Tipperary GAA said it was “deeply saddened” to announce Ryan’s “very untimely death” and described him as “a stalwart of Tipperary football, both as a player and in his later role as manager and coach.
“His contribution to Gaelic football in the county was immense, and his loss will be felt deeply across the GAA community.”
Ryan’s club Clonmel Commercials, described him as “one of the county’s most respected football men and a proud servant of both Clonmel Commercials and Tipperary across several decades.
“Philly was known as a genuine, grounded, and generous man, whose humour and kindness left a lasting impression on everyone who crossed his path. He carried the same quiet dignity in life that he had shown on the field of play.”
Ryan won five county championships as a player and represented the Premier County for 16 years as a goalkeeper, captaining them to the All-Ireland Senior B football championship in 1995.
He served in a variety of club management roles and also managed his native county’s minors from 2007 to 2008.
Ryan was appointed senior football manager for the 2025 season, and led Tipperary to a fifth-place finish in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League.
He underwent hip surgery in May, but was back on the sideline on crutches for Tipp’s final game of the year, a Tailteann Cup defeat to Leitrim.
Ryan is survived by his wife Anna, his son Shane, who is the current Tipperary goalkeeper, daughters Amy and Katie, and his extended family.
