O'Reilly, John Boyle (1844–1890)

Irish-born writer and republican. Born at Dowth Castle, County Louth, he was apprenticed as a journalist, and worked in Ireland and England. O'Reilly is best known for his collections of poetry, such as Songs, Legends and Ballads (1878). In 1866 he was arrested and tried for his Fenian activities; he was sentenced to life imprisonment and later transported to Australia in 1868. He escaped to the USA in 1869, settled in Boston, and resumed his career as a journalist. In 1876 he became co-owner and editor of the Pilot, an influential Irish-American newspaper. He was also a popular lecturer.