Our classmate Dennis O'Brien had a huge impact on Saint Rays. years after we graduated. In the eighties he came back to Saints to coach the football team. His Saints football team became a powerhouse and won several state championships under his tutelage.
After winning several Class B state championships, Saint Raphael's was moved up to class A, competing with schools with much larger enrollments. They also won the state championship in class A.
Danny is an iconic Saints graduate who had an enormous impact on the school when the rest of us were busy with our careers. The picture here is from 1962 when Denny was in Marine Corp boot camp.
Denny was my teammate in football playing at my left shoulder - he at right tackle, me at right end. Denny and I laughed, grunted, sweated, and cursed together - brothers in the mud, brothers in spirit.
Sadly, Denny is long gone. However, it's great to feel his presence as we reconnect 60 years later. He had reconnected to Saints long before and made major contributions to our beloved school.
Read more about Dennis here https://www.saintrays.org/giving/named-scholarships/.
Photo thanks to classmate Tom Obrien who is currently alive and well in Charlestown RI.
