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07th Oct 2024

€400,000 raised for Donegal man who died in tragic workplace accident in Australia

Joseph Loftus

The fundraiser was set up to support his family.

A fundraiser set up for a Donegal dad who tragically died following a workplace accident has raised hundreds of thousands for the man’s family.

Barry ‘Duke’ Breslin sadly died last week in an accident at his workplace.

Barry, who was raised in the Donegal parish of Kilcar, leaves behind his fiancee Melissa and son Tommy, as well as many family members in Ireland and Australia.

Moving to Australia in 2011, Barry was said to have ‘touched the hearts of many’.

A GoFundMe set up to support his family during this awful time has since raised over €400,000.

The fundraiser reads: “It is with great sadness that we are setting up this Gofundme to support the family of Barry Breslin known to everyone as Duke, to relieve the financial burden on his family.

“Barry was tragically killed in an accident at his workplace on Thursday 3rd of October leaving his fiancée Melissa, beautiful son Tommy, parents Mary and Seamus, brothers Owen and Shane along with many extended family and close friends both in Ireland and Australia utterly devastated.

“Duke was born and raised in the parish of Kilcar in County Donegal. He moved to Perth, Western Australia in 2011, over the years he has touched the hearts of many. 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.”

The fundraiser goes onto to describe ‘Duke’ as a ‘one in a million family man’ who was loyal to all those around him.

You can donate to the fundraiser here.

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