Donegal schoolgirl Mary Boyle who disappeared in 1977 has featured in an international campaign for missing children.
The six-year-old remains the subject of one of the Garda’s longest missing persons’ cases after she vanished while visiting her grandparents’ farm at Cashelard near Ballyshannon 38 years ago. No trace of her has ever been found.
A 64-year-old convicted sex offender was arrested by investigating gardaí last October but no-one has ever been charged in connection with Mary’s disappearance.
The little girl is among three young people from the Republic featured in a poster campaign to highlight International Missing Children’s Day, which is coordinated by the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC).
The others include Co Louth teenager Ciara Breen, who was 17 when she vanished without a trace from her home at Bachelor’s Walk in Dundalk on February 13 1997.
A man in his 50s, was arrested by Dundalk gardaí last month but later released without charge.
The third is north Dublin youth, Rory Aherne, also 17, who has been missing since leaving his Drumcondra home in September 1984.
Gardaí, who investigated 7,064 missing children cases last have been working closely with the ISPCC since it set up the 116000 Missing Children’s Hotline for children and parents in 2012.
"The hotline is there to provide support to children, young people and their families. The first step if you have concerns for the safety or welfare of your missing family member or friend is to file a report with the Gardai," said ISPCC’s director of services Caroline O’Sullivan.
