Dr Brian K O’Reilly, long time faculty member and Principal of the Sydney College of Chiropractic (SCC) passed quietly away in October 2021, amongst his family in Sydney.

Brian was born in the Sydney suburb of Kingsford on 4 March 1939. From an early age he took a particular interest in sports. As a teenager, Brian was attracted to alternative therapies and health. He read widely on the latest health and fitness methods utilised by Olympians and sportspeople. He became a professional soccer player with the famed Canterbury-Marrickville club at the age of 18. This must be where his teamwork skills originated and developed. Sporting injuries unfortunately cut short his professional career. Soon after he enrolled in the Sydney College of Osteopathy under the Principal Wallace Brown.

With the loss of two of his 4 children in 1969 and 1970 Brian paused his chiropractic studies, only to return with new vigour. After graduation he gained experience as a locum and having found his passion established his own practice at 40 Lackey Street Summer Hill, the site that became the College’s Outpatient Clinic and today the Macquarie University Clinic.

He became a member of the College faculty from 1976 until 1979. During this period, he was also elected to the position of Treasurer on the Federal Executive of the United Chiropractors Association of Australasia (UCAA).

From 1979 to 1982 Brian was appointed Principal of the SCC, was elected as Vice President of the UCAA and held the positions of Director of Education and was the editor of Chiropractic Australia Journal. On many occasions he met with Federal and State Governments Health and Education Ministers as a representative of the UCAA and SCC to discuss issues concerning chiropractic education in Australia. Brian had a passion for chiropractic and a mission to see the Sydney College of Chiropractic recognised in its rightful place as an institute of learning the philosophy, art, science, and skills of this Chiropractic profession in Australia.

From 1983 to 2002 he returned to private practice and was the team chiropractor for the Canterbury Bulldogs Rugby League Club. In 2003 he assumed the position as a tutor and Clinical Fellow in the Department of Chiropractic at Macquarie University and later in 2006 to work in an administrative role within the Department.

Since 2001 to the present, he was a member of the Australian Chiropractic History of Education Study Group (ACHES) with Ed Devereaux AM, and John Cice. Brian was an integral part of the archiving, recording and researching the history of the Australian trained graduates and the development of the profession. His thorough and broad research skills have helped make the book a significant document in the registering this history. He was a team player with a passion. He was also keenly interested in the progress of young aspiring chiropractors and chiropractic students.

The production of the second edition of the book Pathway to a Profession, Chiropractic in Australia from SCC to MQU had stalled due to medical necessities. Nevertheless, Brian was pleased with the final draft and knowing that it would soon be made available to the public.