May was born Mary Margaret Gavaghan in the small farming community of Glann, close to Charlestown Co. Mayo in 1937 and left home in her mid-teens to join her cousin Peggy and a friend in London to find work.
When she met John Anthony Breen (known to his family as Jackie and by friends as Jack) it was love at first sight and from this point forward they were inseparable.
In 1957 they were married in Charlestown Co. Mayo and then returned to London life.
One day after a small discussion about whether to buy “the JCB that Jack had set his heart on” or look for a house; May discovered Westfield Gardens and Jack immediately fell in love with it.
After having four healthy sons (Sean, Kieran, Brendan and Vincent), May started working at St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School as their “Dinner Lady” and Playground Attendant. A job she absolutely adored and where she has continued to be fondly remembered by all who knew her.
Each Summer and Easter May, Jack and the boys returned to Glann and Charlestown and onto Jack’s homelands of Bonarea, Cappawhite and Tipperary Town; creating a million hilarious memories and stories which I’ve no doubt will be re-told for many many years to come.
Once May and Jack became retirees (well into their 70’s) and having never taken a holiday outside of Ireland before, they tentatively booked a trip to Spain to see if all this talk of travelling was all it was cracked up to be. Well they had a Ball and so the trainer wheels were taken off the bike and a full blown 2 month trip to Australia was booked to visit their grandchildren Jessica and Jack jnr and what an adventure they had !
Throughout Mays life she loved nothing more than reading. When the irish newspapers arrived; “out would come the magnifying glass” and a great deal of concentration would be applied to each and every story. But when letters and cards arrived from family and friends filled with interesting news, events, births, marriages this was greeted by a whole other level of joy and this event would fuel the chat for hours.
When Jack passed away in October 2020 it took May a while to regain her inimitable smile and joy of life but her sons pulled together to put the twinkle back in her eye. They cooked delicious meals which resulted in May eventually clock-watching to see what was on “the Menu today”. She even discovered YouTube, FaceTime and headphones to chat to the family and listen to her favourite music and programs.
May had the great fortune to have the additional support of Amina and Sara, two very special, caring, funny, thoughtful ladies who will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
When May visited Jack’s grave on the first anniversary it was a very special moment.
May spent her final weeks close to her boys and never lost her smile and her spirit and humour lives on through them.
We invite you to join us to celebrate the life of Mary Margaret "May" Breen
Funeral
Date: 21/12/2021Additional Info:
In accordance with CV19 guideline mourners are requested to wear face masks and observe safe distancing policies. The church is reqularly sanitised. May's funeral will be recorded at the church at 12.00 on Tuesday 21st December. This HD film will be uploaded to this memorial website within hours of the funeral finishing. The service can be accessed by simply clicking the link that will appear on this memorial site. The order of Service can be viewed by clicking the link below: http://clearmems.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Mary-Margaret-Breen_May_Order-of-Service.pdf If for any reason the recording is missed or interrupted, have no fear, the funeral will be available via this site for at least 1 month.Wake
Date: 21/12/2021Additional Info:
In lieu of flowers the family kindly request that friends and family make a donation to St Lukes Hospice Kenton which can be accessed via the Funeral Director at: https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funeral-notices/25-11-2021-mary-margaret-breen/ Alternatively, simply click the 'Just Giving' icon below.
Jackie and Mai paid many visits to tipp over the years and mai always enjoyed dad taking them off for a drive and showing her the sights around tipperary. I was so glad me and mum got to visit Jackie and mai in London a few years back and remember them insisting we stay with them and Mai wanting to make sure I was wasnt bored listening to them reminiscing about the old days but I was happy to listen to hear the stories. We will miss them both but they are reunited now in eternal peace.
Sean, Kieran, Brendan & Vincent….. Deepest Sympathy on the loss of your Mother May.
Great Memories in London & Charlestown with Jackie and May many years ago.
May They both Rest in Peace .
My memories of Auntie May were she was always an oasis of calm among all the chaos of her 4 active boys, and a lot of cousins, roaming around Bonera on their summer hols. She kept them fed, and let the kids free to enjoy themselves. She always had a quick joke or an astute comment to make everybody laugh. I had the pleasure of visiting her and Uncle Jackie 2
years ago. As always she was worried about making sure the hospitality was to the usual standards, she rang Sean as we were in the car driving over, as she was worried she didn’t have a biscuit to offer me with the tea. Luckily Sean had already got a cake, Auntie May had taught him well, but she still wasn’t happy until she could see the cake was good enough. May she rest in peace now with Uncle Jackie in Heaven.
May will live in our memories forever. Her bright eyes and quiet smile. She will be indelibly linked with Jack, for Christine and I, always together. Her sons show us just how well May brought up her family. She and Jack met, married and stayed together whilst the world changed, but May was a constant, a centre in everybody’s life.
I will always remember her extraordinary memory for people and places both here and in Ireland. I remember her talking to me about Irish life and friends when I was to be based in Dublin for months on end, it gave me a sense of life’s continuity.
It was a pleasure to know you.
Rest in Peace May
Remembering all the great times we had in Bonera and the grief we gave granny May & Jackie
One in particular was when a glass of sherry was left on the window and Vinnie drank it ….
We had many happy times with both May and Jack over the years but we really enjoyed our new years eve dances at St Patrick’s catholic club where we danced until the small hours. We shall miss them both greatly.
During summers in Bonarea when we were young building tree houses was always a feature. In the years since every time I met auntie May she would always ask me with a deadpan face, how many tree houses I had built recently. She always had a great sense of playful humor.