Ireland

Couple searching for missing son for 25 years told his remains were found within weeks of his disappearance

Mary and Denis Walsh, from Limerick, who have been searching for their missing son, Denis for 25 years were told by Gardai at the weekend that his remains were actually found just weeks after his disappearance. Picture by RTE
Mary and Denis Walsh, from Limerick, who have been searching for their missing son, Denis for 25 years were told by Gardai at the weekend that his remains were actually found just weeks after his disappearance. Picture by RTE Mary and Denis Walsh, from Limerick, who have been searching for their missing son, Denis for 25 years were told by Gardai at the weekend that his remains were actually found just weeks after his disappearance. Picture by RTE

A LIMERICK couple who have been appealing for information about their missing son for 25 years have been told his body was found within weeks of him disappearing.

Denis Walsh, who was 23, was last seen after leaving his home, in Caherdavin, on March 9, 1996.

His parents Denis and Mary have made repeated appeals for information about his whereabouts.

Despite a number of reported sightings the trail ran cold.

In May 1996, a security manager working at the Seacat Ferry in Belfast contacted gardaí after he watched an appeal for information on the Crimecall television programme.

He told Gardaí he believed he had seen Mr Walsh waiting to catch a ferry to the Isle of Man.

It emerged a ticket in his name was cashed in but unused.

At the weekend the couple were visited by Garda officers who informed them that human remains found in 1996 are those of their son.

A garda spokesman said: "In April 1996, an unidentified body was recovered off Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co Galway. This unidentified body was taken to the mortuary...samples were taken and forwarded to the Forensic Science laboratory in an effort to identify the deceased.

"These samples were examined in July 2008, March 2011 and June 2017, with negative results for a match.

"On 5 February Gardaí in Mayorstone were notified of a positive match following advances in DNA."

Speaking to RTE Mr Walsh said said he and his wife have been left "shocked" and "bewildered" by the news, but were "also happy" their son had been found.

"We have been going around for 25 years looking for Denis. We went to Cork, Kerry, Dublin, Fermanagh, England. I’m happy Denis has been found," he said.