IT was with shock and sadness that I received a text message on Sunday informing me that Noel Breen, of Strangford, had passed away on Saturday.
Through table tennis I had known Noel for many years and it is now history that when Margaret Whyte was short of a player for her Kilmore Parish club, I recommended Noel.
He played a lot for for Margaret and also for me when I took over the running of the Kilmore team in Inch Parish hall.
At that stage Noel also asked Joe McConville, his long time Strangford clubmate, to help the team out and we had some good times together.
It is also sad to recall that back in November 2012 when during a match with St John’s Newcastle, Noel was the first to notice that Sean Magee had taken ill and despite the efforts of Charlie McGrath, who sadly passed away recently, didn’t recover. A sad night for table tennis.
When I was asked to play for Strangford in the Lecale League a good many years ago, Noel made sure I was welcome and of course we both played on the same Strangford teams with success at times.
At one stage Noel was a regular member of a St John’s team and after I finished with Kilmore and one season with Drumlough, we were both members of St John’s, sharing the travelling duties every other week.
Noel was a great club member. He was always reliable and with him on your team you always had a chance of success.
Away from table tennis we both loved the sport of horse racing and sadly the last time I spoke to Noel was in the bookies when he told me he was waiting on a heart operation, which I understood he had and was going well.
Noel, unlike me, loved to have a bet on the dogs and could be seen regularly writing out his bets and more often than not collecting his winnings.
He will be much missed at the local table tennis scene and indeed in the bookies. A fine gentleman, a big part of Strangford and beyond. To his devoted wife, Mary, and the entire family circle, sincere sympathy is extended.
Michael Carey