Priest Who Aided IRA, Patrick Ryan, Dies at 94

Patrick Ryan, a Roman Catholic priest who aided the Irish Republican Army (IRA), has died at the age of 94. Ryan grew up in Ireland with aspirations of becoming a priest, influenced by tales of Irish resistance. After serving in East Africa, he returned to Britain, where his association with the IRA began. He was eventually arrested in 1988 in London on suspicion of involvement in the IRA's bombing campaign, though he was later released and returned to Ireland. Ryan's dual life as a clergyman and alleged supporter of the IRA was marked by his early life experiences and a later confession of financial irregularities to his superiors.