Ryan, Fr Liam
July 11, 2013Admired and respected by the many people who crossed his path during his life, Fr. Liam Ryan passed away peacefully on June 17th in Marymount Hospice. His death has left a void in the parishes where he ministered and in the homes of all the people he visited down through the years. He will be especially missed in the homes of his families, relatives and many friends.
Fr. Liam retired as parish priest from the parish of Banteer in 2007. He was loved and cherished there by his endearing parishioners as was evident from the wonderful celebration of Fr. Liam's Golden Jubilee and retirement function held in the church and in Banteer parish hall on that beautiful summer afternoon in June 2007.
Since his retirement, Fr. Liam was resident in the family home where he was bred, born and reared in his native Mondaniel, Rathcormac. He had, to use his own words. "a special gra' for that place and often quoted from the framed embellished script picture which hung in his livingroom 'East or West, Home is Best', His beloved sister, Eileen R.I.P., predeceased him in 1975 and his housekeeper Kit Quinn of Ballyhea R.I.P. in 1994.
Fr. Liam was born in September 1932. He had one brother, John and two sisters Kay and Eileen. He attended Whitechurch and Rathcormac National Schools. From there he attended St. Colman's College, Fermoy, Maynooth College and St. Patrick's College, Carlow, where he was ordained to the priesthood on June 8th 1957. His first appointments were to Slough and Corby in England. He was recalled to the Diocese of Cloyne in 1959 where he ministered in the following parishes: Ballyhea 1959-1965; Castlemartyr 1965-1-967; Ballynoe 1967-1971; Ballyclough 1971-1979; Buttevant 1979-1985, where he had his silver jubilee and ministered at the train crash; Newmarket 1985-1991 and Banteer 1991-2007, where he ministered as parish priest.
Fr. Liam made an enormous contribution in all those parishes and will be remembered for his religious spirit, gentle presence, kindness, good humour and firmness. He was a committed, dedicated, happy priest who was faithful to his priestly vocation and loved his people.
He was always ready to greet and help people, as when he risked his own life in an effort to get to and anoint the dead, dying and injured people at the Buttevant train crash in August 1980.
His involvement with the Newmarket MS group will be deeply and sadly missed. He organised and travelled with them on their annual visit to Knock where they prayed in the shrine at Mass and enjoyed great togetherness at the
nightly singsong in the convent. He was happy in their company and understood their needs.
As parish, priest of Banteer, he endeared himself to his people and worked there with various committees to make the parish a better place where people could take pride in their own surroundings. He was fair on authority and generous in compassion, friendliness and affirmation as he enriched the lives he touched.
Fr. Liam often spoke of his love of football, hurling and all games. He enjoyed many a card game, winning and losing with a laugh, a joke and an assuring smile.
As a keen sportsman he won Avondhu Ul6 football with Fermoy in 1947, Avondhu minor hurling and football medals in 1948 and 1949, won the Harty Cup and O'Callaghan Cup medals with St. Colman's, Fermoy in 1949. He played with Bride Rovers in 1950 and 1951. He was a member of the Cork minor panel in 1949.
As a school chairperson, Fr. Liam was wise and shrewd. He had that warm smile which cheered many a heart. The presence of the members of the Buttevant Brass and Reed Band at his removal spoke in profound grief of his interest in the band and of the part he played with them.
His funeral in Banteer was carried with dignity, courtesy and respect. The goodwill of the various committees from Lyre, Kilcorney and Banteer was deeply moving and much appreciated by all the people, clergy and sisters who came in such huge numbers to pay their final farewell to their well loved priest, brother, uncle, neighbour and friend. The undertaker, Dermot McCarthy, showed great sensitivity to all who entered that spacious, modem funeral centre. The Mass, choir, stewards, guard of honour, gardai and packed church in Fr. Liam's honour, with over 45 priests celebrating was a wonderful consolation and uplifting experience of prayer and worship. Credit too is due to the local PP, Fr. William Winter, for all his co-operation and support in praying and playing Fr. Liam into heaven.
The meal after the removal and dinners after the funeral were greatly appreciated, thanks and well done to the catering group - you did yourselves and Fr. Liam proud.
May Fr. Liam Ryan now take his place in the Heavenly Liturgy and live forever in the presence of the Risen Lord. It is a great tribute to Banteer to have him now residing in their parish grounds near the church that he loved so well.
The following Chinese proverb was found in his breviary: 'If there is right in the soul there is beauty in the person, If there is beauty in the person there is harmony in the home, If there is harmony in the home there will be order in the nation, If there is order in the nation there will be peace in the world'.
His retirement only lasted six years. For most of that time he was active and able to drive, serving in the parishes of Fermoy. Ballyhooly, Castletownroche and wherever the need arose. The Presentation Sisters in Fermoy were enriched by his daily presence in their convent chapel for Mass and they will miss his visits to them.
Fr. Liam will be sadly missed by his loving brother John and sister Kay, his sister-in-law Breda, brothers-in-law Willie and Sean, nephews, nieces, nephews-in-law, nieces-in-law, grandchildren, relatives, bishops, clergy, many
friends, families and former parishioners.
'When I must leave you for a little while, please do not grieve and shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow to you through the years,
But start out bravely with a gallant smile,
And for my sake and in my name live on and do all things the same.
Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer,
And I in turn will comfort you and hold you near,
And never, never be afraid to die
For I am waiting for you in the sky.'
Courtesy of The Avondhu. Tweet
