O'Reilly, Dowell Philip, 1865 – 1923

Dowell Philip O'Reilly (1865-1923), author, schoolmaster and parliamentarian, was born at Sydney, son of Rev. Thomas O'Reilly and his second wife Rosa, nee Smith. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School. After the death of his father O'Reilly's mother opened a preparatory school, Hayfield, at Parramatta. O'Reilly taught at Hayfield prior to his appointment as a master at Sydney Grammar School where he taught from 1898 until 1910.

O'Reilly was elected a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for the seat of Parramatta (1894-1898) and was a supporter of George Reid.

O'Reilly contributed poems and short stories to the Bulletin and other periodicals from the early 1890s. His published works included Australian poems (1884), A pedlar's pack (1888), Tears and triumphs (1913) and Five corners (1920). His second wife, Maria Miles O'Reilly, published after his death, Prose and verse of Dowell O'Reilly (1924) and Dowell O'Reilly from his letters (1927). [ref:ADB 11]