Disappearance of Mary Boyle

Last updated

Mary Boyle
Mary Boyle 1977.jpg
Mary Boyle in a photograph taken one week before her disappearance
Born14 June 1970
Sparkhill, Birmingham, England, UK
Disappeared18 March 1977 (aged 6)
Cashelard, Ballyshannon, Ireland
Status Missing for 46 years, 4 months and 24 days
Nationality Irish

Mary Boyle (born 14 June 1970) [1] [2] [3] was a six-year-old Irish girl who disappeared on the County Donegal-County Fermanagh border on 18 March 1977. To date, her disappearance is the longest missing child case in the Republic of Ireland. The investigation into her disappearance has been beset by allegations of political intervention and police incompetence.

Contents

Disappearance

Mary Boyle was last seen at 3:30 pm on 18 March 1977 near her grandparents' rural farm in Cashelard, near Ballyshannon, County Donegal. [4] The family, including Mary's mother Ann, father Charlie, older brother Paddy, and twin sister Ann, had gone to Mary's maternal grandparents' house on St Patrick's Day from their home in Kincasslagh in The Rosses, further up the coast. [5] Mary was playing outside with her siblings and two cousins when her uncle left to return a ladder to another farm, 400 yards (370 m) across the hillside. Mary followed her uncle until they reached a small pool of water that was too deep for her to get through. Whether by her own decision or by her uncle's instruction, Mary turned around halfway into the journey saying she was going back. [6] [7] Her return journey should not have lasted longer than five minutes, whilst her uncle stayed at the neighbours for thirty minutes for a chat. [8]

After discovering that Mary had disappeared, her family instituted searches of the local area and questioned passers-by if they had seen the girl. One fisherman was quoted as saying that he had seen Mary being put into a red car and then driven away, [9] although he later corrected this in a BBC podcast by saying he had not actually seen Mary, but just a suspicious red car. [10] Many of the bogs in the area were drained and scoured in an effort to find the girl. [11] Mary's twin sister, Ann, had stated that she was eating a packet of crisps at the time of her disappearance and if she had fallen into a bog, the packet would have floated on the surface. [2]

Investigations

The Gardaí started a search of the surrounding area and drained a lake behind her grandparents' house. [12] They also created a filmed reconstruction of the disappearance in which Ann Boyle was used as a stand-in for her twin sister. [13]

In 2008, the Irish public broadcaster, RTÉ, broadcast a documentary programme about the case called Cracking Crime. [14] Over the intervening years, the performer Margo O'Donnell, a friend of and relation to the family, has funded searches on the surrounding hillsides in an effort to try and locate Mary's body. [15] Police searches have also taken place since 1977, with the latest taking place in 2016 when the Garda Síochána launched a new investigation. However, no evidence has been found. [16]

The case has attracted some publicity because of allegations of political interference which centred around the accusation that a politician phoned the Gardaí and told them to not question or detain their main suspect. O'Donnell was said to have walked up to the politician who was accused of making the call in 1977 and asked if he had done so. According to O'Donnell, he said "[that it] was untrue and called me a bare-faced liar." [17] The length of time that Boyle has been missing, and allegations of official involvement, led The Guardian to label the case "Ireland's Madeleine McCann". [18] The case is now the longest-running missing child case in modern Irish history, [19] and despite the publicity it attracts, it has not been debated in the Dáil. It was raised by Lynn Boylan MEP in the European Parliament, where she highlighted the lack of direction in the case. [20]

In 2018, relatives and supporters held a silent protest outside the coroner's office in Stranorlar. The protest was intended to force the coroner to hold an inquest into Mary's death which would allow key witnesses to be interviewed on public record for the first time. Boyle's twin sister Ann was among the group, which handed in a petition containing more than 10,000 signatures demanding that an inquest be held. [21]

