An Irish man has died while on holiday in northern Spain following a tragic drowning accident on Friday. 

Kieran Griffin, 41, from Knocklyon in County Dublin, was holidaying in the Spanish city of San Sebastian when the tragic accident occurred. 

A life-long member of Ballyboden St. Enda's GAA Club, Griffin has been described as "the glue that held everyone together". 

Ballyboden St. Enda's paid tribute to Griffin in a post on social media. 

"Kieran has been a member of Ballyboden St Endas since his childhood playing both hurling and football from a young age," the club said in a post on Facebook. 

"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 Endas Club Doubles Pool Competition.

"Kieran and the Griffin Family are heavily involved in Ballyboden St. Endas 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 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 including Denise, Tara, Sinead, Grace and Steven."

A club member also told RTÉ that Griffin was "so proud" to have won a pool competition in the club last week. She added that Griffin would be greatly missed by the whole community. 

Ballyboden St. Enda's held a moment's silence before every senior game on Saturday, including the club's Dublin Senior Hurling Championship tie against Na Fianna in Parnell Park. 

The Irish Independent reports that Griffin's friends formally identified his body on Friday morning after being unable to contact him and being made aware of a drowning on a local beach. Spanish police are treating the incident as a drowning accident.