Irish band Bagatelle are set to be honoured next month in Co Wicklow with the unveiling of a commemorative bench at Bray Head.
Founding members Liam Reilly and John O’Brien died in 2021 and 2019, respectively.
Bassist Ken Doyle is from the Co Wicklow town, living on the seafront in recent years, and the band formed there in 1978.
Bagatelle achieved several number one singles in Ireland with songs such as Summer in Dublin, Second Violin and Trump Card.
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They also have enjoyed multiplatinum and gold album sales with emigration songs including Streets of New York, Flight of the Earls and Boston Rose, all written by frontman Liam Reilly.
They were also the support act for Bob Marley at his 1980 Dalymount Park show in Dublin. The gig was Marley’s last outdoor performance before his death in 1981.
[ Liam Reilly Obituary Opens in new window ]
The unveiling of the bench on September 7th will be carried out by Cathaoirleach of Bray County Council Erica Doyle. Bagatelle founding member and bass player Ken Doyle will be present on the day, and the ceremony will be followed by Bagatelle and Friends playing in the bandstand on Bray Seafront.
The band has been acknowledged for paving the way for other Irish outfits in the 1970s.
Following Reilly’s death in January 2021, TG4 produced a documentary about his life, Bagatelle – Ómos do Liam Reilly, which aired a year after his death. The remaining band members then decided to go back on the road to celebrate Reilly’s life, his music and their legacy.
Reilly, from Dundalk, fronted Bagatelle for more than 40 years. He also came joint second at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990 with the Somewhere in Europe.
Fellow band member John O’Brien, a guitarist, songwriter, banjo and harmonica player, died in April 2019.
