Thomas Ryan (Irish Army Officer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ryan (1893-1980), was born in Tubrid
, County Tipperary
, and fought during the Irish War of Independence
attached to the 6th (after Dec. 1920 redesignated as 5th) Battalion, (Cahir
), Third Tipperary Brigade, I.R.A..
Tommy Ryan was part of the Tipperary
Gaelic football
team which played against Dublin
in Croke Park
on November 21st 1920. This day has become known as Bloody Sunday
as the British military invaded the pitch as a reprisal for the assassination of the Cairo Gang
. After this date Ryan went on the run and joined Seán Hogan
's number 2 flying column.
After the Anglo-Irish Treaty
, he sided with the Government forces and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
in the Irish Defence Forces
. On his death he was buried with full military honours at the churchyard of his native village of Ballylooby
.
Tubrid
Tubrid or Tubbrid was formerly a civil and ecclesiastical parish situated between the towns of Cahir and Clogheen in County Tipperary, Ireland...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, and fought during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
attached to the 6th (after Dec. 1920 redesignated as 5th) Battalion, (Cahir
Cahir
Cahir is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. The town is best known for its castle and the Swiss Cottage. It is in the barony of Iffa and Offa West.-Location and access:...
), Third Tipperary Brigade, I.R.A..
Tommy Ryan was part of the Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team which played against Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
on November 21st 1920. This day has become known as Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1920)
Bloody Sunday was a day of violence in Dublin on 21 November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In total, 31 people were killed – fourteen British, fourteen Irish civilians and three republican prisoners....
as the British military invaded the pitch as a reprisal for the assassination of the Cairo Gang
Cairo Gang
The Cairo Gang was a group of British Intelligence agents who were sent to Dublin during the Anglo-Irish War to conduct intelligence operations against prominent members of the Irish Republican Army...
. After this date Ryan went on the run and joined Seán Hogan
Seán Hogan
Seán Hogan was one of the leaders of the 3rd Tipperary Brigade of the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence.-Soloheadbeg:...
's number 2 flying column.
After the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
, he sided with the Government forces and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
. On his death he was buried with full military honours at the churchyard of his native village of Ballylooby
Ballylooby
Ballylooby , is a village in the barony of Iffa and Offa West, South Tipperary in Ireland. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.- Location :...
.
Sources
- Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: One Man's Flying Column : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :1991 http://www.tipperarylibraries.ie/ths/thj1991.htm
- Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: One Man's Flying Column 2 : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :1992http://www.tipperarylibraries.ie/ths/thj1992.htm
- Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: One Man's Flying Column : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :1991 http://www.tipperarylibraries.ie/ths/thj1991.htm