Among the Irish nationalists harboured within his Parnell Street shop was Seán Treacy who established a workshop where he put false bottoms on butter boxes to conceal dispatches and ammunition for IRA operations.

[4][5] In 1927, he gathered an impressive twelve thousand pounds towards the establishment of The Irish Press a new national newspaper sponsored by Éamon de Valera that appeared for the first time in September 1931.

[2] Ryan's political career was cut short when he died suddenly at his residence "Rockdale" located on Orwell Road, Rathgar in Dublin on 30 June 1933.

Finally the tricolour draped coffin was carried to its resting place, just metres from the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in the Republican Plot at Glasnevin Cemetery on the shoulders of Daniel Breen TD his friend, parliamentary colleague and Irish revolutionary hero.

[11][12] Cora Ryan attempted unsuccessfully in 1969 to enter the Dáil in a by-election caused by the death of her husband Seán Dunne TD.

John Ryan was an accomplished painter who inaugurated the literary magazine Envoy, A Review of Literature and Art and was one of the instigators of the Bloomsday commemoration of the work of Irish writer James Joyce.

Oonagh Ryan married a Russian Prince Alexis Guedroitz and their daughter Princess Ania Guédroïtz is a Belgian actress.