Thousands of mourners attended the funeral of Waterford rally driver Craig Breen yesterday.
The 33-year-old was laid to rest after Requiem Mass in The Sacred Heart Church, Ferrybank.
His funeral cortege travelled from his native Slieverue. It was led by a rally car that Craig had restored.
The Waterford rally driver Craig Breen passed away following a crash.
Breen was participating in a pre-test event ahead of the Croatia Rally when the crash occurred, at approximately 11am Irish time, in what is the first fatality in the World Rally Championship since German junior co-driver Joerg Bastuck in the 2006 Rally of Catalunya. Breen’s co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the incident.
Breen had recently re-joined Hyundai for the new WRC season, having spent a year with the M-Sport Ford World Rally team, and he finished second to Ott Tanak at Rally Sweden in February.
Craig Breen was more than just a driver; he had a passion for rallying that ran deep. He will be immensely missed both on and off the world's rally stages.
— hmsgofficial (@HMSGOfficial) April 17, 2023
These are just some of the highlights from his time with us at Hyundai Motorsport. pic.twitter.com/123yi5oXJ3
A statement read: "Hyundai Motorsport sends its sincerest condolences to Craig's family, friends and his many fans.”
Irish rally driver Craig Breen has been laid to rest, following funeral Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Ferrybank. Breen died following a test-driving crash last week while preparing for the World Rally Championship's Croatia Rally | Read more: https://t.co/h0RdHZcRsL pic.twitter.com/RC5mTIKcEX
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 18, 2023
Tributes also came from the World Rally Championship (WRC), who said: "The WRC family is shocked and saddened to learn of Craig Breen's passing. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Craig at this incredibly sad time."
Breen moved full-time rallying in 2009, and he joined the WRC Academy in 2011, before he made his first WRC appearance, when driving selected rounds for the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally team.
"Rest in peace Craig. My thoughts are tonight with your family and friends,” said current WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera.
Whilst Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper said: "The Irish motorsport community is numbed by this tragic news. Craig was a world class driver and a world class person.
"To Craig's family, his parents Ray and Jackie, his sister Kellie, brother-in-law Darragh and nephew Bobbie, I wish to extend my deepest condolences and all our thoughts remain with Craig’s co-driver James Fulton. May they all find the strength and support they need at this unimaginably tragic time."
