Mr Harley Breen

MR Harley Breen who died on May 8, 2017, at the age of 94, was a prominent businessman in Downpatrick for many years.

He was born on April 18, 1923, the eldest of nine children to Tommy and Anna Maria (née Kirk) who were also both business people in the town.

Harley’s early education was with the De la Salle Order in Downpatrick, until 1937 when, aged 14, he went to board at Blackrock College, Dublin, for his last four years at school. At Blackrock he made many friends from all over the country with whom he stayed close for the rest of his life.  

He returned from Dublin to study in Queen’s University, Belfast, and obtained BA and BL degrees, and subsequently qualified as a barrister after having completed his LLb. 

He practiced at the bar for six years before his father died suddenly in 1952. He assumed responsibility for the family businesses, which included betting shops, the Grand Cinema in Market Street and newsagents/confectioners. 

In subsequent years he acquired another betting shop in Newtownards, although he was based in Downpatrick for the rest of his working life.  

Having sold the business on retirement, he moved to Dublin to be near to his children and grandchildren. His beloved wife, Lily, whom he had married in 1954, died very shortly afterwards in November 1992. He lived the rest of his life in Dublin.  

A man of strong faith, with an outgoing personality, Mr Breen had a large circle of friends throughout Ireland.  He had a wide array of interests and was heavily involved in the Mentally Handicapped Association in Northern Ireland, in Knockevin Special School in Downpatrick and for a brief time in politics as a member of the old Downpatrick Urban Council, of which he was chairman.

His passion and main sporting interest was horse racing and having travelled to race meetings throughout the country, he was very well known across the horse racing industry.  Over the years he owned a number of race horses, perhaps the most successful of which was Persian Royale, whose biggest win was the Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh.

Predeceased by his wife, Lily, sisters Phyllis, Madeline and Angela and brother Damien, he is survived by his three children, Elizabeth, Tommy and John, daughter-in-law Fiona, brothers Tom and Michael and sisters Anne and Emer.