Ryan's Fancy

{{Short description|Irish folk music band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Ryan's Fancy | image = Ryansfancygroup.jpg | caption = Ryan's Fancy: (L-R) Fergus O'Byrne, Dermot O'Reilly, Denis Ryan | image_size = 220 | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada | genre = [[Folk music|Folk]] | years_active = 1971–1983 | label = [[Audat]] | website = {{URL|ryansfancy.com}} | current_members = | past_members = [[Fergus O'Byrne]] [[Dermot O'Reilly]] [[Denis Ryan (singer)|Denis Ryan]] [[James Keane (musician)|James Keane]] }}

'''Ryan's Fancy''' was an [[Music of Ireland|Irish folk music]] group active from 1971–1983. The band consisted of multi-instrumentalists [[Denis Ryan (singer)|Denis Ryan]], [[Fergus O'Byrne]], and [[Dermot O'Reilly]], all of whom were [[Ireland|Irish]] immigrants to [[Canada]].

==History== ===1967–1970: Early years=== Between the years of 1967–1969, O'Byrne, O'Reilly, and Ryan emigrated to [[Toronto, Ontario|Toronto]] from [[Ireland]] in search of "better jobs". Not initially intent on working professionally as musicians once in Canada, their musical skills and experience, combined with their Irish heritage, provided them opportunities in the vibrant Canadian folk scene.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=246 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref> Originally playing only at house parties and gatherings as a means of earning extra money, they quickly found themselves immersed within the [[Celtic music in Canada|Irish folk music]] scene in Toronto.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=247 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref>

O'Byrne, O'Reilly, and Ryan first played together as members of the Sons of Erin. The original Sons of Erin lineup featured O'Byrne and O'Reilly along with Gary Kavanagh, Mick Crowley, Ben Brooks, and bandleader Ralph O'Brien. This lineup first toured [[Newfoundland]] in 1969, playing shows in [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]], [[Gander, Newfoundland|Gander]], [[Grand Falls-Windsor|Grand Falls]], and [[Labrador]] over a period of six weeks.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=248 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref> Ryan joined the band following the first Newfoundland tour.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=249 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref>

O'Byrne, O'Reilly, and Kavanaugh split from the Sons of Erin and continued touring as O'Reilly's Men. The band was short-lived and O'Reilly soon moved to Montreal. Following O'Reilly's departure, Kavanaugh and O'Byrne joined Don Sullivan and Vik Heaney to form Sullivan's Gypsies. Heaney soon left the group, while O'Reilly rejoined along with Ryan.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=250 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref> The band toured in Newfoundland again, as well as playing shows in [[Manhattan]] in 1970.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=251 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref>

===1971: Formation of Ryan's Fancy=== Following the disbanding of Sullivan's Gyspsies, O'Byrne, O'Reilly, and Ryan formed their own band, Ryan's Fancy. The name was taken from a jig composed by Ryan during their time with Sullivan's Gypsies.

Ryan's Fancy played their first show at the Nag's Head pub in Toronto. For the next several months they played gigs in both Toronto and [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]]. In March 1971, the band made their first trip to Newfoundland, playing a show at the Hotel Newfoundland.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osborne |first1=Evelyn |title=The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? The Interaction between Irish and Newfoundland Musicians, Electronic Mass Media, and the Construction of Musical Senses of Place |date=January 2013 |publisher=Memorial University of Newfoundland |page=252 |url=https://research.library.mun.ca/6216/3/Osborne_Evelyn.pdf |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref>

===1972–1983: Move to Newfoundland and critical success === The trio relocated to [[St. John's, Newfoundland]], in 1971 to attend [[Memorial University of Newfoundland]]. Making a splash in the local music scene, the group caught the interest of the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]. Produced by Jack Kellum, a television series entitled ''Ryan's Fancy'' involved the trio traveling and playing across Atlantic Canada. A second series entitled ''Tommy Makem and Ryan's Fancy'' was also produced by CBC in the 1970s. Later, accordion virtuoso [[James Keane (musician)|James Keane]] from Dublin became the band's fourth member. Shortly after Keane left the band in 1983, Ryan's Fancy split.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia"/> Keane moved to New York City, where he became part of the traditional scene there through the 1980s to the present day.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia">{{cite web |last1=Whelan |first1=Janna |title=Ryan's Fancy |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ryans-fancy-emc |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref>

===1983–present: Disbanding and aftermath=== When Ryan's Fancy disbanded, Ryan moved to [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}, while O'Byrne and O'Reilly remained in St. John's.

O'Byrne returned to Newfoundland's Memorial University. In 1988, he became a director of the St. John's Folk Arts Council and between 1990 and 1991, he chaired the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pitt |title=Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador (vol. 4) |date=January 1, 1981 |page=144}}</ref> O'Reilly started a production company called Piperstock Productions in 1993, producing 25 albums. He remained active in music post-Ryan's Fancy, frequently performing live with O'Byrne at gigs in St. John's over the years. His last performance took place the night before he died.<ref name="O'Reilly Article">{{cite web |title=Ryan's Ryan's Fancy singer dies in St. John's Singer Dies in St. John's |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/ryan-s-fancy-singer-dies-in-st-john-s-1.634420 |website=CBC |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}</ref> He died of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] on 17 February 2007, at age 64.<ref name="O'Reilly Article"/>

In 2004, Ryan's Fancy were awarded the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award of the East Coast Music Association.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia"/>

==Members==

* [[Denis Ryan (singer)|Denis Ryan]] - vocals, fiddle, tin whistle (1971–1983) * [[Fergus O'Byrne]] - vocals, banjo, concertina, bodhran (1971–1983) * [[Dermot O'Reilly]] - vocals, guitar, mandolin (1971–1983; died 2007) * [[James Keane (musician)|James Keane]] - accordion (1980–1983)

==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 Songs]]'' (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'' ([[Compact audio cassette|Cassette]] Reissue of "An Irish Night at the Black Knight Lounge) ([[1982 in music|1982]])) * ''Irish Love Songs'' (1982) * ''Ryan's Fancy Live'' ([[Compact Disc]] Reissue of "An Irish Night at the Black Knight Lounge" and "15 Drink-a-Long Songs") ([[1995 in music|1995]]) * ''Songs From The Shows'' (2001) * ''What a Time! A Forty Year Celebration'' (2011)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.ryansfancy.com Ryan's Fancy official website] *[http://www.avondalemusic.com/ryansfancy.html Ryan's Fancy: Songs from the Shows] *[http://www.jameskeane.com James Keane's official website]

[[Category:Canadian folk music groups]] [[Category:Canadian Celtic music groups]] [[Category:Irish folk music groups]] [[Category:Irish emigrants to Canada]] [[Category:Musical groups from Toronto]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1971]] [[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1983]] [[Category:1971 establishments in Ontario]] [[Category:1983 disestablishments in Ontario]]