- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDermot Anthony O'Reilly
- Dermot O'Reilly was born in 1942 in Dublin, Ireland. He was a writer and producer, known for Cain's Legacy: A Journey Through Labrador (1991), Rigs Jigs and Songs from the Heart (1988) and The Last Run of the M.V. Bonavista (1987). He was married to Ann Brennan. He died on February 17, 2007 in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
- SpouseAnn Brennan(1964 - February 17, 2007) (his death, 3 children)
- He was a member of the musical trio Ryan's Fancy which brought traditional Newfoundland folk music to a wider Canadian audience in the 1970s. He formed the group with Denis Ryan and Fergus O'Byrne in 1971. O'Reilly played guitar and mandolin. They released 12 albums and hosted two syndicated TV shows before breaking up in 1983.
- After Ryan's Fancy disbanded, O'Reilly continued playing gigs with O'Byrne in Newfoundland, and started his own production company, Piperstock Productions Ltd, to release local music.
- All three musicians moved to Canada from Ireland, and met in Toronto in the late 1960s. When they went to university in Newfoundland, they found the local traditional songs similar to the folk music of their native Ireland.
- It's a very fragile thing. Sometimes people get sick and tired of hearing about it, but it's like everything else --- you can't forget. We have to be reminded not to forget about who we are and where we came from. (speaking about his efforts to help preserve Newfoundland's cultural heritage)
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