Thomas (Tommy) Ryan (1897-1980) was an

Irish republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

and

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

er. He was born in Tubrid, County Tipperary, and fought during the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

attached to the 6th (after Dec. 1920 redesignated as 5th)Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: ''One Man's Flying Column 2'' : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :1992 Battalion, ( Cahir),

Third Tipperary Brigade The 3rd Tipperary Brigade () was one of the most active of approximately 80 such units that constituted the IRA during the Irish War of Independence. The brigade was based in southern Tipperary and conducted its activities mainly in mid-Munster ...

, I.R.A. Tommy Ryan was part of the Tipperary Gaelic football team which played against Dublin in

Croke Park Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...

on 21 November 1920. This day has become known as Bloody Sunday as the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) invaded the pitch and killed 13 attendees and one player 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 Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in the

Irish Defence Forces The Defence Forces ( ga, Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled ) derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. Whilst the Irish for ''Defence Forces'' is , as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled . is used in ...

. He is buried in Deansgrange Cemetery Blackrock.

Sources

*Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: ''One Man's Flying Column'' : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :199

*Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: ''One Man's Flying Column 2'' : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :199

*Ryan, Thomas, Lt. Col.: ''One Man's Flying Column'' : Tipperary Historical Journal: pub. County Tipperary Historical Society :199

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Thomas Irish Republican Army (1919–1922) members 1890s births 1980 deaths