Bangor to Bobbio: Media coverage of release of Fr Michael Sinnott

President Gloria M. Arroyo greets Fr Michael Sinnott, 12 November 2009

Fr Michael Sinnott at press conference, Manila, 12 November 2009

The photos on this page were all taken today, 12 November 2009. Fr Michael Sinnott looks remarkably well for a 79-year-old who had a bypass operation four years ago who has just spent a month in captivitiy in what he describes as 'promitive' conditions. But he pointed out that his captors took good care of him.

Father Sinnott arrived at Villamor Air Base, south of Manila proper, this morning. among those who greeted him were President Arroyo, Irish Ambassador Richard O'Brien, Fr Michael McGuire, Vice Director of the Columbans in the Philippines, and Fr Desmond Quinn, ordained with Father Sinnott in Ireland in December 1954. Father Quinn worked for many years in the Philippines, mainly in Negros Occidental, and happens to be on a visit from Ireland at the moment. Fr Patrick O'Donoghue, Director of the Columbans in the Philippines, was in Pagadian City when Father Sinnott was released in Zamboanga City, five or six hours away by road.

Here are some links to media outlets.

BBC NEWS

Irish Priest Freed in the Philippines

Includes part of press conference in Manila today.

RTÉ (Irish national radio and TV service)

Sinnott ‘grateful’ for release help

This includes a link to a video that shows President Arroyo of the Philippines meeting Fr Sinnott at the airport and part of the press press conference he gave.

It also includes a link to an interview with Irish Foreign Minister, Mícheál Martin, who mentioned, among other things, the esteem in which the Columbans are held in the area where Father Sinnott worked. He praised the work of the Philippine government and of the Irish Foreign Service, particularly Richard O'Brien, the Irish ambassador to the Philippines, who is based in Singapore.