By Dionne Meehan
OVER half a million Australian dollars has been raised in just a number of days for the family of a Donegal man who was killed in a workplace accident in Australia.
Named locally as Barry ‘Duke’ Breslin, the 35-year-old from Straleel, Kilcar, is believed to have been struck by an excavator while working in Perth.
As a result of this, he sustained serious head injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Royal Perth Hospital but passed away a short time later.
The father of one, pictured below, moved to Perth in 2011.
Barry’s fiancée Melissa, son Tommy, parents Mary and Seamus, brothers Owen and Shane along with many extended family and close friends both in Ireland and Australia have been left utterly devastated following his sad passing.
At the weekend, a GoFundMe page was set up in a bid to relieve the financial burden his family now face.
On the GoFundMe page, Barry’s fiancée Melissa Taheny said he was ‘one in a million’.
“He was always up for a laugh whether it be greasing the door handles of a digger, giving yoghurt as sunscreen or being there to celebrate with his family and friends,” she said.
“Duke was one in a million.
“He was a family man at heart and a loyal friend to many around him. He will be sadly missed but not forgotten,” she said.
Meanwhile, Colin Bell, of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, told the Donegal News that the charity is assisting in the repatriation of Barry’s remains.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced but tributes have been pouring in for the popular Kilcar man.
Barry’s local club, CLG Chill Chartha, led the tributes.
“CLG Chill Chartha would like to express our sincerest condolences to Barry’s Fiancée Melissa, his son Tommy, his parents Seamus and Mary, to his brothers Owen and Shane and to all his family and his many, many friends. It was a great shock to us all when the news reached us of the untimely passing of Barry in Australia.
“Barry played underage for the club for many years and is fondly remembered by the players and all who were involved at the time and to his mother Mary, a tireless volunteer and supporter of our club over the years, our hearts go out to you and your family and we pass on our prayers to you all at this sad time, ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
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