He was a renowned lecturer and gifted hurler who played at senior level for the Limerick county team, winning the Munster Senior Hurling Championship title in 1955, alongside his older brother Liam (who also became a priest and lecturer in sociology in Maynooth) who captained the side.
Limerick, he went to St Patrick's College, Maynooth to study for the priesthood.
Seamus with the benefit of a German Government scholarship to the University of Munster in Westphalia, Germany, studied under young Professor Ratzinger later Pope Benedict.
[2] Returning to Ireland in 1964, Ryan lectured in theology in St. Patrick's College, Thurles up until 1990 when he was appointed parish priest to St Matthews Parish, Ballyfermot Upper in Dublin.
He retired as parish priest of St Matthew's in 2016, returning to his native Cappamore.