I've never flown Ryan Air, have no shares in them and therefore have no axe to grind, but from a business point of view they have shown that they are competetive and dynamic, unlike Aer Lingus.
GwynM, have you even looked at Aer Lingus offers lately? I use Aer Lingus in preference to Ryanair whenever I can. A quick look at their website will reveal that they are as competitive today as Ryanair and a lot more pleasant to fly with.