Man with a mission merits a biography

MAY I request your readers’ assistance in relation to a remarkable Irishman whose biography I am writing.

Thomas F Ryan SJ (1889-1971), educator, author, broadcaster, literary, art and music critic, provider for refugees and the homeless, provincial of the Jesuit mission to south China and Hong Kong, government director of agriculture, forestry and marketing in Hong Kong and, remarkably for a nationalist from the Rebel County, honoured in St George’s Royal Chapel in Windsor Castle.

This extraordinary man was born to James and Anne Ryan (formerly Goggin) at an address given as Cleeve Hill Cottage, Ballintemple, Cork, in 1889. He had one brother whose name I have not been able to establish. His father died when he was three and his mother later moved to 5 Lr Janemount, Sundays Well, Cork.

Young Tom Ryan attended Presentation Brothers School (PBC), the Mardyke, from 1895 to 1907 when he joined the Jesuits. He departed for the Hong Kong-south China mission of the Irish Jesuits in 1933. The rest of his life was spent there, save for two brief visits to Ireland in 1947 and 1950.

I have failed so far to obtain any further information of Tom Ryan’s early years in Cork: the name of his brother, his years at PBC, his family, etc. I would be very grateful for any assistance that would promote a fuller biography of him.

Thomas J Morrissey SJ

Manresa House

Dollymount

Dublin 3