Ryan's Fancy
Encyclopedia
Ryan’s Fancy was a musical group active from the 1960s until the 1980s, all three of whose members were Irish
immigrants to Canada
.
, Fergus O'Byrne
, and Dermot O'Reilly
, were originally members of the Sons of Erin. The original Sons of Erin line-up featured Dermot and Fergus along with Gary Kavanagh and band leader Ralph O'Brien. When the band broke up Dermot, Fergus and Gary continued on for one tour as O'Reilly's Men and upon returning to Toronto met up with Don Sullivan to form the original Sullivan's Gypsies. Ralph O'Brien reformed The Sons Of Erin with new members Johnnie Lynn, John Cameron and Denis Ryan and recorded a self-titled LP. Shortly afterward Denis left to join Sullivan's Gypsies. Ryan's Fancy came to be when Sullivan's Gypsies parted ways.
. Making a splash in the local music scene, the group landed the first of several television series. Produced by Jack Kellum on CBC, the show involved the trio travelling and playing across Atlantic Canada. Ryan's Fancy had their own syndicated series called Ryan's Fancy (January 1972 to April 1972) and the pub-styled Tommy Makem and Ryan's Fancy (July to September 1974). Plus, in 1980, they starred and performed in the CBC-TV movie Pirate's Gold. It was in this period that accordion virtuoso James Keane
from Dublin became a band-member and contributor of traditional music to the ballad-focused trio. Shortly after Keane left the band, Ryan's Fancy split. Keane moved to New York City where he became part of the traditional scene there through the 1980s to the present day.
and became an investment banker and businessman while Fergus O'Byrne and Dermot O'Reilly remained in St. John's. Fergus completed a degree in education and began a successful career as a teacher and performer, while Dermot opened a music recording studio, called Piperstock Productions. Fergus can be seen performing weekly on George Street
at O'Reilly's Pub in St. John's. Fergus also continues to tour both nationally and internationally with Jim Payne and A Crowd Of Bold Sharemen.
In 2004, Ryan's Fancy were awarded the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award of the East Coast Music Association.
Dermot O'Reilly died on 17 February 2007, from a heart attack
at age 64. He was survived by fellow former Ryan's Fancy members Ryan and O'Byrne.
Alden Nowlan
's 1982 poem, He Sits Down on the Floor of a School for the Retarded described visiting a psychiatric hospital with Ryan's Fancy, as they have been asked to play for the patients
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Early years
Denis RyanDenis Ryan (singer)
Denis Ryan is an Irish-Canadian folk musician, best known as a member of the popular Irish-Newfoundland band trio Ryan's Fancy, and as a singer and tin whistle player.-Biography:Denis was born in Newport,Co.Tipperary, Ireland...
, 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 Dermot O'Reilly
Dermot O'Reilly
Dermot Anthony O'Reilly was an Irish-born Canadian musician, producer and songwriter....
, were originally members of the Sons of Erin. The original Sons of Erin line-up featured Dermot and Fergus along with Gary Kavanagh and band leader Ralph O'Brien. When the band broke up Dermot, Fergus and Gary continued on for one tour as O'Reilly's Men and upon returning to Toronto met up with Don Sullivan to form the original Sullivan's Gypsies. Ralph O'Brien reformed The Sons Of Erin with new members Johnnie Lynn, John Cameron and Denis Ryan and recorded a self-titled LP. Shortly afterward Denis left to join Sullivan's Gypsies. Ryan's Fancy came to be when Sullivan's Gypsies parted ways.
1971-1983: Critical success
The trio relocated to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1971 to attend Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
. Making a splash in the local music scene, the group landed the first of several television series. Produced by Jack Kellum on CBC, the show involved the trio travelling and playing across Atlantic Canada. Ryan's Fancy had their own syndicated series called Ryan's Fancy (January 1972 to April 1972) and the pub-styled Tommy Makem and Ryan's Fancy (July to September 1974). Plus, in 1980, they starred and performed in the CBC-TV movie Pirate's Gold. It was in this period that accordion virtuoso James Keane
James Keane (musician)
James Keane is an Irish traditional musician and accordion player. The Italian Castagnari company issued and continues a line of signature instruments called keanebox in his honor....
from Dublin became a band-member and contributor of traditional music to the ballad-focused trio. Shortly after Keane left the band, Ryan's Fancy split. Keane moved to New York City where he became part of the traditional scene there through the 1980s to the present day.
1983-present: Disbanding and current status
The group disbanded in 1983. Denis Ryan moved to Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
and became an investment banker and businessman while Fergus O'Byrne and Dermot O'Reilly remained in St. John's. Fergus completed a degree in education and began a successful career as a teacher and performer, while Dermot opened a music recording studio, called Piperstock Productions. Fergus can be seen performing weekly on George Street
George Street, St. John's
George Street is a street located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, that is known for its many bars and pubs.The short street is populated mainly by bars and pubs and is open only to pedestrians in the evenings and during most of the business day, only being open to traffic from 8:00am...
at O'Reilly's Pub in St. John's. Fergus also continues to tour both nationally and internationally with Jim Payne and A Crowd Of Bold Sharemen.
In 2004, Ryan's Fancy were awarded the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award of the East Coast Music Association.
Dermot O'Reilly died on 17 February 2007, from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at age 64. He was survived by fellow former Ryan's Fancy members Ryan and O'Byrne.
- Denis Ryan (vocals, fiddle, tin whistle)
- Fergus O'Byrne (vocals, banjo, concertina, bodhran)
- Dermot O'Reilly (vocals, guitar, mandolin)
Alden Nowlan
Alden Nowlan
Alden Albert Nowlan was a critically acclaimed Canadian poet, novelist, and playwright-History:Alden Nowlan was born into rural poverty in Stanley, Nova Scotia, adjacent to Mosherville, and close to the small town of Windsor, Nova Scotia, along a stretch of dirt road that he would later refer to...
's 1982 poem, He Sits Down on the Floor of a School for the Retarded described visiting a psychiatric hospital with Ryan's Fancy, as they have been asked to play for the patients
Discography
- Ryan's Fancy Sung by Sullivan's Gypsies (1970)
- Curraghs, Minstrels, Rocks and Whiskey (1971)
- An Irish Night At The Black Knight Lounge (1971)
- Dark Island (1971)
- Looking Back (1972)
- Newfoundland Drinking SongsNewfoundland Drinking SongsNewfoundland Drinking Songs is an album by Ryan's Fancy released in 1973.-Track listing:#"Intro"#"The Night Paddy Murphy Died"#"Nancy Whiskey"#"Miss McLeod's Reel"#"The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen"#"Rocky Road To Dublin"#"I'm A Rover"...
(1973) - Times To Remember (1973)
- Ryan's Fancy Live (1975)
- Brand New Songs (1977)
- A Time With Ryan's Fancy (1979)
- Sea People (1980)
- Dance Around This One (1981)
- 15 Drink-a-Long Songs (Cassette Reissue of "An Irish Night at the Black Knight Lounge) (19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
)) - Irish Love Songs (1982)
- Ryan's Fancy Live (Compact DiscCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
Reissue of "An Irish Night at the Black Knight Lounge" and "15 Drink-a-Long Songs") (19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) - Songs From The Shows (2001)
- What a Time! A Forty Year Celebration (2011)
Sounds samples
- The Galway Shawl
- Now I'm 64
- Yarmouth Town
- Harbour LeCou
- Gallant Forty Twa
- Nancy Whiskey
- The Star of Logy Bay
- Seven Old Ladies
- Twenty One Years