Ronan Tynan

Companies and associations like IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, Coldwell Banker and The Million Dollar Round Table have invited him back repeatedly, captivated by his sense of humor, lively spirit and inspirational message about overcoming obstacles and living life to the fullest.

Tynan has been in the national spotlight in recent years, performing at some of the most memorable events — from the 9/11 memorial services at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden to Ronald Reagan’s funeral and President George W. Bush’s Inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral. He was featured on Showtime’s What’s Going On with Meg Ryan and HBO’s Nine Innings From Ground Zero, and his rendition of “God Bless America" has been a fixture at New York Yankees games, including during the World Series. The New York Times called him “the closest thing this country has to an official meistersinger.”

A champion disabled athlete as well as a physician and celebrated tenor, Tynan’s life was the subject of an ABC 20/20 profile and the BBC documentary, Dr. Courageous. Born with a lower limb disability, Tynan had both of his legs amputated at age 20. Within a year after the operation, he was competing in the Paralympic Games — both in track and field and as an equestrian. Between 1981 and 1990, Tynan won 18 gold medals and set 14 world records, nine of which are still in place today.

Tynan was the first disabled person ever admitted to Limerick’s National College of Physical Education and became a doctor specializing in orthopedic sports injuries.

Less than one year after he began studying music, Tynan won both the John McCormack Cup for Tenor Voice and the BBC talent show Go For It. The following year, he won the prestigious International Operatic Singing Competition in France.

From sold-out concerts to speaking engagements (which include some singing) around the world, Tynan’s career knows no bounds. In 2002 he starred in a PBS concert, Ronan Tynan: The Impossible Dream; published his memoir, Halfway Home: My Life ’Til Now; and came out with his first solo CD, My Life Belongs to You. With his recent signing to Decca/Universal Classics in the U.S., Tynan will release a new CD in 2005. A new TV special is also in the works.

Tynan’s message is as humble as it is empowering. “You can mentally make your mind strong enough to overcome any obstacles that come your way. Make a deal with yourself to take risks, because when you do and they come out, it’s an unforgettable feeling of accomplishment.”