I would say a delay of 8 hours on a SH flight is equivalent to cancellation. Air France delayed me by initially three hours on an internal flight because of a cancellation and gave me a €300 voucher. Three hours ago, Southwest were offering your fare back, a night in a hotel and $200 to give up your seat on a Phoenix to San Diego flight, and then to fly out at 0645 tomorrow morning Phoenix time - and wanting quite a few people to do that. They could just have cencelled.......citing 'technical reasons'.
But we're talking Ryanair, aren't we......