Tony Ryan

Life & Legacy

Thomas Anthony Ryan (2 February 1936 – 3 October 2007) was an Irish billionaire businessman and philanthropist who co-founded Ryanair in 1984 along with cofounders Christy Ryan and Liam Lonergan (owner of Irish travel agent Club Travel), 9 years after founding Guinness Peat Aviation an international aircraft leasing industry. Through Guinness Peat Aviation and Ryanair, he amassed two fortunes by identifying gaps in the market. Ryanair was believed to be the main source of his wealth in later life: the company became one of the biggest airlines in Europe and was worth approximately $13 billion at the time of his death.