Edward(3) Ryan
EDWARD3 RYAN (THOMAS2, EDWARD1) born about 1735, died 1790 “of fever”. He married CATHERINE REILLY, who died December 17, 1828 at Blackhall, county Meath.
From “Collections on Irish Church History” (1874), Volume II: Irish Bishops, page 54:
Edward Ryan succeeded his father in Ballinakill, and married the daughter of Philip O'Reilly, Esq., of Coolamber and Ballymorris, county Longford. They were blessed with numerous offspring, two daughters and eleven sons.
The family had a close relationship with the Lawless family (Lords Cloncurry)
The family held their lands from Michael Aylmer of Lyons. A 99-year lease was signed and dated May 1, 1779. Their principal residence was Ballinakill. They held lands in Ballinakill and Ballyvoneen in the barony of Ikeathy and Oughterany in North Kildare.
NOTE: As the table below combines information from disparate sources, it contains some inconsistencies. For example, Thomas is listed as the eldest son, but his birth date is three years after that of his brother, Patrick.
| Children of EDWARD RYAN and CATHERINE REILLY: (all born at Ballinakill) | |
|---|---|
| i. | THOMAS4, b. October 10, 1771; d. 1814 “at the age of 45”; m. 1798 to Mary Byrne, dau. of Edmund (or Edward) Byrne of Dublin. Inherited the estate at Ballinakill. |
| He had close connections with some of the more prominent people in the United Irishmen. | |
| He was a magistrate in County Kildare following the granting of Catholic relief in April 1793. | |
| On Monday, July 13, 1795, he was escorting prisoners from Kilcock to the jail at Naas – a group of Defenders attempted to rescue the prisoners, and he was shot in the attempt – quite seriously. | |
| The Kildare Militia was formed in 1794. He was a lieutenant in the Donadea Cavalry in a yeomanry unit during 1797-1798. | |
| ii. | Philip – “went to Copenhagen and married (first) a Danish lady, the daughter of Baron Firsh, and after her death married (secondly) a Miss Farrell, born in Denmark, but, as the name implies of Irish extraction.” |
| iii. | Patrick, b. 1769, d. March 9, 1819 at Enniscorthy – Bishop of Ferns |
| iv. | John – joined the Spanish army |
| v. | Bernard – entered the East India Company's service |
| vi. | James – “the well-known correspondent, J.R., of Charles James Fox, was an extensive wine merchant in Dublin, partner in the firm Byrne, McDonnell, and Co., then the first commercial house in the city.” Wife may have been “Catherine”. |
| vii. | EDWARD, – lived at Newcastle first, and then at Blackhall, county Meath |
| viii. | Geroge – “died in Copenhagen, December 6, 1861. the last survivor of the brothers” |
| ix. | William – died young |
| x. | Richard – died young |
| xi. | Joseph – “a gentleman of refined taste, kind of hospitable, after spending many years in Barcelona in Spain, came to reside at the Grove, county Meath” |
| plus two daughters | |