Diary

Oct 30 : Michael  Loughman : James Ryan : Friday, October 30th, 8pm Presentation Secondary School

 Few figures in twentieth-century Ireland remained at the centre of public life as long as James Ryan. Born into a prominent Wexford family, Ryan first came to prominence as the GPO’s medical officer during the Easter Rising. From there, he took a prominent part in the struggle for independence that followed, was among the founders of Fianna Fáil, and became a central figure in the governments of Éamon de Valera and Seán Lemass. As one of the longest-serving ministers in the state’s history, Ryan presided over momentous periods of crisis and change not only for the diverse departments he managed but also for the country itself. With good reason, the then Taoiseach Jack Lynch, observed that Ryan’s life ‘could well provide material for an absorbing and exciting book’. 

 

             The lecture will be delivered by Dr Michael Loughman who  is a historian from Clonaslee, Co. Laois. He completed his PhD at Dublin City University on James Ryan. The thesis is titled “Doctor, republican, statesman: James Ryan and the development of the independent Irish state, 1892-1970” (2024).  That research became the book James Ryan and the Development of Independent Ireland, 1892-1970. It was launched in Dublin on Thursday, 26 February (2026) by the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, with members of the Ryan family present, including the Irish rugby international James Ryan.