In 2016, the controversial Irish investigative journalist Gemma O'Doherty, produced a documentary about the disappearance titled Mary Boyle: The Untold Story, [22] which explores several possible causes for her disappearance. In the documentary, Mary's sister Ann posits that Mary was sexually abused and then murdered. [23] The film has come under some criticism by the people interviewed for the programme. Both the retired Garda sergeants who talked on screen deny that any political pressure was brought to bear on their investigation; [24] one interviewing officer said he was told to "ease off" when questioning one of the suspects in the case, but this was by a senior officer in the room at the time of the suspect's interview. [25] The film led to O'Doherty being sued for defamation by Fianna Fáil politician Sean McEniff for damages of 75,000, although McEniff was never mentioned by name in the film. In 2019, after McEniff's death, a judge granted his estate leave to continue the case. [26] [27]

In March 2018, Gardaí issued a request for information regarding the case and stated that the investigation was still live. [28]

Suspects

The initial suspect, questioned soon after Boyle disappeared, was released without charge. Other people have been questioned in relation to the disappearance; Brian McMahon was taken in for questioning by Gardaí in October 2014 but was released without charge the following day. [29] McMahon later went on public record denying any involvement in the disappearance and stating that local people knew he could not have been involved. [30]

Robert Black, a convicted serial killer of children, was also proposed as a suspect when it was revealed that he was a cross-border truck driver who often visited County Donegal as part of his job and could have been in the area at the time of Boyle's disappearance. [11] Black was known in the area and had been charged by the Garda for after-hours drinking. His van was identified outside a pub in Annagry, County Donegal, at the time of Boyle's disappearance. A witness later claimed that they had heard crying and whimpering from the rear of the van. [31] However, by the time of O'Doherty's documentary going online, it was widely believed that Black could not have been responsible. [32] [33]

Mary's twin sister Ann Boyle and several other relatives publicly claim they believe they know what happened to Mary and who is responsible for her disappearance. This has caused tension and a division within the Boyle family, with Ann's mother (also named Ann) publicly admonishing her daughter in 2016; calling her public appeals "...the most ridiculous carry on I ever seen in my life." [34]

Aftermath

Boyle's father Charlie died in a fishing accident off the coast of Donegal in 2005. [35] In 2011, O'Donnell released the single "The Missing Mary Boyle" to raise funds for a new search for the missing girl. [36] Due, in part, to the younger Ann Boyle's public accusations, the Boyle family remain divided. [37]

See also

Further reading

Related Research Articles

Seán Doherty was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from 1989 to 1992, Minister for Justice from March 1982 to December 1982 and Minister of State for Justice from 1980 to 1981. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 1989 and 1992 to 2002. He was a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 1989 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garda Síochána</span> Police service of the Republic of Ireland

The Garda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

The Kerry babies case was a 1984 investigation by the Garda Síochána in County Kerry, Ireland, into the killing of one newborn baby and the alleged killing of another. The mother who concealed the second baby, Joanne Hayes, was arrested and charged with the murder of the first baby, of which she was erroneously thought to be the mother. The Gardaí were forced to drop the charges four years later and a tribunal of inquiry was launched. Its report was critical of the Garda conduct of the investigations, and it also concluded that Hayes had precipitated the death of her baby. Hayes has disputed this finding, and no charges were pressed. The parents and killer of the first baby have never been identified, though arrests of a man and woman were made in 2023. In 2020, the Irish State formally apologised after 36 years to Joanne Hayes for wrongly accusing her of the murder and for the "appalling hurt and distress caused".

Tommy Ryan(born 1967) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disappearance of Philip Cairns</span> 1986 disappearance of Irish schoolboy

Philip Cairns disappeared on the afternoon of 23 October 1986 while walking back to school in south Dublin, Ireland. The 13-year-old schoolboy left his home in Ballyroan to return to school, but has not been seen since. A large-scale investigation was carried out but no trace of the boy has ever been found. His disappearance is now treated as a high-profile child murder case, the only similar incident in Ireland being the murder of Robert Holohan in January 2005. It is one of the most high-profile disappearances in recent Irish history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Raonaid Murray</span>

Raonaid Murray was an Irish teenager who was stabbed to death at the age of 17 in the early hours of 4 September 1999. As of March 2023, this murder case remains unsolved. The murder weapon has not been located either. Each year her family and the Garda Síochána issue new appeals for fresh information. In 2009, a tribute website was set up but was targeted by vandals and naysayers who posted upsetting messages.

