Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Bishop of Galway has expressed 'profound sadness' at the death of Fr. Anthony Minniter, who died after his car entered the sea in Kinvara.
Fr. Minniter - a native of Co. Clare - was extremely well known in the South Galway area where he had served for almost a decade.
Fr. Anthony Minniter - fondly known as Fr. Tony - was well-known in the Ballinderreen and Kinvara areas where he served for 9 years before retiring in 2015.
His car was spotted entering the sea near Kinvara Pier at around 8 last evening.
Locals who witnessed the incident came to his immediate aid and he was rescued by emergency services a short time later and taken to University Hospital Galway in a critical condition.
However, he died at the hospital late last night.
Bishop of Galway Brendan Kelly has now expressed 'profound sadness' - stating it is a sadness shared across the diocese by his brother priests and the many, many people Fr. Tony served.
Bishop Kelly has offered his condolences to Fr. Tony's family, to those that love him in his native Co. Clare as well as Galway, and to the people of Ballinderreen, his last parish before retirement.
Bishop Kelly also praised the work of emergency services - as well as the quick and courageous actions of locals in Kinvara, whom he said went to Fr. Minniter's aid in difficult circumstances.
Fr. Minniter, who was aged in his late 70s, was ordained in Rome in 1991.
