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Ryan – The Irish Connection Click here for pictures of the Ryan (and SMYTH) families Here's some sketchy information gleaned from
family members:
Thomas Ryan from Thurles, County Tipperary, married Brigid neé Ryan from Nenagh, County Tipperary. They lived at first in Stradavoher and then number 1, Cabra Terrace in Thurles. Thomas worked as a general trader, buying and selling commodities. It was said in family circles that one of his enterprises was to import fish from Fishguard in Wales to Rosslaire, County Wexford. The catch was supposedly transported by horse and cart the whole way back to Thurles where he would sell them, presumably in the market held in Liberty Square. (It is more probable that the fish was delivered to Thurles station by train!) Thomas would turn his hand to anything so as to provide for his growing family in what were difficult times. Here are his children:
There's also a family story that Thomas joined an Irish regiment in the British Army as a hostler boy and eventually fought in the Boer War. One of his brothers also joined as a young drummer boy; whilst taking part in some military pageant in one of the outer reaches of the then Empire, he was singled out by the King of Siam who shook his hand!
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