Bagatelle’s Liam Reilly celebrated in TG4 Documentary
New Year’s Eve 9.30pm on TG4
A special TG4 New Year’s Eve celebration of the extraordinary talent of Liam Reilly and his band Bagatelle whose songs meant so much to so many.
Featuring performances of the music of Bagatelle by Camillle O’Sullivan, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Lucia Evans, Tommy Fleming, The High Kings, Ryan McMullan, Brian Kennedy & Greenshine.
Liam Reilly was a gifted songwriter and performer penning numerous iconic hits such as Summer in Dublin, Streets of New York, Second Violin and many more. Reilly’s untimely death at the height of the Covid pandemic on the 1st January 2021, aged 65 devastated his many friends and countless fans around the world. This is the first opportunity to celebrate one of Ireland’s foremost songwriters giving him the musical send-off he so richly deserves.
Bagatelle – Ómós do Liam Reilly was filmed in the beautiful surroundings of Kilruddery House and features many of Irelands favourite singers with interviews from friends and family including Colm Ó Snodaigh, Aonghus McAnally, Eileen Dunne and many more.
In 1978, Reilly joined the recently formed Bagatelle with guitarist John O’Brien, bass player Ken Doyle and drummer Wally McConville. Bagatelle went on to enjoy considerable success in Ireland in the 1980s and were one of the biggest bands in the business during this period. The group’s best-known song ‘Summer in Dublin’ became an anthem for young Irish people emigrating to the UK, Europe and the United States at that time. The lyrics, “I remember that summer in Dublin and the Liffey as it stank like hell” still resonate with many from that generation. The Dundalk native took a break from the band in the mid-1980s when he moved to the USA. In 1990, his solo performance of his own song, Somewhere in Europe came joint second out of 22 entries in the Eurovision Song Contest in Zagreb.
Bagatelle – Ómós do Liam Reilly was produced by Jason Forde and directed by Feilimí O’Connor. A Four Quadrant Films production for TG4.