this name in 1881...
  
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