Who Was P.D. Breen

To find out who that man was we need to go back, right back to the 19th Century. He was born on 7th February 1883 in Carrig-on-Bannow to Mary Breen née Sinnot, Ballymadder and John Breen of Templetown. P.D. attended Danescastle NS and continued his education at St Pete’s College, Wexford between 1895 and 1900. He married Mary Ann Roche and the couple had three girls Maureen, Áine, Margaret and a boy named Johnny.

P.D. had a very distinguished career in the GAA and was one of the founding members of the Carrig-on- Bannow GAA Club, nowadays known as Bannow/Ballymitty GAA Club. He moved to Dublin where he won Junior, Intermediate and Senior Dublin Football Championship titles with his Club, Bray Emmets in 1904. The club played London on 11th September and were victorious with a full-time score of 2-8 to 0-4. Prior to this the club won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship having won the right to contest the 1902 Championship.

Between 1904 and 1914 apart from 1910, P.D. played senior hurling and senior football with Wexford. Wexford won their first All-Ireland senior football title in 1910 and Breen was part of the backroom team and trainer. He was on the Wexford senior county team that lost to Kerry in 1914. This talented player won three Leinster Football Shield medals in 1905, 1906 and 1907 and in 1912 he was voted chairman of Wexford GAA. His star kept on rising and between 1913 and 1922 he represented Leinster on Central Council and eventually became President of the Leinster Council in 1922. In 1922 P.D. spoke out against Rule 27 - The Ban. This rule forbade the playing of or watching ‘Foreign Games’ such as rugby, soccer or hockey. These were very troubled years in Ireland with Civil War causing uproar and ructions across the land. He was elected President of the GAA in 1924 and remained for two years in that prestigious position.

When P.D. returned to Wexford he began his teaching career in Castlebridge and of course he became heavily involved with the local club who won several county senior hurling titles and he also acted as secretary for the club for many years. He was the first man holding an All-Ireland medal to hold the office of GAA President.

P.D. was an all-rounder and won medals for 100 yards sprint, long jump, high jump and hurdles. Not content with success on land he took to the water and as an oarsman he rowed with Wexford Harbour Boat Club. Members of his extended family still live in Carrig-on-Bannow – nephew Finbarr Breen, great niece Nicola Howlin née Phelan née Breen along with his grandchildren Judy and Declan Breen. He died 6th April 1965.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Nicola Howlin & Aaron Boyse