Mike O'Reilly

The BIB editor writes:

I learn with great regret of the death from liver cancer of Mike O'Reilly of Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday last (1 June) at the age of 76.

When Carol and I first went to the USA in 1996, Mike was the first bluegrass person we met there, and we could not have wanted a friendlier reception. Together with Dick Smith, a fine banjo-player from Virginia, Mike led a successful and entertaining bluegrass band that toured Ireland some years back. His long career is set out in Richard Thompson's feature on Bluegrass Today, and in this page, posted four months ago on the website of the Country Music Association of Ontario.

© Richard Hawkins