On the 20th anniversary of Brendan O’Reilly’s death on 01 April 2001, his son Rossa O’Reilly with his
brother, Kelan has released a tribute cover of Brendan’s hit recording, The Ballad of Michael Collins.
‘We wanted to do something special for this anniversary. While we do not have his knowledge of
Collins, we know that of all the songs Brendan wrote, this one held a very special meaning for him.
In the past, visuals accompanying the ballad focused on Collins. We chose to sing it as a tribute to
Brendan. Therefore, we have used a backdrop of photos from his life - some taken long before we
were born, but others showing him as the Dad we remember’.
Brendan’s diverse talent as an athlete, sports presenter, actor, and singer- songwriter spanned a
long career.
His death in 2001 was a huge loss for his family, friends, and those who knew him
through RTE sports and his music
Speaking on the Let's Talk show today, Kelan O' Reilly, Brendan's son spoke about the single, and how the family would still like to see some form of tribute erected in Granard town where their father spent the first years of his life…
