James Ryan was born at Doon, County Tipperary in Ireland. He migrated to Australia as a young man, living first in Melbourne, then moving to New Zealand, and later returning to Australia in about 1884 to live in Sydney. Ryan worked in the Orange and Lithgow districts before joining the Lithgow Mercury in 1886. He worked under editors J. P. T. Caulfield and John Farrell until 1889 when the newspapers changed hands. He then became editor and, later, manager.
Ryan's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) states that he was a 'foundation member (1900) of the New South Wales Country Press Association (president, 1909-10), he was a committee-member of the Australian Provincial Press Association and chairman (1932-40) of the Country Press Ltd.' He was also active in Lithgow's community life.
Ryan remained with the Mercury until its ownership changed in 1926, at which time he moved to Sydney. Ryan served in various New South Wales governments. The ADB says that Ryan saw himself as 'an old-fashioned liberal; although allied with the United Australia Party he was cynical about party politics.'
Ryan died in Nowra of cerebral thrombosis and was buried in South Head cemetery, Sydney.
Source: Australian Dictionary of Biography Online, http://adb.anu.edu.au/
Sighted: 20/02/2013
