Fr Con Cronin was struck by the bus which went out of control after the driver suffered a cardiac arrest which also resulted in his death
The joint inquests in to the deaths of 72 year old Fr Con Cronin and 51 year old father of two Mark Wills was heard in Midleton courthouse
The inquest heard from Passage West parish secretary, Catherine Concannon, who went for lunch with Fr Cronin in the Bosun Restaurant on August 3rd, 2021.
She said that Fr Cronin was "extremely happy" as he had learned that he was to remain in his beloved parish of Passage West
The pair left the restaurant at about 1.30pm and Ms Concannon said she was shocked when they were about half way across the road as she saw a bus "speeding across the road" on to the footpath.
The next thing she remembered was the bus had passed her and she was standing on her own screaming ' Where is Fr Con?'
The inquest also heard from Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, who said that a post mortem had indicated that Mark Wills had died after he suffered a cardiac arrhythmia whilst driving the bus.
The inquest was told that all of his medical checks with Bus Eireann were up to date and that he had passed them all.
Dr Bolster said that Fr Cronin died of blunt force trauma with severe chest trauma in keeping with a collision.
The jury concluded that Mark Wills died of natural causes whilst a verdict of accidental death was recorded in relation to Fr Cronin.
Coroner Frank O'Connell described the incident as an "extraordinary occurrence." and he told Fr Cronin's nephew Colm that Con had served his parish "so brilliantly" and that locals were "deeply upset" at his passing.
Mr O'Connell also offered his condolences to Mrs Deirdre Wills, the wife of the deceased, offering his sympathy at the loss of "quite a young man."
