Tony Ryan facts for kids

Thomas Anthony Ryan (born February 2, 1936 – died October 3, 2007) was a very successful Irish businessman. He was known for starting the airline Ryanair in 1984.

Tony Ryan also created a company called Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA) in 1975. This company helped start the way airlines rent planes to each other around the world. He became very wealthy by finding new ways to do business in the airline industry. Ryanair became one of the biggest airlines in Europe.

Early Life and First Job

Tony Ryan was born in a place called Limerick Junction in County Tipperary, Ireland, on February 2, 1936. His father worked as a train driver.

When he was about nine years old, his family moved to Thurles. He went to school there. Tony wanted to go to university, but his father passed away, so he started working instead. He got a job at Aer Lingus, an airline, as a dispatch clerk and later trained to be a manager.

Building a Business Empire

Tony Ryan moved up in his job at Aer Lingus. In 1968, he became the station manager for Aer Lingus at JFK Airport in New York.

Starting GPA: Renting Airplanes

In 1972, Tony Ryan and his family moved back to Ireland. He found a new opportunity in "aircraft leasing." This means renting out airplanes that airlines didn't need at certain times.

In 1975, with help from Aer Lingus and another company, he started Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA Group). He invested $5,000 for a small part of the company. GPA grew to be the largest company in the world for renting out airplanes. At its best, GPA was worth $4 billion.

Founding Ryanair: Low-Cost Flights

Tony Ryan was also one of the people who started Ryanair in 1984. This airline became famous for offering flights at very low prices.

Later, Michael O'Leary joined Ryanair in 1988 and became its chief executive in 1994. Ryanair grew into one of Europe's largest airlines.

Other Interests and Investments

Tony Ryan invested in many different businesses. He bought a large horse farm in Kentucky, USA, in 2001. He renamed it Castleton Lyons, after his own estate in Ireland. He worked to make it a top place for breeding racehorses.

He also owned a part of Tiger Airways, a low-cost airline in Singapore. Tony Ryan also had shares in a famous winery in France called Château Lascombes. He invested in other companies too, like Paddy Power and Tesco.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

Tony Ryan cared a lot about education and gave money to universities in Ireland.

In 1993, he donated a special center for marine science to NUI Galway. It was named the Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute, in honor of his father. He was very interested in ocean science and fish farming. He also helped fund The Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship at Dublin City University, which teaches people how to start their own businesses.

Personal Life

Tony Ryan married his childhood sweetheart, Mairéad, in 1958, and they had three sons. They separated later but never officially divorced.

Tony Ryan was known for restoring his large Irish estate, Lyons Demesne, spending a lot of money to make it beautiful. He also owned a horse breeding farm in County Tipperary. At the time of his death, he was one of the wealthiest people in Ireland.

Later Years and Legacy

Tony Ryan passed away at his home in County Kildare on October 3, 2007, when he was 71 years old. He had been ill for about 18 months.

He had homes in London, Kentucky, and Ibiza. Before he died, he had already given most of his wealth to his children. His eldest son, Cathal, sadly passed away a few months later.

Awards and Recognition

Tony Ryan received several awards for his achievements:

• In 1994, he received the Order of the Aztec Eagle.
• In 2002, he was given the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement.
• In 2012, he received the first National Aviation Award, which was given to his family.

He also received special honorary degrees from several universities, including Trinity College, Dublin, the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the University of Limerick.

See also

In Spanish: Tony Ryan para niños