Biography ...

PAUL O’REILLY is a writer, singer, musician and lilter from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Ireland. An All-Ireland bodhrán champion, and a champion lilter and singer, Paul released his debut album, TAKE A WISH, in 2003; in 2007 performed with traditional Irish singing group WHISHT! on THE CUCKOO'S NOTE; and in 2009 released THE POET'S DREAM - a double-album of 26 folk songs from Co. Wexford - with guest vocalist Helen Kirwan. His play, WILD IN THE COUNTRY, was shortlisted at Listowel Writers' Week in 2004. He has performed on national radio and TV, and with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. See www.pauloreilly.com for more.

 

More ...

Educated in the CBS, Enniscorthy, Paul was awarded a First Class Honours Degree in Software Engineering from Carlow IT in 1994. Today, he works as a consultant software engineer for Webplify and Headway Software.

Inspired by his parents, Paul has always been involved in music, winning awards for singing, lilting, guitar and bodhrán. He is a noted songwriter, his songs have been commended by Christy Moore, Mick Hanly, Niall Toner, Luka Bloom and Kieran Goss.

After seeing Andy Doyle's 'Something About Roses', Martin McDonagh's 'The Lonesome West', and Billy Roche's 'Belfry', Paul wrote his first play in 2002. In 2004 he began writing fiction. He has regularly attended workshops facilitated by Claire Keegan, Billy Roche, Darragh Carville, Mike Hanrahan, Pierce Turner, Martin Egan and Jim Maguire.

Paul is secretary to the writers' support group, Enniscorthy Launchpad, and has been involved in organising workshops and, with the support of Wexford County Council, publications of local writing. Launchpad is a Registered Member of the County Wexford Community Forum. Paul continously facilitates the promotion of literary work via Launchpad readings, radio interviews, press releases, publications and website.

Paul is a registered member of ArtsLinks, Breaking Tunes and IMRO, and a partner in Scallta Media, a new publishing initiative in County Wexford, Ireland. He is also a member of the Fr Murphy branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

In 2003 Paul released his debut, album, Take A Wish. One reviewer wrote: "A powerfully melodic singer, with a masterful touch on his well-crafted guitar accompaniments".

In 2004 Paul's play, Wild in the Country, was shortlisted to the top three of the Listowel Writers' Week Eamon Keane Full-Length Play Competition.

In 2006 Paul was a founding member of traditional singing group Whisht!, and in 2007 they released their debut album The Cuckoo's Note.

In June 2008, Paul performed with Whisht! in the world premiere of HARBOURING by Ian Wilson (with Fergus Sheil (conductor), Irish Chamber Orchestra, Whisht!, Enniscorthy Choral Society, Wexford Festival Singers and Gorey Choral Group), and produced the acclaimed album The Tomhaggard Martyr by traditional singer John Ennis.

In 2009 Paul released a double-album of 26 folk songs from County Wexford entitled The Poet's Dream.

Experience & Achievements ...

