ST SEBASTIAN’S

BROTHERHOOD
Pictured: Hank Barry ’45, Frank Dermody, ’45, and Don Gibbons ’45 at Reunion 2005.
Even in its very first years of existence, St. Sebastian’s showed that it
already knew how to take care of its own.
“The faculty was so good to me and I was very fortunate,” he
noted. “Do you think I had to pay one cent junior or senior year?
No! Monsignor McInnis said I would not have to pay any tuition.”
Barry says his friendships at the School revolved around sports.
He remembers playing hockey, basketball, baseball, and football.
He said, “I was good friends with my athletic pals. Jimmy Lydon
’45 is one of my best friends and Ed Courtney ’45 was my best man
60 years ago at Our Lady’s Church in Newton.”
Barry went on to relate how he taught for a brief time at St.
Sebastian’s before moving on to the public schools.
“I had the privilege of coming back here to teach. I had been
working in the business industry and had been coaching since I
was nineteen at Sacred Heart in Newton Center. I was attached to
coaching, and the place I wanted to coach more than anything was at
St. Sebastian’s. So I talked to Father Flanigan about coaching junior
varsity football and running intramurals and teaching mathematics.
I was delighted to have the opportunity.
“After two and a half years it was time for a little more income. I
asked Father Flanigan, ‘Father, when do I get paid again?’ He said, ‘I
don’t have any money. I won’t have any money again until the fall.’”
Barry went on to teach mathematics in the Newton School
System for thirty years, as well as at Northeastern University for
thirteen years. Through his entire career, however, he remained
close with St. Sebastian’s.
He stated, “There was no one in that building that was bigger
than St. Sebastian’s School. It was all about what was best for
the group as a whole. St. Sebastian’s was the best thing that ever
happened to me. Who would have thought that a guy who didn’t
have any luck at math while attending the public schools would
grow up to be a math teacher thanks to St. Sebastian’s. For that, I’ll
always love this School.”
A Family Affair
During the last week of August 1967, Anne Mulroy
P’73,’74,’76,’78,’82, GP’02,’06,’07,’08,’10,’14 told her young son,
Richard Mulroy ’73, that they were venturing to the department
store to buy him a tie and a jacket.
“What do I need that for?” Richard asked.
Ann replied, “You’re going to go to a new school and you’re
going to have to wear a tie and jacket.”
“That’s ridiculous! I don’t want to do that!” Richard moaned.
But he did, and now, more than forty years later, he’s thankful
for the opportunity.
The oldest of five brothers, Dr. Richard Mulroy, now an
orthopedic surgeon at Mulroy Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports
Medicine, started in the seventh grade in 1967 and was graduated
34 | ST. SEBASTIAN’S MAGAZINE Volume VIII, Issue I