James Ryan (1863 – 21 June 1940) was an Irish-born Australian politician.
He was born in Doon in County Tipperary to farmers Patrick and Alice Ryan.
He migrated to Melbourne at a young age to join his uncle, who soon died, then went to New Zealand and finally Sydney around 1884.
He married schoolteacher Margaret Redmond, with whom he had three children.
From 1917 to 1940 he was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, first for the Nationalist Party and then for the United Australia Party.