2010
  • Performed at Gala Concert in aid of the MS North Wexford Society, in Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy
  • Flash story (500 words) Nightshift shortlisted in Flash500 Competition
  • Poem Exploring the Town published in Enniscorthy Echo (30/06/2010 Edition)
  • Triple Senior Leinster Champion (English Singing, Newly Composed English Song and Lilting)
  • Producing an album for another singer to be released in November... more to follow...
  • Designing a book of old songs compiled by a local family to be published in September... more to follow...
2009
  • Researched, recorded, mixed, designed and launched a double album of 26 (most previously unreleased) folk songs from Co. Wexford entitled THE POET'S DREAM. With lead vocals by Paul and Helen Kirwan, and performances by Paddy Berry, Padraig Sinnott and Tom Murphy, this album is a document of the past, a recording of hits of their time; hits that never made the charts but brought so much joy, and sometimes controversy, to the people of the day. This project was awarded funding by the Arts Council of Ireland's Deis Scheme in 2008
  • Performed with Whisht! in Lón Trad, alongside Mary McPartlan, Steve Cooney and Rick Epping, as part of TG4's Gradam Ceoil
  • Performed at Phil Murphy Weekend, and at Ceol Cé Festival, Wexford
  • Performed at Gala Concert in aid of the Atheneum Restoration Fund, in St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy
  • Performed on two Comhaltas CDs: Echos of Erin (North American Tour), and Good Old Monageer (a compilation album by the Fr Murphy Branch)
  • Toured Newfoundland, Canada, as part of Traditional Singing Group (which included co-facilitating a song-culture workshop, composing a new song in honour of the Festival of the Sea, and a spot at The Crow's Nest)
  • Triple Senior County Wexford Champion (Lilting, English Singing, Newly Composed)
  • Senior Leinster Champion (Newly Composed), Runner-Up in Lilting and English Singing
  • Senior All-Ireland Runner-Up (Lilting), Third in Newly Composed
  • Coordinated, typeset and designed the Scallta publication PAINTING THE VESTIBULE by Betty Thompson
2008
  • Performed solo psalm (Deóra Dé/Father, Into Your Hands - composed by Sue Furlong) in St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy, for the Good Friday Passion, broadcast live on RTÉ One television
  • Performed traditional vocal solos in the world premiere of Ian Wilson's HARBOURING on June 5th, 2008 (with Fergus Sheil (conductor), Irish Chamber Orchestra, Whisht!, Enniscorthy Choral Society, Wexford Festival Singers and Gorey Choral Group)
  • Triple Senior County Wexford Champion (Lilting, English Singing, Newly Composed)
  • Double Senior Leinster Champion (English Singing, Newly Composed), Runner-Up in Lilting
  • Double Senior All-Ireland Runner-Up (Lilting, Newly Composed)
  • Awarded funding by the Arts Council of Ireland's Deis Scheme to record and release an album of previously unreleased trad/folk songs from Wexford
  • In November a new album from traditional ballad singer John Ennis, THE TOMHAGGARD MARTYR, was launched. Paul produced the album and designed the booklet for John
  • Completed research, and began pre-production, of a new album of trad/folk songs from Wexford called THE POET'S DREAM
  • Wrote 15-minute play, TIGER
2007
  • A key member involved in the production and design of THE CUCKOO'S NOTE CD by WHISHT! Supported by The Arts Council of Ireland
  • Coordinated and designed the Launchpad 108-page publication: THE SCALDY DETAIL 2007 (a collection of new writings from County Wexford). Supported by Wexford County Council
  • Senior County Wexford Lilting Champion, Runner-Up in English Singing
  • Third in Leinster English Singing and Lilting
2006
  • Founder member of WHISHT! and helped develop a show of traditional Irish singing
  • Toured Newfoundland, Canada, as part of select music and singing group
2005
  • Coordinated the publication of Launchpad's THE SCALDY DETAIL (a collection of new original writings). Supported by Wexford County Council Arts Department
  • Short story THE LILTER published in Inside the Crocodile
2004
  • WILD IN THE COUNTRY was shortlisted to the top 3 (out of 80 entries) in Listowel Writers' Week - Eamon Keane Full Length Play Competition
  • Helped organise Launchpad Writers' Weekend (included workshops facilitated by Mike Hanrahan (Stockton's Wing), Philip Casey (The Bann Trilogy of novels) and Eamonn Wall (Refuge at De-Soto Bend) ). Supported by Wexford County Council Arts Department
  • Chosen to perform CLASHING THE ASH single with Darren Byrne
  • Wrote third play, THE BUTCHER OF FERNS
2003
  • Produced, released and promoted debut solo album TAKE A WISH. The album includes ten original compositions, and was recorded and mixed by Paul in his home studio
  • Wrote second play, WILD IN THE COUNTRY
2002
  • Chosen to perform one of his compositions on PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY!, a CD produced by Wexford Arts Centre, and supported by The Arts Council
  • Joined Enniscorthy Launchpad
  • Wrote first play, THESE OLD WALLS
1998
  • Two compositions recorded on UNDERNEATH THE LIGHTS EP by Reilly's Daughter; Paul performs backing vocals, guitar and bodhrán
1991
  • Strawberry Fair Award - Best Performer
1990
  • All-Ireland Bodhrán 15-18 Champion
1989
  • Strawberry Fair Award - Best Group
  • Began songwriting and learning the guitar
  • Since '89, has performed regularly in pubs, Fleadhs, tents, doorways, inside and outside of Ireland, weddings, recitals, concerts, gigs ...

 

 

© 2010 Paul O'Reilly, Wexford. Site designed and hosted by webplify.com

 

 

"An interesting, clear and strong voice at work" - Soho Theatre Company, London

"Imaginative and energetic, with a confident handling of character and dialogue." - Royal Court, London (Script review)

"An engaging piece of theatre, particularly in its warm characterization and its involving relationships." - Abbey Theatre, Ireland (Script review)

"We found the writing rich, imaginative and vibrant. The piece had colour, texture and a strong dramtic charge." - hampstead theatre, London (Script review)

"A powerfully melodic singer, with a masterful touch on his well-crafted guitar accompaniments" - Wexford Song Club

"Wexford-based O'Reilly shows plenty of promise here" - Hotpress

“WHISHT! brought a powerful tonality to the choral and string orchestral harmony. These distinct tonalities brought three forces together and created the sound world, which coloured by the haunting accordian brought us to many unusual and personal harbourings." - START Magazine

"Whisht! traditional singing group provided excellent tremelous vocals on Macquarie Harbour which is spooky and atomspheric ... Currach features excellent vocals from Helen Kirwan, with the male vocals equally strong. It is an intimate, genuinely moving performance, with hushed playing [from the Irish Chamber Orchestra] during which you could see a sudden tremor of life in the conductor's [Fergus Sheil's] hand as he went about his work ... The Harbour was written by Irish poet, Winifred Letts, and speaks of the Wexford coastline. It was an ideal finish to the musical event, including all of the choirs, with a paroxysm of emotion provided by Paddy Berry of Whisht!" (David Looby, The Echo)

"Currach, by Tony Curtis, was sung by Paddy Berry, Helen Kirwan, Paul O'Reilly and Niall Wall with delicate monochromes, and a vocal beauty at once as fleeting as wild tulips" (Tom Mooney, The Echo)

"The word Whisht or éist means to be silent, stop or listen, and listen you will to these six top exponents of the unaccompanied song in the traditional idiom.... sixty minutes of wonderful ballad singing." - Liam Gaul, County Wexford Free Press

"Lovers of Irish song will be enthralled by this album." - Geoff Wallis, www.irishmusicreview.com

"It is wonderful to see the best singers in the county coming together to pool their talents for our enjoyment. Each song and singer is a delight." - Sean Ó Dubhghaill, South East Voice

"I was absolutely taken by what I heard... a fantastic hour of solo traditional singing." - Áine Hensey, RTÉ Radio One

"Beautifully produced." - Paddy Ryan, South East Radio

"... a lovely album, well worth having ..." - Dan Walsh, South East Radio