Denis Brendan Riney

Denis was born on May 14, 1933, in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Denis was the first of twelve children born to Joseph and Elizabeth (née O’Connor) Riney. His stories from youth often detailed hardships and privations. He worked briefly operating steam powered roadwork machinery. In 1951, he was made redundant when diesel machines replaced steam.

Denis left Ireland for England in 1952, and held various jobs before finding work with Cunard Line as a dining steward on their passenger ships. This allowed him to visit many locations in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

He immigrated to the United States in early 1956, and was married on October 20, 1956, in Brooklyn to Mary P. Corrigan of Kiltobranks, Co. Roscommon. Denis and Mary had met in New York in December of 1954. Their first child, Denis, was born in September 1957 and, second, Barry, was born in March 1959. It was around this time that Denis decided to pursue a career in computer programming by taking evening classes at NYU.

Denis worked several years in the field before being hired by IBM in 1969. He established himself in IBM's World Trade division. In 1986, Denis was sent on a three-year assignment to Japan, accompanied by Mary, where they travelled widely in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

From the 1960s through to the 1980s, Denis was able to combine two of his passions, photography and soccer, moonlighting as a photojournalist. He witnessed the rise of major league professional soccer in the U.S. and photographed many of the great games and players of that period.

After retiring from IBM in 1993, he became active with various music and theatre groups in the New York metropolitan area. Denis was a long-standing member of the Rockland County Music Makers and the Clarkstown Players, and even performed at Carnegie Hall with the Big Apple Chorus.

Denis is survived by his wife Mary, his son Denis and his wife Eileen and their two children Daniel and Hannah; his son Barry; along with his siblings Joan, John, Mary, Elizabeth, Donal, Terry, and their respective families. He was preceded in death by siblings Nora, Joseph, Jerry, James and Gerald.

A visitation for Denis will be held Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home, 177 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901. A visitation will occur Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, 177 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901. A funeral mass will occur Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Sacred Heart, 129 Lafayette Ave, Suffern, NY 10901. A burial following funeral mass will occur Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery, 36 W Nyack Rd, Nanuet, NY 10954.