He died on 17 February 1717, and is buried in the old church of Kill, in the parish of Crosserlough, barony of Castlerahan, County Cavan, in a tomb bearing his family arms, which was still in good preservation in 1836.
Colonel Reyly raised a regiment of dragoons at his own expense for the Irish army in the service of King James II and assisted at the Siege of Derry in 1689.
He had two engagements with Colonel Wolseley, the commander of the garrison of Belturbet, whom he signally defeated.
He was included in the articles of Treaty of Limerick of 1691, 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".