Willie Ryan was an Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 hurler

Hurling

Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

 who played as a right wing-forward for the Limerick

Limerick GAA

The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...

 senior team.

Ryan made his first appearance for the team during the 1914 championship

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1914

The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1914 was the 28th series of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...

 and became a regular player over the next decade. During that time he won two All-Ireland

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....

 winner's medals and two Munster

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....

 winner's medals

At club level, Gleeson played with Cappamore, however, a county championship

Limerick Senior Hurling Championship

The Limerick Senior Hurling Championship is an annual club competition between the top Limerick Clubs. The winners of the Limerick Championship qualify to represent their county in the Munster Club Championship and in turn, go on to the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship...

 winners' medal eluded him. He also represented Ireland in the Tailteann Games

Tailteann Games

The Tailteann Games were an ancient sporting event held in Ireland in honour of the goddess Tailtiu. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion....

.

In retirement from playing Gleeson enjoyed a distinguished career as a referee at club level. His two sons, Séamus and Liam

Liam Ryan (Limerick hurler)

Fr. Liam Ryan is an Irish retired hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Limerick senior team.Ryan made his first appearance for the team during the 1955 championship and played intermittently for the team over the course of the next six seasons. During that time he won one Munster...

, played hurling with Limerick in the 1950s.