There has always been a Ryan presence in Australia since the first settlement, albeit unintentional and unwanted. Australia was founded as a convict settlement by the British for the disposal of criminals and unwanted elements of their society. Undoubtedly in this "unwanted element" would be the freedom seekers in Ireland or to express it another way "those Irishmen who vehemently opposed the intrusion of English Rule into Ireland". These unwilling settlers were torn from their families and native land convicted of petty crimes and transported to Australia for varying periods of penal servitude under very harsh and inhumane conditions. Records reveal that the Ryan family was numbered in these unfortunate beings. Many of these so called "convicts" served their sentences, were granted "tickets of leave", and eventual freedom, and went on to become progressive and respected citizen in the Colony. The name Ryan became a very respected and well know name in the history of Australia. Over the years, in almost every field of endeavour, the name Ryan became prominent. In politics, probably the most honoured Ryan was the Hon. T. J. Ryan, who became the Labour Premier of the State of Queensland. Ryans were also represented in Medicine, Law and Law Enforcement, the Military, and sport as both Players and Coaches. Even at the present time there are Ryans as Coaches and Players of Rugby League, and there are many more examples of the influence of Ryans in all endeavours.
And of course the other side of the coin is that there has been Ryans who although they have also been very well known were somewhat tarnished in their reputation. It would be fair to say, I think, that the most well known of these would be one Ronald Ryan, of Melbourne, who has the dubious honour of being the last man to be hanged in Australia before the total abolition of Capital Punish -ment in the Australian States. Undoubtedly it is some consolation to know that it now more or less universally acknowledged that he was not guilty of the murder for which he was hanged, and was more a victim of the political climate existing in the State of Victoria at the time.
However, nothing had been done over the years to publicly recognise this Ryan influence, although there were many Ryan descendents, busily engaged in searching their Family Roots and compiling their genetic Family Tree.
Then in 1989 one Ryan in his search for information from the late 1953/early 1954 went looking for information in Tipperary, Ireland. On the return of information from Tipperary, enclosed with the information was a brochure about the existence of a "RYAN CLAN" in Tipperary. After investigation he joined the Clan Ryan, Tipperary, and immediately sought permission to establish a Branch of the Clan in Queensland. Permission was finally granted and on the 16th. November 1994 at a Meeting in Ipswich, Queensland the CLAN RYAN (QUEENSLAND) was established. The Movement started very humbly, with 21 persons -- almost all from the same Ryan Family --and without any advertising or promotion other than by word of mouth, steadily grew and gained Members from every State in Australia.
At the present time Membership of the Clan stands at around 190. The number of Ryans who joined the Clan Ryan (Queensland) clearly indicated that there was a wish by many Ryans to "belong" and so the idea of a Ryan Clan (Australia) was born. The Ryan Clan (Australia) was founded in October 1998 as a result of a unanimous vote by the Members of the Clan Ryan (Queensland) at the Annual General Meeting of the latter Body. Over a period of years since the foundation of the Clan Ryan (Queensland), in November 1994, a number of Ryan Descendants in every States of Australia, had applied for Membership of the Queensland Branch, indicating very clearly that there was a desire by Australian Ryans to "belong".