It was of great sadness that we learned of the untimely death of Fr Noel Ryan in Los Angeles on Monday, 17 November. Fr Noel was born in Ballyhooly and was ordained a Columban Priest in 1963. He has spent his entire priestly life ministering to the poor and under privileged in Korea and in later years with the Korean community in America. He was an accomplished hurler and footballer who achieved major success on the playing fields in a very short playing career. He started his playing career with Ballyhooly where he developed his skills and great love for our games. He played on four successive Harty Cup teams with St Colman's Fermoy. he played junior football with Glanworth and was a key player in the 1962 North Cork junior-A football championship final victory over Grange, played in Mitchelstown on 02/09/62. This was indeed a memorable sporting year for him as he was also a member of the Kildorrery junior-A hurling team that won the North Cork title in 1962 and 1963. He was a very skillful fast forward who was highly respected by his team-mates and opponents. Following his ordination in 1963, he headed for his missionary work in early 1964. However, he maintained regular contact with his many friends and team-mates in the Avondhu area. His letters in both times of sadness/ funerals and joy/ weddings were treasured by his many friends. We offer our sincere sympathy to his sister Pat, brothers Liam and Ollie, sisters-in-law Kathleen and Mary, nephews Terence and Barry, his niece Catherine and many friends. He will also be sadly missed by the Korean community and by his priestly brothers in the Columban Order. A detailed account of his missionary work is on the website- www.columban.com ad can also be accessed on the Glanworth website- www.glanworthgaa.ie Cremation took place in Los Angeles on Monday, 24th of November and his 'ashes' are being brought back for burial later this week by Barry and Catherine. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis. Father Noel Ryan was born on the 26th of December, 938 in Ballyhooly, Co Cork. He attended Bruree Primary School and St Colman's College, Fermoy. He commenced his studies for missionary priesthood in St Columbans, Dalgan Park, Navan in 1956. Following his ordination in 1963, Noel was assigned to Korea where he worked in Chun Cheon Diocese and the archdiocese of Seoul. He was bursar of the Korea region before he became Chaplain to the Young Christian Workers. The government did not permit labour unions to protect the workers. He did heroic work ministering to the needs of young factory workers in SEoul who had to work dawn-to-dusk hours for minimum wages in working conditions that threatened their personal safety. He was assigned to the US region in 1982 where he continued his ministry to Korean Catholics, living in southern California, serving in the Catholic Korean Apostolate (San Fernando Valley), San Diego Korean Center, Saint Gregory's parish and St mary's parish (both in Los Angeles.) More recently, he was assigned to St Columbans in Omaha. Noel was known for his fluency in the KOrean language and each year, he wrote Lenten and Advent daily meditation books, which were distributed to all Korean Catholic centres and which are greatly appreciated by the people. He was also well known for his ability to remember the names of any Korean he met, especially those he had baptised or married many years before. He had a great compassion for people who were suffering and was chaplain to the Little Company of Jesus, serving the needs of people with physical or mental disabilities. Noel made himself available to the Korean Catholics in Los Angeles, whether they needed somebody to speak with, a visit to a family member in hospital, or to bless their house. It was said that the only Korean word he did not learn was "no!" Noel took ill whilst visiting Los Angeles. He was admitted to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Los Angeles on MOnday, November 10, with a serious infection in his leg. Complications from the infection resulted in kidney failure and Noel was placed in ICU. He received dialysis and other treatments but his body eventually succumbed to the infection resulting in his death on Monday, November 17. May he rest in peace. The Avondhu, 27/11/08 Tweet

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