Craig Breen

[Corcaíoch]

I rarely post here and have no great story to share about Craig Breen but felt like sharing some thoughts all the same. (Apologies for the long post)

It’s been hard to find the words to describe Craig Breen’s loss over the last few days. In spite of being an avid Irish WRC fan I won’t be a hypocrite and claim that I saw him as a future WRC champion. But that wasn’t the point, what he undoubtedly was to me however and to many more was a fellow countryman living out our dreams at the highest level. He was Ireland’s most successful driver ever on the WRC stage. He was an inspiration, an Irish rally driver for us to support internationally and to be proud of.

Rallying is popular in Ireland and national rallies regularly have huge entry lists but Irish drivers rarely make much of an impression at European or WRC level. Growing up my rallying heroes were drivers like Sainz, Makinen, Gronholm, it barely even occurred to me as a young fan that an Irish driver could compete at that sort of level. Breen changed that.

Winning in 2011 and 2012 started the change that but his WRC career, factory drives, and multiple podiums really were an inspiration to Irish rally fans. It might be harder for fans from some more successful countries to fully understand that but when your country only has one driver to ever achieve this sort of success it really does change how you view rallying at the highest level. To us Irish rally fans he was living the dream and he became what all young drivers aspired to (and what older fans like me daydreamed of being)

What also stands out to me, was Breen’s love of the sport and his love of competing in local Irish events. I didn’t know him personally but often saw him at service or during Irish rallies and from what I saw as a fan and what I heard from other competitors it seemed like his success never went to his head and he never acted like the big star at a small rally.

Rallying and Irish rallying in particular is a much poorer place without him.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

[daveR]

I rarely post here and have no great story to share about Craig Breen but felt like sharing some thoughts all the same. (Apologies for the long post)

It’s been hard to find the words to describe Craig Breen’s loss over the last few days. In spite of being an avid Irish WRC fan I won’t be a hypocrite and claim that I saw him as a future WRC champion. But that wasn’t the point, what he undoubtedly was to me however and to many more was a fellow countryman living out our dreams at the highest level. He was Ireland’s most successful driver ever on the WRC stage. He was an inspiration, an Irish rally driver for us to support internationally and to be proud of.

Rallying is popular in Ireland and national rallies regularly have huge entry lists but Irish drivers rarely make much of an impression at European or WRC level. Growing up my rallying heroes were drivers like Sainz, Makinen, Gronholm, it barely even occurred to me as a young fan that an Irish driver could compete at that sort of level. Breen changed that.

Winning in 2011 and 2012 started the change that but his WRC career, factory drives, and multiple podiums really were an inspiration to Irish rally fans. It might be harder for fans from some more successful countries to fully understand that but when your country only has one driver to ever achieve this sort of success it really does change how you view rallying at the highest level. To us Irish rally fans he was living the dream and he became what all young drivers aspired to (and what older fans like me daydreamed of being)

What also stands out to me, was Breen’s love of the sport and his love of competing in local Irish events. I didn’t know him personally but often saw him at service or during Irish rallies and from what I saw as a fan and what I heard from other competitors it seemed like his success never went to his head and he never acted like the big star at a small rally.

Rallying and Irish rallying in particular is a much poorer place without him.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

My exact thoughts too!

WRC and Motorsport in general has suffered a great loss this past week, but the loss to Irish rallying is indescribable.
Breen's passion for rallying at home was so evident and it nearly became the norm for him to enter events up and down the country lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6EN6aOUCkg

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Mourners gather for Craig Breen's funeral at 1pm today...

https://www.rte.ie/sport/motorsport/...reens-funeral/

[Bishop 12]

Truer words where never spoken well articulated it definitely has left a huge hole in our hearts and in our rally life

[Jewy46]

I rarely post here and have no great story to share about Craig Breen but felt like sharing some thoughts all the same. (Apologies for the long post)

It’s been hard to find the words to describe Craig Breen’s loss over the last few days. In spite of being an avid Irish WRC fan I won’t be a hypocrite and claim that I saw him as a future WRC champion. But that wasn’t the point, what he undoubtedly was to me however and to many more was a fellow countryman living out our dreams at the highest level. He was Ireland’s most successful driver ever on the WRC stage. He was an inspiration, an Irish rally driver for us to support internationally and to be proud of.

Rallying is popular in Ireland and national rallies regularly have huge entry lists but Irish drivers rarely make much of an impression at European or WRC level. Growing up my rallying heroes were drivers like Sainz, Makinen, Gronholm, it barely even occurred to me as a young fan that an Irish driver could compete at that sort of level. Breen changed that.

Winning in 2011 and 2012 started the change that but his WRC career, factory drives, and multiple podiums really were an inspiration to Irish rally fans. It might be harder for fans from some more successful countries to fully understand that but when your country only has one driver to ever achieve this sort of success it really does change how you view rallying at the highest level. To us Irish rally fans he was living the dream and he became what all young drivers aspired to (and what older fans like me daydreamed of being)

What also stands out to me, was Breen’s love of the sport and his love of competing in local Irish events. I didn’t know him personally but often saw him at service or during Irish rallies and from what I saw as a fan and what I heard from other competitors it seemed like his success never went to his head and he never acted like the big star at a small rally.

Rallying and Irish rallying in particular is a much poorer place without him.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

I said I wanted to put some words to my feelings and thoughts about Craig but this piece by Corcaíoch touches on so much on what I wanted to say, and you've put it much better than I ever could.

Today we lay to rest our greatest ever Irish rallying hero and although it's terrible knowing what could have been.
But we should be forever for what he gave us this past decade or so, memories that will last long after any of us have passed on.

Go raibh maith agat Craig

[Jewy46]

I'm happy to hear that, great minds think alike when it comes to finding good spots i guess!
It's always been a pleasure, it really makes the footage better with some passionate fans and some Irish flags in the background so don't stop going to events! I remember he had waived at you guys in Ässämäk 2, It's at 5:10.
I've spent the weekend digging through the archives and made a longer video, so maybe you can find something you haven't seen before also, added some more of the guys singing the national anthem in Finland 21 at the end also. My first time watching Craig and Gareth was all the way back at Rally Finland 2010 which was my first time traveling by plane on my own. I've unfortunately never met Craig personally but before Rally Sweden this year he shared a couple of my clips from Rally Sweden 2020 on his instagram story looking forward to the event and imagining what it would be like driving a Metro 6R4 down that flat out downhill at Hof-Finnskog. So that was cool to see
I think this thread should be used to share some stories if someone here has something to share.
https://youtu.be/CSvI-Xl7b0M

Thanks again Tor. Great video, amazing the amount of footage you have. Some hidden gems there.
The bit at the end of us singing the national anthem to pictures of Craig has me in tears again.

I think the spot he waved in Ässämäki 2 from 2022 was at 0:15 though?

I'm actually trying to get the video of his stage end interview from that if anyone could help me?

[Rallyest]

So hard seeing James, cant imagine what he is going through, good to see that Dani and Paul can be there.

[er88]

Hope he gets all the support he needs. Can't imagine the trauma

[rp]

Unbelievable sad to see Rally in peace Craig!

[Fast Eddie WRC]