Colonel John Reyly (sometimes spelt John Reilly[1]) was elected Knight of the Shire or M.P for the County of Cavan, in the Parliament held in Dublin on 7 May 1689.
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His father was Myles O'Reilly and his mother was Catherine O'Reilly, daughter of Colonel Charles O'Reilly of Leitrim. He seems to have been the first of the O'Reilly clan who dropped the prefix O before the surname.[1]
Colonel Reyly raised a regiment of dragoons at his own expense, for the service of King James II of England, and assisted at the siege of Londonderry in 1689. He had two engagements with Colonel Wolsley, the commander of the garrison of Belturbet, whom he signally defeated. He fought at the battles of the Boyne and Aughrim, and was included in the articles of Capitulation of Limerick, whereby he preserved his property, and was allowed to carry arms. According to "An alphabetical List of the Names of such Persons of the Popish Religion, within the Kingdom of Ireland, who have Licenses to carry Arms", printed by Andrew Croke, printer to the Queen's most excellent Majesty, in Copper Alley, Dublin, 1713, it appears that Lieutenant-Colonel John Ryley, late of Clonlyn, in the county of Cavan, now of Ballymacadd, in the county of Meath, and Garryrocock, in the county of Cavan, had license to carry "1 sword, 1 case of pistols, and 1 gunn"
He married Margaret, daughter of Owen O'Reilly, Esq., by whom he had five sons and two daughters. The sons were, 1. Captain Conor, who died without issue in May, 1723; 2. Myles Reilly, of the city of Dublin, merchant; 3. Brian Reilly; 4. Luke Reilly; 5. Conor Reilly;