Body of Irish man (41) found on city beach in northern Spain

Kieran Griffin, from Knocklyon in Dublin, had reportedly gone for an early morning swim at San Sebastián’s La Concha beach

Kieran Griffin (41) was found dead on La Concha beach in the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastián. File photograph: ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images
Kieran Griffin (41) was found dead on La Concha beach in the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastián. File photograph: ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images

The body of an Irish man in his 40s was found on a beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastián on Friday morning.

It is understood that Kieran Griffin (41), from Knocklyon in Dublin, had travelled to Spain with a group of friends on Thursday.

His body was discovered on the crescent-shaped La Concha beach in the city at around 8am on Friday.

While the results of an autopsy are pending, Spanish authorities said there was no indication he had been the victim of a violent assault.

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Local media reports suggested he had gone for a swim at the landmark beach in the early morning before his body was found by council workers cleaning the beach.

Mr Griffin had been a member of the Ballyboden St Enda’s GAA club since childhood, and a minute’s silence was observed at all the club’s senior matches on Sunday morning.

Kieran Griffin (41) was found dead on a beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastián. Photograph: Facebook
Kieran Griffin (41) was found dead on a beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastián. Photograph: Facebook

In a post on its website, the club said he had played both hurling and football from a young age and was also an avid pool player and recently won the Ballyboden St. Endas Club Doubles Pool Competition.

“Everyone at Ballyboden St. Endas 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,” the post said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the case and providing consular assistance. “As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the detail of individual cases,” a spokesman said.

Conor Pope

Conor Pope

Conor Pope is Consumer Affairs Correspondent, Pricewatch Editor