Novelist, former college basketball coach to be guest speaker at Friendly Sons dinner

Daniel E. Doyle Jr. will share the night's speaking duties with the Rev. Timothy J. O'Brien, who made national headlines late last year. The Republican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives rejected his bid to become House chaplain despite his endorsement by a bipartisan committee that interviewed all the candidates.

Mr. Doyle's appearance on Friday's program at Genetti Manor in Dickson City was announced by Patrick J. Sheridan, society president.

Before founding the Institute of International Sport at the University of Rhode Island in 1986, Mr. Doyle enjoyed success in the coaching world, leading his Trinity College men's basketball team to national rankings. He won New England Coach of the Year honors and turned down numerous opportunities to coach at major colleges so he could pursue his work in international sport.

Under Mr. Doyle's direction, the institute has become one of the most recognized and respected sport and educational organizations in the world.

Among the institute's many activities is promoting creation of an Irish-American Sports Hall of Fame in this area -- a project that has resulted in a partnership between the institute and the University of Scranton. As envisioned by Mr. Doyle and U of S officials, that partnership not only will benefit deserving Irish and Irish-American athletes but also provide scholarship assistance and exchange program opportunities for many Irish and American students.

Mr. Doyle's profound interest in Ireland began in 1982, when he started the all-volunteer Irish-American Sports Foundation. Over the years, the foundation has provided exchange programs for more than 2,500 Irish and American youngsters.

The institute he founded in Rhode Island maintains an office at the University of Ulster in Belfast. Among many other programs, it oversees Belfast United, a project that brings together equal numbers of Protestant and Catholic children through sport.

Despite his hectic schedule with the institute, Mr. Doyle has found time to write. His first novel, "Are You Watching, Adolph Rupp," was released in 1989. He is in the process of writing his second novel, "Paradin' the Ghosts," which will be published in 2002. In addition, he recently signed a contract with Warner Books to write a nonfiction book, "Raising a Child Who Loves Sports." It will be published in June of 2001.

During the past few months, he received an honorary doctoral degree from Bridgewater (Mass.) State College and considered a request from Rhode Island's Democratic chairman to run for the U.S. Senate.

He and his wife, Katherine, are the parents of six children -- Daniel, Matthew, Andrew, Margaret, Caroline and Julie.

The dinner he will address is the 95th annual gathering of the Friendly Sons.

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