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The Ryan clan

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY
,
Irish America Staff Writer
Published Monday, May 4, 2009, 5:05 PM
Updated Monday, March 8, 2010, 3:24 PM
Read more: Cornelius Ryan, Desmond Ryan, Kilkenny Ryans


Ryanair founder Tony Ryan
Ryanair founder Tony Ryan

The modern Ryan families of Ireland derive from two separate roots. The main one is from Maelruain, a 9th century chieftain whose descendants took the name O’Maelruain. This later became Anglicized to O’Mulryan and then to Ryan. This sept were the chiefs of the Barony of Owney in South Tipperary. The numerous Ryans of this country and the neighboring parts of Limerick and Claire mainly belong to that group.

The other major Ryan root is that deriving from Rian, the mid-10th century King of the territory Ui Cinsealaigh in South Leinster. His descendants were Ua Riain or O’Riain and this later also became anglicized to Ryan. The Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny Ryans are generally from this line. Many Ryans have made their names as writers. These include Cornelius Ryan (1920-1974). Born in Dublin, he became a journalist and in 1944 as a war correspondent he covered both the D-Day invasion and also the US Third Army’s campaign under general Patton. He major fame, and also a considerable fortune, came from his three boos on aspects of the history of World War II. The Longest Day and  A Bridge Too Far, were best sellers and both became major films.

Wartime author Cornelius Ryan
Wartime author Cornelius Ryan

Abram Ryan (1836-1886) was also an observer of war but from a different perspective. Born in Maryland, he became a priest and served with the Confederate army as chaplain during the civil war. He showed incredible devotion and bravery in this role, even tending to smallpox infected Union prisoners when no others would do so. He is best remembered, however, for his poetry on the confederate cause which earned him the title of “Poet of the Confederacy” or even the “Tom Moore of Dixie.” Most famous of them are “The Conquered Banner” and “Sword of Robert Lee.” The flavor of the latter can be seen from the following extract: ”Nor purer sword led braver band, nor braver bled for a brighter land, nor brighter land had no cause so grand, nor a cause a chief like Lee.” After the war he continued his writing and his active support of charitable causes, including many children’s charities. A monument in his honor stands in Mobile, Alabama. Other Ryan writers include AP Ryan, editor of the London Times; and Desmond Ryan (1893-1964) who was secretary to the Irish Rebellion leader, Patrick Pearse, and who later wrote a series of historical accounts of the 1916 rising and its leaders. In the American Revolutionary Army there were 322 Ryan soldiers and 14 officers including Captain Philip Ryan of the Philadelphia City Militia; Major Robert Ryan of the Georgia Continental Brigade; and Lieut. Michael Ryan of the 1st regiment of the New York Line.

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