Irishman drowns while swimming at Spanish beach – reports

Gerard Couzens

An Irishman who died in Spain drowned after going for an early-morning swim following a night out with friends, according to local reports.

Friends of Kieran Griffin (41) from Dublin, who was a member of Ballyboden St Enda’s GAA club, paid tribute to him after it emerged he had died in an incident while on holiday in Spain.

The incident occurred on Friday at La Concha beach in San Sebastian.

One local paper reporting on the drowning wrote: “It appears he had gone out that night and taken leave of two friends he was still with about 6am with the intention of going for a swim in the sea.”

It added: “We have been told that after separating from his friends, he went by his hotel room and left his documentation before going for a swim with just his door key to his accommodation among his belongings.”

The alarm was raised at around 8am on Friday by local beach cleaners.

Emergency responders attended, however, Mr Griffin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were able to track down his friends and identify him through the hotel key card found with his belongings.

Local reports said Mr Griffin's friends went to the beach to identify his body and they were questioned as part of routine procedures.

Mr Griffin's body was removed from the beach at around 10.30am. A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out, but the results are not expected to be made public.

In a tribute to Mr Griffin posted on Saturday, Ballyboden St Endas wrote: "It is with great sadness that we inform you that Ballyboden St Enda's member Kieran Griffin tragically lost his life in Spain on Friday 15th September.

"Kieran has been a member of Ballyboden St Enda's since his childhood playing both hurling and football from a young age. He played Minor level during 2000 and was part of the 'Eddie Eagles' Junior team that won the Treble in 2004.

"Kieran was also an avid pool player and recently won the Ballyboden St Enda's Club Doubles Pool Competition."

The statement continued: "Kieran and the Griffin Family [have been] heavily involved in Ballyboden St Enda's for decades and Kieran’s father Danny was Sponsorship Manager for over 25 years until recently retired. The Griffin Family are well known in GAA circles across Dublin, Kerry, and Cavan.

"Everyone at Ballyboden St Enda's would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Kieran’s heartbroken parents Danny and Josephine, his brothers Shay, Donál, Paul, Padráig, Michael, his sister Ann and his partner Sheena, and to the extended Griffin family, including Denise, Tara, Sinead, Grace and Steven."

A minute's silence was held in memory of Kieran prior to the club's senior fixtures on Saturday.