Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is proud to introduce you to The O’Sullivan Family: Brendan, Dana, Ciara, Ryan and Eamon. Life is busy, fun and sometimes extra hectic for this young family of five, but surrounding themselves with family, friends and neighbors who share the same values makes it all the more exciting.
Brendan grew up in Aston with his parents, three sisters and one brother. He attended grade school at St. Joseph’s in Aston before attending Malvern Prep for high school, where he played football and basketball and served as Team Captain for both teams.
After graduation, Brendan headed to Penn State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Today, Brendan is a Senior Sales Representative in the Electrical Manufacturing Industry. “I enjoy providing solutions to customers in real-world applications,” Brendan explained. “Just recently, I provided the City of Philadelphia with a solution to re-light their streets to combat crime and curb violence. Not only was the design, application and installation effective, but it was also a fiscally sound answer to their problem and simultaneously reduced the city’s carbon footprint.”
Dana was born and raised not too far from Brendan in Collingdale. She grew up there with her two siblings, a brother and a sister. Dana attended Harris Elementary School in Collingdale, Ashland Middle School in Glenolden, and then graduated from Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill. “I had always been interested in a career in the medical field, so after graduation, I went to Harcum College and earned my degree in Radiologic Technology,” she explained.
Dana continued her education at the University of Pennsylvania’s MRI program and now works as an X-Ray/MRI Technologist. She said that her work is rewarding because she is able to take part in diagnosing and treating patients to determine the next steps in their treatment plan. “Many patients come to MRI because they are sick, and many are anxious about the exam and outcome,” Dana said. “Being able to provide a positive experience is something I take great pride in.”
Brendan and Dana’s love story began where many of us spent, and still spend, our summer vacations – Sea Isle City, NJ. It was the summer of 2010, and Brendan was living at his grandparents’ beach home while Dana rented a nearby house with a bunch of friends. “Dana and I happened to meet one night at the Ocean Drive during Happy Hour,” Brendan recalled. “We didn’t realize that we had mutual friends until I said I was going to head to my friend’s house, to which Dana replied, ‘That’s where I live, too!’”
Dana and Brendan began dating that summer and got engaged in March 2014. “Brendan had it all planned out,” Dana said. “First, he took my mom out to dinner to ask her permission, then he planned out the entire night, which included proposing on his parents’ front porch, followed by a celebration inside with our family and friends.”
The happy couple began planning their wedding and set the date for June the following year. “Brendan comes from a very large Irish-Catholic family, and we had many friends, so we knew it was going to be a big event,” Dana laughed. “Turns out, we ended up with 13 bridesmaids, 13 groomsmen and 300 guests!” Everything was perfect that day, including their wedding ceremony at St. Joseph’s Church in Aston, followed by a fun and festive reception at Springfield Country Club. The newlyweds then boarded a flight to spend their honeymoon in Hawaii.
When they returned, Dana and Brendan settled down in Exton before finding their forever home in Runnymeade Farms. Brendan said that he fell in love with Newtown Square back in high school when he would make the commute from his childhood home in Aston to go to school at Malvern Prep. “Dana loved it too, so when we saw a home coming up for sale, we jumped on it!”
That was in 2016, and the O’Sullivans have loved every minute of living in Newtown Square. The home they bought checked off all the boxes – space to raise a family, located on a cul-de-sac and an active community full of families, kids and friendly neighbors. It was the perfect place to settle down and start their family.
Soon after, Brendan and Dana announced the birth of their daughter, Ciara, who also happened to be the first girl grandchild on both sides of their families. Ciara is now an active six-year-old who attends St. Mary Magdalen and enjoys playing basketball and softball, dancing, cheerleading and gymnastics. “Ciara is an old soul, kind and quite the fashionista,” Dana remarked. “She already has plans to go to Penn State to be a doctor, or perhaps the next Taylor Swift!”
Ciara is also the best big sister to her brother Ryan, who is three years old. Ryan is currently at Reformation Nursery School but will join his big sister at St. Mary’s next year. “Ryan loves the show Paw Patrol and trucks of all kinds,” Brendan said. “He’s loving and passionate, but also the silly one.” His parents agree that Ryan is the perfect blend – bringing all the boy energy, laughter and sweetness to the family.
Rounding out the O’Sullivan crew is one-year-old Eamon, who doesn’t want to miss a minute with his big sister and big brother. “Eamon is the sweetest boy,” Dana said. “His smile can light up any room, and he is happiest when he’s with his siblings.”
Having three children over the course of four years has certainly taken up a lot of Brendan and Dana’s time, but they make it a priority to fuel their passions and also give back to the community. “I am rediscovering my love for group fitness classes at Ellis Athletic Center while Brendan manages to get some rounds of golf in at White Manor Country Club,” Dana said. In addition, Dana is a volunteer cheerleading coach for the Rose Tree Colts and a St. Mary’s homeroom mom, and Brendan coaches for St. Mary’s basketball and the Newtown Square Petticoat League.
The O’Sullivans also love to travel. While they regularly spend quality time in Sea Isle with Brendan’s extended family, including 14 nieces and nephews all under the age of eight, they have also traveled to Jamaica, Italy, London, Ireland, Scottsdale, San Diego, Atlanta and, most recently, Disney World.
But no matter how far they travel, home is where their hearts are. “We are just entering the school and sports life era, but so far, we are loving this stage of parenting,” Dana said. “Brendan and I make every effort to be involved in our kids’ lives.” Aside from coaching, they make a habit of asking Ciara and Ryan every day about their “high (good part), low (challenging part) and buffalo (unexpected, interesting or funny)” moments of their day. “It’s a good way to keep the conversation open and get to know things that they might not normally tell you,” Dana said.
Brendan and Dana feel blessed to have found such a wonderful place to call home. “Life can be challenging at times, but being surrounded by our own family, the St. Mary’s community and the absolute best neighbors who always go out of their way to be kind to our kids. We can’t ask for more than that.”
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