Promoter Reynolds was visionary who changed musical culture, funeral told
MUSIC promoter John Reynolds will be best remembered as the man who helped rekindle the career of superstar Leonard Cohen, and for changing the culture of Irish music festivals, mourners at his funeral were told.
Fr Tom Healy, a long-time family friend from his native Longford, said that music promotion was “in his DNA” as both his father Jim and uncle, former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, followed that calling before him.
He described Reynolds, who died suddenly eight days ago aged just 52, as forward-looking and ambitious which was evident from his first efforts to promote musical events in Longford.
In a moving eulogy, his brother James recalled their young years when they tried to promote musical enterprises in Longford and crashed the car of their late mother Anne 16 times between them.
On one infamous occasion, when John was out putting up concert posters, the crash impact spilled a bucket of wallpaper paste all across the car, destroying the seats.
Fr Healy said Reynolds had helped the re-launch of the legendary Canadian singer Cohen’s career with a concert in Kilmainham. The Electric Picnic, with which he was also associated, had changed music festivals in Ireland.
Eddie McGuinness, of Dublin Gay Pride, paid special tribute, noting that Reynolds he had always supported initiatives undertaken by the gay and LGBT community over the years at the Pod venue and elsewhere.
The attendance included concert promoter Peter Aiken, film maker Jim Sheridan, band manager Louis Walsh, broadcaster Marty Whelan, editor of ‘Hot Press’ Niall Stokes, developer Harry Crosbie, promoter Bill Hughes, artist Guggi, chefs Kevin Thornton and Dylan McGrath, TDs Eamon Ryan and Timmy Dooley, night-club owner Robbie Fox, and Dublin councillors Claire Byrne and Mannix Flynn.