He is the brother of slain RIRA boss Alan Ryan who was previously cleared of weapons charges, but now Vinnie Ryan has reinvented himself as a barber. advertisement Hardline republican Vinnie (25), even has a purpose-built hair studio in his home in North Dublin.
A source told the Sunday World that Vinnie has always had an interest in male grooming and is a talented barber.
“He was living in Athy for a while, but he is back in Dublin now and is cutting hair, he is very talented. He does it by private appointment only.”
Vinnie was extremely close to his brother Alan and was always by his side before he was gunned down in September 2012. Following Ryan’s murder, Vinnie was arrested by gardai who were investigating activities of dissident republicans.
He was charged with weapons offences and membership of an illegal organisation and was placed in the dissident’s wing in Portloaise Prison while he was on remand.
However, in October 2012, Vinnie and close pal Darragh Evans (23), were cleared by the Special Criminal Court of charges of possession of an assault rifle and a handgun at Clonshaugh Walk, Coolock, on September 15, 2011 – the same day drugs trafficker Michael ‘Micka’ Kelly was shot dead.
Kelly, nicknamed ‘The Panda’, had been in a deadly feud with Alan Ryan after he refused to cough up a five-figure cash sum to Ryan’s Real IRA extortionist gang.
The non-jury court ruled there was insufficient evidence from which a jury could find Ryan and Evans were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charge of membership of an illegal organisation was also struck out.
