THE RYANS OF TIPPERARY TOWN


Mary Ryan was born in about 1780 of Tipperary town, County Tipperary, Ireland. Her birth predates the parish registers, so her parents names are unknown. She married Peter Harrigan 31 October 1802 in Tipperary town. The witnesses at the marriage were Matthew Quillinan and Richard Sadlier.

Mary's son, James Harrigan, lived on Bohercrow Street in Tipperary town.

Several Ryans were listed on the Tithe Applotment of 1828. The Tithe Applotment listed the head of household for occupiers of land one acre or more. Three Ryans were listed in Bohercrow townland: James Ryan (over 23 acres), Michael Ryan (54 acres), and Thomas Ryan (over 19 acres). James and Michael were listed next to each other, and Thomas was only one lot away. Possibly these were Mary's family, living in close proximity to the Harrigans. No Harrigans were listed. James was a barber, and leased only a house in later records. The same may be true for Peter Harrigan.

Richard Sadlier is also found in the townland, occupying just over seven acres. Possibly this was the same Richard Sadlier who acted as a witness at Mary's marriage. Matthew Quillinan was not listed, but James Ryan's next-door neighbor was Charles Quillinane. Stephen Dwan is also found in Bohercrow. He was likely a relation of James' wife.



Tithe
        Applotment Bohercrow

Tithe Applotment
        Bohercrow 2

Tithe Applotment, 1828, for Bohercrow townland in Tipperary town


In the later Griffiths Valuation of 1850, 102 Ryans are listed in Tipperary town, several of them in Bohercrow.


In earlier record, these Ryans are found in the Religious Census of 1766 in Tipperary town:

Timothy Ryan
John Ryan
Patrick Ryan
William Ryan
Mary Ryan
Tim Ryan
Thomas Ryan
Timothy Ryan
Edw. Ryan
Widow Ryan
James Ryan
Patk. Ryan
Morgan Ryan
Wm. Ryan
Philip Ryan or Hogan
Philip Ryan
Daniel Ryan
Widow Ryan
Thos. Ryan
John Ryan
John Ryan
Wm. Ryan
Philip Ryan
Edm. Ryan
Mathew Ryan
Pilip Ryan
Andrew Ryan
Patk. Ryan
Roger Ryan
Edm. Ryan
John Ryan
Con Ryan
Philip Ryan
John Ryan
Mary Ryan
Jas. Ryan
Wm. Ryan
Wm. Ryan
John Ryan
Daniel Ryan
Tim Ryan
Dennis Ryan

All of these Ryans were listed as Catholic. One of thm may be Mary's father.


The Hearth Money Rolls of 1666-7 were a householder tax. They show seven Rians (Ryans) in the town of Tipperary - Hugh, Daniell, Edmund, William, James, Thomas, and the Widow Rian. One of these may be the ancestor of our Ryans. This was a tax assessment based on the number of hearths in a home. The numbers following the name indicate the number of hearths and the amount of the tax paid in shillings. These Ryans were listed in the Hearth Money Rolls in 1666-7 for Tipperary town:

Tipperary Hearth
          Tax

Tipperary Hearth Money Rolls 1666/7

Parish of Tipperary


                     Hearths  s.

