Horseman to the stars

Brian Hamill’s life was a captivating blend of rural roots, transatlantic adventure and unexpected brushes with fame.

Known to have chauffeured Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon through Central Park and even to have filmed a carriage scene for the 1980s classic ‘Ghostbusters’ (albeit later cut), the Benburb native was something of a legend on the streets of New York City.

But despite his near-Hollywood moment and encounters with celebrities, he remained, at heart, a farmer from Tyrone with a lifelong passion for horses.

Born in 1942, he grew up working on local farms before his journey took him from mining in Canada to carriage-driving in New York, embodying both Irish tradition and an adventurous spirit.

Brian’s larger-than-life presence on the streets of New York eventually gave way to a quieter but equally fulfilling life in Ireland when he and wife Breige returned permanently in the late 1980s to start their family.

His legacy, however, remains marked by the people he met, the horses he loved, and the life he built between two worlds.

After passing away peacefully at his home on Thursday, October 24, hundreds of people congregated at St Patrick’s Church, Eglish for his funeral. Reflecting his lifetime passion, his coffin was carried to the chapel by a carriage driven by local horse expert, Johnny Fee.

In his youth, Brian attended Derrylatinee Primary School. Growing up, he worked as a farmer in the Brantry area before emigrating to Canada where he spent a number of years working as a miner.

“He emigrated to Canada to earn some money during the troubles,” Breige recalled.

“He worked in the mines all around Canada in the likes of Winnipeg and Lynn Lake, where he mined nickel and gold.”

Upon briefly returning to Ireland in the late 1970s, he met Breige at a dance in Maghery in Co Armagh. Shortly after they met, Brian returned to New York and Breige went to work in Saudi Arabia for two years.

“Brian moved back to New York to work in construction,” said Breige.

“He didn’t particularly enjoy it, but he was eventually introduced to a man called Paddy Malone who gave him a start driving horses and carriages.

“Having grown up on the farm, he always had a great passion for horses, so he fitted right into the role.

“It was made for him.”

Brian and Breige both returned to Ireland in 1984 and married in April of that year, but it wasn’t long until the ambitious newlyweds returned to the Big Apple.

“By then, we had saved up enough money between us and decided to buy horses and a carriage so we could work for ourselves,” Breige explained.

“We bought the horses in Philadelphia from the Amish community and by day I would conduct the tours around Central Park while Brian would take them out at night around the likes of Broadway.

“Working separate shifts, we wouldn’t see a lot of each other but it was a great time and we met a lot of interesting people.”

Breige recalled one particularly famous customer that Brian once rubbed shoulders with.

“He once gave Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon a tour around Central Park,” she said.

“He would have also chauffeured people to weddings and high school proms, and would often be out working until four in the morning.”

In 1984, Brian, along with his beloved horses and carriage almost made it to the silver screen, having filmed a scene for the iconic Ghostbusters movie that starred Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.

“He was raging,” Breige laughed.

“There was a scene in the film where it showed horses and carriages being driven through the city which he had taken part in.

“He brought some of his family and friends to see it when it came out in the cinema but in the end up, his scene was cut from the film and he wasn’t one bit pleased.”

Having established himself as a truly beloved character on the streets of Manhattan, Brian eventually returned to Ireland for the last time in the late 1980s where his and Breige’s only daughter, Nuala, was born.

Despite selling his horses and carriage before leaving New York, his passion for horses remained evident in his later years in Ireland.

“He had a famous horse called ‘Brantry Island’,” recalled Breige.

“It was a show-jumping horse who was greatly successful and won plenty of trophies.

“Sadly, the horse was badly injured when a lorry overturned and had to retire before passing away on the farm here shortly after.”

Breige further explained that Brian would always keep barn horses for ploughing, and would breed, raise and sell them.

“He once sold a horse to a relative of Queen Elizabeth’s, if I recall correctly,” she said.

“Having returned from New York with a bit of money saved, he also started looking after chickens and became well known for selling eggs at the local markets.”

Following a successful career in New York City, and having then returned to Ireland where he reconnected with his love of farming, Breige said that Brian never showed any interest in going back to America from then onwards.

“I would often keep him going about his expensive hobby,” said Breige.

“But no matter what was going on in his life, he always had horses.

“Even now, following his passing, there are five horses here on the farm to this day.”