Richard Ryan (biographer)

Autobiographical journal entry by Richard Ryan explaining his life and plans in 1819, including his Irish dictionary of national biography The Worthies of Ireland.

Richard Ryan (18 April 1797 – 20 October 1849)[1] was a British writer of Irish descent.[2] He was the son of Oxford Street, London bookseller and publisher Richard Ryan and was educated at St Paul's School, London.

Ryan produced the first Irish biographical dictionary Biographia Hibernica, a Biographical Dictionary of the Worthies of Ireland, from the earliest periods to the present time in 1819 and 1821. He was also a poet, writing for newspapers and publishing books on poetry, a biographer of poets and playwrights, an editor, a lyricist for popular music and a playwright of several plays in the West End of London.

Richard Ryan lived in Camden Town, London, from 1819 until his death in 1849.

  1. ^ A letter written (above) records his correct date of birth, incorrectly listed elsewhere as 1796 (on his death certificate his age is listed as 53, but he was 52). Also listed correctly in Time's Telescope, 1825 p. 91. Birth date of 18 April 1797 is also registered on Baptism records with St George's Hanover Square, Westminster, 10 September 1802.
  2. ^ His father Richard's obituary from The Gentleman's Magazine Mar 1819, p.286: "Mr. Richard Ryan was a native of Ireland..."