David Hall  1  2
Daniell Spaine  1  2
Daniell McShane  1  2
Robert Stones   2  4
John Stones  1  2
Anthony Baker  1  2
Donnogh Quin  1  2
John Whaly  2  4
John Creese  2  4
Richard Triplett  1  2
Francis Cherry  2  4
Hugh Rian  1  2
Redmond Heagh  1  2
Thomas O’Shea  1  2
Donnogh Mary  1  2
Richard Canter  2  4
Darby Madine  1  2
Edmond Meagher  1  2
James Kennedie  1  2
James Devereaux 1  2
David Fahy  1 & a forge 4
William Bore  1  2
Edward Russell 2  4
Thomas Haines  2  4
James Bardon  1  2
Sachary Spencer  1  2
Teige O’Fahy Smith  1 & a forge 2
Teige O’Fahy  1  2
Farrell Cosker  1  2
Donnogh Clinsey  1  2
Edmund Dearicks  1  2
Thomas Reagh  1  2
John O’Shesy  1  2
Teige Terny  1  2
Richard Woodle  1  2
Richard Stapleton  1  2
Teige O’Kinknane  1  2
Daniell Rian  1  2
William Newland  1  2
Teigh Roe  1  2
John O’Dawe  1  2
Daniell McShane  1  2
Donogh O’Cawsey  1  2
Teige Kennedie  1  2
John Cooper  1  2
Daniel Flin  1  2
Nicholas Pinson  4  8
Richard Scoffeild  2  4
Edmund Rian  1  2
James Woods  5  10
Josias Pettit  4 & an oven  10
Mortagh Madin  1  2
Nath Steanes  2  4
Lawrence Dowdall  1  2
James Poor  1  2
Morrish Nonan  1  2
Richard Caffoe  1  2
William Rian Bane  1  2
William Hogane  1  2
John O’Faghie  2 & an oven  6
Edmund Gront  1  2
Michael Cantwell 1  2
James Fitz-Garrelie  1  2
Derby Hickey 1  2

Carran
Mahew Yard  2  4
Michaell Stapley  1  2
James Rian  1  2
James Moclegh  1  2

Booercroe
Thomas Rian  1  2
John Comin  1  2
Thomas O’Quin  1  2
Roger Comin  1  2
Flan Magrah  1  2

Ballina-Mott
Edmond O’Crockane  1  2
Neale Meagher  1  2
James Meagher  1  2
Robert Smyth  1  2
Derby Conney  1  2
Donnogh O’Carrane  1  2
David Bourke  1  2
Edmund McWilliam  1  2

Ballinalard
Widd. Ballard  1  2
William O’Dea  1  2
Samuell Adam  1  2
William Serpen  1  2

Tober-Bryan
Isaac Anderton  1  2
John Comin  1  2
William English  1  2
John Hall  1  2
Widd. Howlie  1  2
Joan Bourke  1  2
Widd. Rian  1  2
John Sulevan  1  2
Lawrence  Crosse 1  2


In Pender's Census of 1659, 77 Ryan families are listed in the Barony of Clanwilliam, which includes Tipperary town. This is by far the largest number for any name.


Penders Census 1659


The Ryans were a prominent family in the Tipperary area: "Ryan is today one of the ten commonest surnames in Ireland. It is an anglicised form of the old Gaelic O'Maoilriaghain / O'Maoilriain, meaning 'descendant of a devotee of St Riaghan'. The first recorded spelling of the name, which was dated c14th century, is shown to be that of O'Maoilriain, in "Medieval Records of County Tipperary", during the reign of Gerald, Earl of Desmond, 1369 - 1374. The O'Maoilriain sept was very powerful in Owney (formerly called Owney O'Mulryan), which forms two modern baronies on the borders of Counties Limerick and Tipperary. Even today the surname is highly concentrated in this area. In the 1850s Griffiths Valuation, 8,871 Ryan households were recorded, nearly half of which were in Tipperary." (http://irelandroots.com/ryan.htm"The Sologhead memorial near Tipperary town. It is said that there was a large castle in this area that was a major seat of the Ryan clan. It was also the scene of an ambush during the Irish war of Independence, hence the memorial that can be seen to-day. Even if there is nothing to be seen of the Ryan castle, a visit to the area to view and absorb the landscape could give a Ryan descendant a sense of the place where their ancestors once lived." (http://ryanirishclan.com/ryan-heritage-homelands)  "The O'Maoilriains, or anglicised Mulryans, are directly descended from Fergus, ninth in descent from Cathair Mor and are said to have settled in the 13th century in the rich pasturelands of the Golden Vale bordering Tipperary and Limerick. The O'Maoilriains, who were chiefs of Owney, settled in that territory which is now known as the Baronies of Owney, County Tipperary and Owney-beg in the east of County Limerick and later moved in to the Barony of Kilnamanagh, County Tipperary, where they became very numerous and powerful. Most of the buildings constructed by the Ryans (O'Mulryans) when they arrived in the Owney territory of Munster were demolished prior to, or during the 17th century when their properties were confiscated by Cromwellian forces." (http://www.clanryanaustralia.org)