Funerals of Monkstown bus crash victims take place today

Requiem Masses take place in Ballincollig and West Cork for bus driver and priest who perished in tragic accident

Fr Con Cronin, CC in the Lower Harbour Parishes of Passage West and Monkstown who died in the road traffic accident in Monkstown, Co Cork, on Tuesday. Bus driver Mark Wills also died at the scene.

The funerals take place today of two men who lost their lives during a bus crash in Co Cork earlier this week.

Mark Wills, a father of two who is described as a “long-standing and greatly valued employee” of Bus Éireann, will be laid to rest after a private ceremony in Ballincollig at 11am.

Mr Wills, 51, suffered a heart attack while driving a single-decker bus on route 216 through Monkstown on Tuesday. He lost control of the vehicle before it collided with a nearby pedestrian, named later as local priest Fr Con Cronin.

Fr Cronin saved his colleague's life

Fr Cronin had been crossing the road with a colleague when she alerted him to the oncoming vehicle. He heroically pushed his colleague out of harm’s way before he was struck by the bus.

Both Mr Wills and Fr Cronin were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Wills is survived by his children Cillian and Rebecca, his parents Stephen and Madeline, and his siblings Gwen, Stephen, Brian, and Ken.

Mr Wills' family express their grief

In a statement, Mr Wills’ family said he would be “sadly missed by his loving children, parents, sister, brothers, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, Deirdre, relatives, work colleagues, and friends”.

Due to public health guidelines, his funeral will be held in private.

Funeral arrangements

His Requiem Mass will be livestreamed on the Church Services TV website.

Members of the community were able to say their goodbyes to Fr Cronin last night at St Mary’s Church in Passage West, where he was curate.

Today, Fr Cronin's remains will be taken St Joseph’s Church in Coomhola, close to his native Kealkill in West Cork, where those who knew him and well-wishers can attend for personal prayer between 10am and 12.30pm.

Flowers are laid at the scene of the fatal crash in Monkstown, Co Cork, where bus driver Mark Wills and Catholic priest Fr Con Cronin lost their lives on Tuesday. 

A much-loved priest in Co Cork, Fr Cronin was ordained in 1979 and ministered in Africa with the Kiltegan Fathers for 25 years before returning to Ireland in 2004 when, after promoting the missionary work of the Church, he settled into parish life.

Fr Cronin, 72, was pre-deceased by his sister Betty, his brother Pat, and his brother-in-law Finbarr Creed.

“He is sadly missed by his brother Teddy, his sisters-in-law Margaret and Mary, his nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews, by his Kiltegan family, by Bishop Fintan Gavin of the Diocese of Cork and Ross, and by the priests, religious, and laity of the diocese, by his colleagues John Galvin and Sean O’Sullivan, and his devoted parishioners in the Harbour Parishes and by his wide circle of friends,” a tribute to him on RIP.ie reads.

In a statement, Bishop Gavin said that all those who knew Fr Cronin are “grateful for having known him and our diocese is blessed that he ministered among us”.

Bishop prays for both men and all who mourn

“This tragic accident also leaves another family mourning the loss of a loved one and I extend my prayerful support to his family also.

“We commend both men to the Lord and pray God’s comfort and consolation for all those who are in mourning,” he said.

Fr Cronin’s funeral Mass will take place in private at 2pm today. The event will be streamed live on the Memorial Lane website. A private burial will then take place in Kilmacomogue cemetery.

Digital books of condolence for both men have been opened on RIP.ie.