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.