Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival
is dedicated to the memory of
Dermot O'Reilly
On February 17 of this year Newfoundland and Labrador lost one of the pillars of its folk music community with the passing of Dermot O’Reilly. A stalwart on the local music scene for over 35 years, Dermot’s incredible body of work and genial personality made him one of the premiere influences on the modern traditional scene in this province and beyond.
Born in Dublin, Dermot first visited this province in the late 1960’s as a member of SULLIVAN'S GYPSIES and in 1971 took up permanent residence here while a member of RYAN'S FANCY along with Fergus O’Byrne and Denis Ryan. The trio became a phenomenon on the local music scene and soon became the stars of their own television series produced by the CBC with which they traveled the province exposing the culture and musical traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador to the rest of Canada. Along the way they recorded fourteen albums of traditional and contemporary material that helped rekindle, for many, an interest in the music of Newfoundland and Labrador.
It was with RYAN'S FANCY that most of us first discovered the amazing talents of Dermot O’Reilly, not only as an outstanding singer and musician with an almost intangible charisma, but as an incredible song-writer providing material that has become part of the local musical fabric: songs like Candlelight and Wine, West Country Lady and A Children’s Winter.
When RYAN'S FANCY disbanded in 1983 Dermot continued exploring local culture through piper stock productions, his own video production company and recording studio that he ran from his home in Torbay. Over the Years he produced three full-length videos exploring this province and its people; Last Run of the M.V. Bonavista, Rigs, Jigs, and Songs From the Heart, and Cain’s Legacy. In his recording studio Dermot worked with some of Newfoundland and Labradors best young talent including GREAT BIG SEA, FINCE CROWD and Chris Andrews and Mark Hiscock of SHANNYGANOCK, on his way to producing more than twenty albums, passing his wealth of knowledge to a new generation of performers.
Dermot’s passion for performing also never waned over his long career, performing locally and touring abroad both as a solo act and with good friend Fergus O’Byrne. Dermot O’Reilly is remembered by those who knew him as much for his gentle demeanor as his musical prowess. A very personable man he had a keen interest in people was always more eager to learn about them than talk about himself. It has been said that if you only met Dermot once you felt as though you had a friend for life.
On August 5th during the thirty-first Newfoundland and Labrador Folk festival, some of our finest talent will be performing a musical tribute to Dermot O’Reilly. Organized and hosted by Fergus O’Byrne performers will include, Jim Payne, Deneille Hann, Larry Foley, Pat Moran, and Fergus Brown O’Byrne.
- Roger Lockyer