The Irish musician and songwriter Liam Reilly has died at the age of 65.
The lead singer of the band Bagatelle passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home in Dundalk yesterday, his family confirmed.
He is famed for writing the band's well-known song 'Summer in Dublin', one of their six number one hits.
Bagatelle were formed in 1978 and also reached the top of the Irish charts for their songs 'Flight of the Earls', 'Second Violin', 'The Streets of New York', 'Trump Card' and 'Boston Rose'.
Liam Reilly later launched a solo career and represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990, coming joint second.
He would have celebrated his 66th birthday on January 29th.
His family said in a statement: "With sad hearts, the family of Liam Reilly, musician, songwriter and frontman of Bagatelle, wish to confirm that he passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home on January 1st, 2021.
"We know that his many friends and countless fans around the world will share in our grief as we mourn his loss, but celebrate the extraordinary talent of the man whose songs meant so much to so many.
"We ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time."
Tributes are being paid to the singer-songwriter today, with the Minister for Arts and Culture, Catherine Martin, saying he was "gifted" while the Wolfe Tones have called him "a master songwriter".
