Editing Denis Leary (section)

==Early life==
Denis Colin Leary was born on August 18, 1957,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/08/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-august-18-2022-includes-celebrities-edward-norton-andy-samberg.html | title=Today's famous birthdays list for August 18, 2022 includes celebrities Edward Norton, Andy Samberg | date=August 18, 2022 }}</ref> in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], the son of [[Catholic]] immigrant parents from [[Killarney]], [[County Kerry]], Ireland.<ref name=learykillarney>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/i-can-see-leary-now-1.122124|title=I can see Leary now|website=The Irish Times|access-date=26 December 2023|archive-date=26 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226202519/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/i-can-see-leary-now-1.122124|url-status=live|quote="He grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Irish immigrants John O'Leary (the O was later dropped) and Nora O'Sullivan who emigrated from neighbouring farms outside Killarney in the 1950s"}}</ref> His mother, Nora (née Sullivan; b. 1929), was a maid, and his father, John Leary (1924–1985), was an auto mechanic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/78/Denis-Leary.html|title=Denis Leary profile|website=Filmreference.com|access-date=March 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Niles|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WO&p_theme=wo&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=12032D37BA7D4058&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Margaret (Sullivan) Carroll, 78|work=Worcester Telegram & Gazette|date=April 20, 2008|access-date=August 19, 2011}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-12-04-vw-1207-story.html|title=Book Review: Seeing Life Through Mud-Colored Glasses: No Cure for Cancer|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 4, 1992|access-date=February 4, 2022|first=Constance|last=Casey}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61004|title=The country celebrates, perhaps a little too well|newspaper=The Irish Emigrant|date=March 21, 2004|access-date=August 19, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327032735/http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61004|archive-date=March 27, 2012}}</ref> Leary is a citizen of both the United States and Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oprah.com/entertainment/favorite-irish-entertainers/2|title=Our Favorite Irish Imports|website=Oprah.com|date=March 16, 2009|access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref> Leary is a third cousin of talk show host and fellow comedian [[Conan O'Brien]].<ref name="smokeinterview">{{cite web|url=http://www.smokemag.com/0605/cover.htm|title=Denis Leary: Playing with Fire|first=Tim|last=Coleman|year=2005|work=Smoke|access-date=October 22, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213110546/http://smokemag.com/0605/cover.htm|archive-date=December 13, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Snierson|first=Dan|url=https://ew.com/article/2005/06/17/ew-asks-denis-leary-stupid-questions/|title=EW asks Denis Leary Stupid Questions
|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=June 17, 2005|access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref>

Leary attended [[Saint_Peter-Marian_High_School|Saint Peter-Marian High School]] in Worcester and graduated from [[Emerson College]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/lansingstatejournal/access/1805893961.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+21%2C+2004&author=Hughes+Mike&pub=Lansing+State+Journal&desc=Leary%27s+life+colors+new+FX+series&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131185454/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/lansingstatejournal/access/1805893961.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+21,+2004&author=Hughes+Mike&pub=Lansing+State+Journal&desc=Leary's+life+colors+new+FX+series&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013|title=Leary's life colors new FX series|work=Lansing State Journal|location=Lansing, Michigan|date=July 21, 2004|access-date=August 19, 2011|first=Mike|last=Hughes}}{{subscription required}}</ref> in [[Boston]]. At Emerson, he befriended fellow comic [[Mario Cantone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://connection.emerson.edu/s/1427/social.aspx?sid=1427&gid=1&pgid=1011#ACTPer14|title=Notable Alumni|work=Emerson Connection|date=June 20, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.emerson.edu/2011/01/18/denis-learys-emerson-experience/ |title=Denis Leary’s Emerson Experience |work=Emerson Today |date=January 18, 2011 |access-date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> While a student, Leary founded the Emerson Comedy Workshop, a troupe that continues on the campus today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pages.emerson.edu/organizations/ecw/home.html|title=Emerson Comedy Workshop History|work=Emerson Comedy Workshop Online|access-date=October 22, 2006|archive-date=November 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103213651/http://pages.emerson.edu/organizations/ecw/home.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After graduating from Emerson in 1981, Leary taught comedy-writing classes at the school for five years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=268|title=Denis Leary|first=Wayne|last=Chinsang|date=June 2001|publisher=Tastes Like Chicken|access-date=October 22, 2006|archive-date=May 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531162059/http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=268|url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2005, he received an honorary doctorate and spoke at his alma mater's undergraduate commencement ceremony;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-05-26-graduation-speeches_x.htm|title=They came, they saw, they addressed the graduating class|first=César G.|last=Soriano|date=May 26, 2005|work=USA Today|access-date=October 22, 2006}}</ref> and is credited as Dr. Denis Leary on the cover of his 2009 book ''[[Why We Suck]]''.