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The exploits of the O Reillys abroad span many continents. Count Alexander O Reilly (1722-94) was born in Baltrasna, County Meath, and fought for Spain with the Irish Brigade. He was a Field Marshal and Governor of Madrid, Captain General of Andalusia and Governor of Cadiz. "Was it for this that General Count O Reilly, who took Algiers, declared I used him vilely?" is asked in Byron's poem Don Juan. "General Count O Reilly did not take Algiers", writes Lord Byron, "Algiers very nearly took him". His failure to capture Algiers in 1775 had been a great humiliation. Alexander O'Reilly led his Irish Brigade to victory against the invading forces of Napoleon at Garona in Catalinia. As a result a Spanish infantry regiment became known as 'Irlanda el Famosa' and O'Reilly became Captain General of Andalusia. But not for Ireland the glory of these victories; Count Alexander's oldest son, Andrew, rose to be the Governor of Vienna Count Andrew O Reilly of County Westmeath was a Field Marshal in Empress Maria Theresa's Austrian army. He fought a duel and killed his opponent to win his wife, a Bohemian heiress. He gained battle honours at Marengo and Austerlitz. In 1809, when he was Governor of Vienna, he had the humiliation of having to surrender the city to Napoleon. He completed his Austrian service as Chamberlain to the Emperor. John Roberts O Reilly (1808-73) The son of Count Andrew O Reilly and Anna O Reilly a maid was one of the Westmeath O Reillys. He lost his eyesight in a naval battle, but, despite his blindness, he entered the coastguard service and saved many people from shipwreck. He invented the distress flare, for which he was made a naval knight of Windsor. Christopher O Reilly (1835-1910),The son of John Robert O Reilly, born in Ballybeg, County Meath, emigrated to Victoria in 1854, to look for his Uncle Count Michael O Reilly who went Australia in 1831 with the 4th British Regiment with no luck and went from there to Tasmania. A mining engineer and farmer, he called his estate at Scotsdale, Brefney, to remind his family of his ancient Irish lineage. He became a politician and was elected to the Tasmanian Parliament's House of Assembly in 1906. UP DATECount Count Michael O Reilly had gone to New South Wales and became a Police Officer. Even today the O Reillys still live in New South Wales. Count Willam John O Reilly is living on the south coast of New South Wales.He has 3 sons and 4 grandsons. The O Reilly line will live on. 2 of the sons I have spoken with Willam Peter O Reilly DOB 1961 and Alan John O Reilly DOB 1962 who had no idear that the title was their fathers. The full blood line will be online soon.  Christopher O Reilly (1835-1910) |
