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Tribute to John 'Skinner' Ryan

Very sad tonight to hear of the death of the Great Sylvester's Legend and proud to say a great friend John (Skinner) Ryan. Skinner captained Syls to Junior Championship Victory in Croke Park in 1963 the same year that the Dubs (Captained by Des Foley) won the All Ireland. The same Syls team went Intermediate & then Senior within a few years.

Skinner and Christy Reilly, Mickey Howard and many others played for Dublin in the 60's. Most of the Syls Senior team retired in 1972 and there was a valley period for a couple of years. When our own team started back at Junior Football for Syls in the mid 70's we ran into some problems in the Club.

Skinner sorted these problems out in his own quite way.

Skinner, Christy Reilly, Mickey Howard, The Grimes brothers, Johnny & Frank, Christy Mahon, Vincent Markey, Paddy Ryan (Skinners Brother) Donald (Skinners other brother)  and a few others came back to give us a helping hand. I will never forget the skill that these lads showed us on the pitch. In all fairness they made us look good. They had lost very little of the talent that won them the Junior Championship in 1963 and brought them to Senior football in the late 60's & early 70's

Skinner Ryan went on to serve on the Executive as Chairman, Club President, and very recently received the hall of Fame award at our awards night. Above all Skinner was a great person who had time for everyone.

When we eventually won the Senior championship in 1996, for the first time, Skinner told me he was the proudest man in Dublin. He had five Nephews involved between the Ryan & Barnes Family.

Condolences to the Ryan & Barnes Family

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam  

Eddie Ó Mórdha

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