Northern Ireland

Fresh search for`Disappeared' victim Joe Lynskey ends without success

Joe Lynskey's niece Maria has appealed to anyone with information about her uncle to come forward. Picture by Justin Kernoghan
Joe Lynskey's niece Maria has appealed to anyone with information about her uncle to come forward. Picture by Justin Kernoghan Joe Lynskey's niece Maria has appealed to anyone with information about her uncle to come forward. Picture by Justin Kernoghan

A fresh search in Co Meath for the remains of one of the 'Disappeared' has ended.

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) last night confirmed that the search for Joe Lynskey in Oristown in recent weeks had been "unsuccessful".

The former Cistercian monk was abducted and murdered by the IRA in 1972.

Of 16 people disappeared by republicans during the Troubles, only the remains of Mr Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and British army captain Robert Nairac have yet to be found.

During a previous search for Joe Lynskey at nearby Coghalstown in 2015, the remains of Kevin McKee and Seamus Wright were recovered.

Jon Hill, senior investigator with the ICLVR, said it is "always deeply disappointing when a search is unsuccessful".

"The information we were working from was given in good faith and warranted further investigation," he said.

"Unfortunately that has not produced the result that we all hoped for."

He added: "The thoughts of the team working on the search are with the Lynskey family and in particular Maria, Joe’s niece, who visited the site on the first day of the search and has closely followed the process since then."

Mr Hill appealed for information about the case.

"The simple fact is that after two searches we need more information," he said.

"I cannot stress strongly enough that all information coming to the ICLVR is treated in the strictest confidence.

"There is a cast-iron guarantee, enshrined in international legislation, that the information we receive and the identity of those providing it will never be revealed to anyone else."

Mr Lynskey's niece Maria appealed to anyone with information about her uncle to come forward.

"I know how dedicated the ICLVR are to this humanitarian work," she said.

"As for me all I can do is to hope and to pray. Hope that there is someone out there who knows something and pray that they will have it in their heart to help us to bring Joe home for the Christian burial that he has been denied for nearly fifty years".

:: Anyone with information can contact the ICLVR on 00800 555 85500, write to ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2, or visit www.iclvr.ie online.