Playing career Ryan began his club career at underage level with
St Finbarr's, winning minor and under-21 championships across both codes. He was just 18 years of age when he was drafted onto the club's senior teams in 1976 and began the first of seventeen consecutive seasons as a senior
dual player. During that time, Ryan lined out in 20 county finals, winning six
Cork SHC titles and five
Cork SFC. He also won a combined total of six Munster Club Championships and four All-Ireland Club Championships, captaining "the Barr's" footballers to the title in
1980. After an unsuccessful minor and under-21 career at inter-county level, Ryan joined the
Cork senior football team in advance of the
1977-78 league. During a decade-long association with the team he served as
captain on two occasions, a position he held for Cork's
National League success in
1980 and their
Munster Championship victory in
1983. Ryan, who also won a
National League title with the
Cork senior hurling team, ended his career with an
All-Ireland final defeat by
Meath in 1987.
Death Ryan died in
Glasheen on 8 February 2021, at the age of 63. ==Honours==