Despite being a family man with four children, he applied for early retirement in 1986 and became a full-time artist. These days, Ryan is one of Ireland’s most sought-after artists and today marks the launch of his latest exhibition, Inner Light, at the Solomon Gallery in Dublin.
Ryan, 75, joined Munster and Leinster Bank in Cork in 1949, when he was 17. Although the banking sector did not foster artistic ambitions, the young teller’s passion for art was not to be dampened. He began taking evening art classes, and in 1955 he enrolled to study at the National College of Art, which was then in Kildare Street. Two of his banking colleagues, Tony O’Malley and James Manning, were keen painters and agreed to take part in joint exhibitions in 1957 and 1958.
Even when Ryan became Ireland’s first public relations officer in the banking sector, he still followed his first passion and continued to exhibit his work. In the 1970s he was a PR force to be reckoned with and became the public face of Irish banking.
When he retired, his aim was to begin work as a full-time artist immediately. However, he was quickly lured into the job of editing the satirical magazine Dublin Opinion. When the publication closed in 1988, he started working with Cerebral Palsy Ireland (now Enable Ireland) as director of marketing and PR.
In 2002, Ryan decided to write an autobiography detailing his 37 years spent as a cog in the financial world. The result, With a Tap on the Knee: Memoirs of a Reluctant Banker, is a book in which Ryan regales the reader with irreverent tales and sympathetic portraits of characters he had encountered — many of them famous. Ryan’s paintings can be found in the prestigious public art collections of AIB, the Office of Public Works, Bord Gais, Fexco and in a number of Irish and international private collections. Inner Light runs until February 1.
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How much money do you normally have in your wallet and do you carry anything unusual or sentimental in it?
I don’t think I have ever owned a wallet. I’ve always thought there is something a bit too flash about pulling out a wallet and displaying all your cards and cash to whoever is around. I prefer to carry my money in my pocket and I’d rarely have more than €100 on me.
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What was your first job and how much were you paid?
When I was 17, I left school and began work at the Munster and Leinster Bank in Cork. I was on IR£120 (€152) a year, which worked out at about €3 a week. I was really just a gofer who wrote out receipts. I had good handwriting back then, but you should see it now, it’s barely legible. I made some great friends in that job and to this day we stay in regular contact. In fact, a group of us meet up every week.
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Have you ever been really hard up or broke?
No. I didn’t understand real lack of wealth when I was young and I doubt many of my peers understood it either. We always got by. The other factor that helped us maintain a steady income was that once you got a job, you stuck with it. Today, workers are far more likely to try out new positions.
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Are you a saver or a spender?
Without a doubt, I’m a spender. I always have been and always will be. I inherited that trait from my parents, who were also big spenders. Although they never squandered their money — everything was spent on their five daughters and two sons. I think I’ve followed in their footsteps. My wife and I have three boys and one girl, so, over the years, that left little disposable income for me to spend on canvases or paints.
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What is the most lucrative work you have done and did you use the fee for something special?
I like to think of a particular job I had as being lucrative in that it fulfilled me not financially but intellectually. I had a fascinating job when I was editor of Dublin Opinion. I met so many creative people during that time. Unfortunately, it was the 1980s and the Celtic tiger had yet to rear its head, so the publication only lasted two years.
Do you own property and would you consider investing in the property market now?
My wife and I own a cottage in Sandycove. Four years ago, we sold our family house in Dartry to one of our sons and downsized. It was the best move we ever made. I’d be nervous about investing in the property market now as it looks very overvalued.
What do you invest in and do you consider yourself a risk-taker?
At this stage we invest in very little. I am a risk-taker by nature, however. I left banking when I was 55 and immersed myself in the art world. That in itself was quite a risk.
What has been your worst investment?
I am dubious about some of the tracker bonds in which I have invested in the past. Thankfully, I invested modest sums. The returns were poor and left me feeling pretty unimpressed.
Do you have a special savings incentive account and if so what do you plan on spending the money on?
I have an SSIA, but the amount I am due will not leave me too much change after I buy some canvases and paints. Framing and art materials are so expensive. Most of my money is invested in my work.
How do you plan to fund your retirement?
I have a pension and, hopefully, my art will bring some money our way.
What is more important — time off or money in the bank?
Time off is very important. There are times when I will work solidly for three or four weeks straight. But then I make a point of taking some time off to go down to the country or just relax at home. When I worked as the PR manager for AIB, there were times when I worked around the clock, so I know what it is like to really need time off. Although, in saying that, I loved that time in my life, they were great days.
Have you ever received really bad financial advice?
Yes, but I have also probably given it as well. So that balances it out.
Would you like to live somewhere other than Ireland?
No. There are so many wonderful spots in Ireland that I love visiting, particularly in west Cork. The Beara peninsula is a particularly stunning part of Ireland that has yet really to be discovered.
Have you ever seen anyone spend money in a way that shocked you?
Yes, the government has shocked me on many occasions. There has been a succession of flaithiulach treatment of money on projects. The budgets have been overspent by hundreds of millions. You wouldn’t mind if they had overspent by a few million, but in these cases we’re talking hundreds of millions. It’s hard to get your head around that.
If you could change one thing about the Irish tax system what would it be?
My son, Eamonn Ryan, is a TD for the Green party and I am a member. I would like to see a carbon tax introduced.
Have you ever won or surprisingly come into a sum of money?
No. I have never gambled in my life. Again, this aversion to gambling could be something I got from my parents, although it’s more likely that I learnt quite early on about the damage it can do. Over the years I have seen quite a few people lose their homes as a result of gambling. It can be more damaging than alcohol.
Do you donate to charity?
I donate to the St Vincent de Paul Society and Goal. John O’Shea is a great man and I’m confident that my money goes straight to where it’s needed most.
What is the most important lesson you have learnt about money?
When I was writing the book Memoirs of a Reluctant Banker, a great friend of mine told me: “Always remember, Bob, money isn’t funny.” I thought it was a great statement. No matter what you do with money, you can never make it funny.
If you had an unlimited supply of money for one week, what would be the top three items on your shopping list?
I’d buy a large studio in Sandycove and organise a great big party for all of my family and friends. Lastly, I’d distribute the remainder among all my family.