Patrick Finbar Ryan, TC, O.P., (1881–1975) was an Irish Dominican priest who served as Archbishop of Port of Spain,

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

(1940–1966). On 4 March 1881, Patrick Ryan was born in Rochestown,

County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...

to Edward Ryan and Matilda Ryan. He was initially educated at Christian Brothers College, Cork, and Clongowes Wood College. He then entered St. Mary's Priory, Tallaght to become a Dominican. At St. Mary's, he also studied at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

Royal University of Ireland The Royal University of Ireland was a university in Ireland that existed from 1879 to 1909. It was founded in accordance with the University Education (Ireland) Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the ...

, and subsequently moved to study at

Sapienza University of Rome The Sapienza University of Rome (), formally the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", abbreviated simply as Sapienza ('Wisdom'), is a Public university, public research university located in Rome, Italy. It was founded in 1303 and is ...

. He was ordained a priest of the Dominicans Order at the Irish Dominican run, Basilica of San Clemente, Rome, in 1905.Finbar Ryan
Dictionary of Irish Biography. He taught at the Dominican secondary school Newbridge College in

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...

, serving as Dean. In 1915, he became Prior at St. Saviour's Church, Dominick St., Dublin, until 1919, when he moved to

Cork (city) Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...

as Prior of St. Mary's Church, Pope's Quay. He edited the Dominican publication the Irish Rosary and, in 1921, founded a children's religious magazine, the Imeldist. He served as Provincial of the Dominicans in Ireland twice - from 1921 to 1926 and, again, from 1930 to 1934. He was appointed co-adjudicator bishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1937, before being elevated to Archbishop in 1940. In 1943, he established the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs in Tunapuna, Trinidad. In 1946, he invited the Irish Presentation Brothers and, in 1947, the Holy Faith Sisters to set up schools in the diocese. He attended the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...

, 1962-1965. He retired in 1966 and moved back to Ireland. He died on 10 January 1975, in Cork.

Awards

In 1937, Fr Ryan was awarded the Freedom of Cork City. In 1950, he was honoured with a knighthood by the Vatican as a '' Grand Officer of the Supreme Order of Christ'' becoming a papal count, also in 1969 he was awarded the ''

Trinity Cross The Trinity Cross (abbreviated T.C. or TC) was the highest of the National Awards of Trinidad and Tobago, between the years 1969 and 2008. It was awarded for: "distinguished and outstanding service to Trinidad and Tobago. It was awarded for gall ...

'' by the government of

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

Relatives

Bishop Ryans's brother was a British diplomat Sir Andrew Ryan, KBE, CMG, whose son was the theologian and like his uncle a Dominican, Rev. Dr. Columba Ryan OP, Another brother, Thomas, served in the Indian civil service and his sister Mary Ryan MA was Professor of Romance Languages at

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...

, the first female professor in Ireland or the UK.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Patrick Finbar 1881 births 1975 deaths Irish Dominicans Irish expatriate Roman Catholic archbishops Roman Catholic archbishops of Port of Spain People educated at Christian Brothers College, Cork People educated at Clongowes Wood College Alumni of the Royal University of Ireland Alumni of University College Dublin Recipients of the Trinity Cross Dominican bishops Papal counts