Mass to celebrate life and times of former Bishop of Limerick

A MASS celebrating the life and times of reforming Limerick Bishop John Ryan will take place on Sunday.

It comes as the 200th anniversary arrives of the consecration of the Tipperary man, who worked hard after the Famine to alleviate the poverty facing scores of Limerick men and women.

All are welcome to the Mass, which begins at 12noon in St John’s Cathedral, a building Bishop Ryan was hugely involved in the delivery of.

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Born in November 1784, and raised in the village of Templetuohy, near Thurles in Tipperary, Mr Ryan (depicted in a portrait below) was ordained a priest in Maynooth to serve the Diocese of Cashel, Emly on June 10, 1810.

His first appointment in the Cashel Diocese was as the curate of Bansha.

Following this, he went to France to minister in parishes there.

Returning to Ireland, he was appointed priest in the Doon parish, for six years, before a move over the border to his home county of Tipperary.

Prior to this, he was consecrated as a Bishop in Limerick on December 11, 1825, the anniversary which will be marked this weekend.

He was not the sole Bishop of Limerick until March 17, 1828 when he succeeded Charles Tuohy.

At the time of his accession to the role, Limerick was struggling with the aftermath of the famine.

Poverty and unemployment were common place.

Being of a practical frame of mind, he encouraged his clergy to work to improve church buildings.

He also instigated, with the help of others, the building of the current St John’s cathedral in Garryowen.

He broke ground at Mount St Lawrence cemetery, with the aim of this project to give necessary employment to the community at the time.

The Mass will be celebrated by the former Bishop of Killala John Fleming.

He will be joined at the altar by Canon Gerard Garrett and Canon Donough O'Malley who has organised the Mass.

Canon O’Malley described Bishop Ryan’s tenure as being “very fruitful and positive for the city”.

“He is one of the unsung heroes of the city. He was a man of his time. He perceived a need and he ably responded to the various needs in the amelioration of poverty, and trying to expand new areas of employment, and encouraging people to begin new small businesses and industries,” Canon O’Malley said.

All in all, Bishop Ryan served 36 years in his role.

He died in 1864, while still in the role of Bishop of Limerick..

He is laid at rest within the building of St John's Cathedral in Garryowen.