What is the origin of the phrase 'the life of Riley'?

Answer 1

The phrase originated in the Irish/American community of the USA, in the early part of the 20th century. The first printed citation of it that I have found is from the Connecticut newspaperThe Hartford Courant, December 1911 - in a piece headed 'Bullet Ends Life of Famous Wild Cow':The famous wild cow of Cromwell is no more. After "living the life of Riley" for over a year, successfully evading the pitchforks and the bullets of the farmers, whose fields she ravaged in all four seasons.

The quote marks that the writer added around the phrase are often an indication that the phrase in question isn't familiar to the readership, which is an indication of it being newly coined.

The phrase was much used in the military, especially amongst the Irish soldiery in WWI. The first known citation in that context is in a letter from a Private Walter J. Kennedy (who surely had parents or grandparents who hailed from the old country), stationed at Camp Dix, New Jersey, which was published in The Syracuse Herald on 29th June 1918. The piece was headed "Great Life, Writes Soldier at Camp":"This is surely one great life." writes Kennedy. "We call it the life of Riley. We are having fine eats, are in a great detachment and the experience one gets is fine."

Later that year, on 22nd October, The Bridgeport Telegrampublished a letter from Private Samuel S. Polley, 102 Regiment, stationed in France."They [German officers] must have led the life of Reilly as we caught them all asleep in beds..."

Who Riley (or Reilly, or Reiley) was isn't clear. If he had been a known individual then it surely would have been recorded. The lack of any such records points to the name being chosen as that of a generic Irishman, much as Paddy is used now.