Séamus McEnaney is a Gaelic football manager and businessman. He has managed his native Monaghan county team, as well as the Meath and Wexford county teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Doherty</span> Irish Fine Gael politician (b. 1971)

Regina Doherty is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Deputy leader of Seanad Éireann since 2022. She was Leader of the Seanad from 2020 to 2022, and is Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad since June 2020. She has been a Senator since June 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach. She served as Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection from 2017 to 2020 and Government Chief Whip from 2016 to 2017. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath East constituency from 2011 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland's Vanishing Triangle</span> 1980s-1990s disappearances of women

Ireland's Vanishing Triangle is a term commonly used in the Irish media when referring to a number of high-profile disappearances of Irish women from the late-1980s to the late-1990s. Several other women were also murdered within the triangle and their cases remain unsolved as well. All of the cases appeared to share some common characteristics. The women's ages range from their late-teens to late-30s, they disappeared inexplicably and suddenly, and no substantial clues or evidence of their fate has ever been found despite large scale searches and campaigns by the Gardaí to find them. Gardaí believe their remains are likely to be buried in remote fields, bogs and forests. The triangle is in the eastern part of the island, roughly the boundaries of Leinster, in an 80-mile area outside Dublin.

Sean McEniff was an Irish businessman and Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Donegal County Councillor for the Donegal local electoral Area. At the time of his death in 2017, he was the longest serving councillor in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma O'Doherty</span> Irish journalist and political candidate

Gemma O'Doherty is an Irish far-right activist and conspiracy theorist. She began her career as a staff writer for the Irish Independent, contributing articles on travel, the criminal justice system and corruption, but was dismissed in 2013. She attempted to run as a candidate in the 2018 Irish presidential election, but failed to secure the minimum qualifying number of nominations required to be added to the ballot. O'Doherty was unsuccessful in the 2019 European Parliament election in Ireland, receiving 1.85% of first preference votes in the Dublin constituency. She unsuccessfully ran in the 2020 Irish general election receiving just under 2% of first preference votes.

"Captain" Eamonn Cooke was a former owner of pirate radio station Radio Dublin. He was a convicted paedophile, and a suspect in the disappearance of Philip Cairns. He assumed ownership of the station in 1977.

Annie Bridget McCarrick is an American woman from Long Island, New York who went missing under suspicious circumstances on March 26, 1993, while she was residing in Ireland.

Deirdre Jacob is an Irish woman who disappeared near her home in Newbridge, County Kildare on 28 July 1998 at the age of 18. In August 2018 the Garda Síochána announced that her disappearance was being treated as a murder case.

On 8 December 2000, Irishman Trevor Deely disappeared in Dublin. He had been walking home around 4 am from his office's Christmas party, and had needed to go to the bank, where he worked, to retrieve an umbrella as well as to get certain things in order for his shift the next day. He was seen on a security camera at his bank and in front of another bank he passed as he headed home on foot; both also captured a man clad in dark clothing who has yet to be identified and is considered likely to have played a role in Deely's disappearance.

Terry McEniff is an Irish businessman and former politician and mayor from County Donegal. His business ventures and political exploits have often featured in national publications, such as the Irish Independent, Irish Examiner or The Irish Times.

William Maughan and Anna Varslavane are a couple who disappeared on 14 April 2015 from the Gormanstown area of County Meath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donegal county football team</span> Gaelic football team

The Donegal county football team represents Donegal in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Donegal GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Ulster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.

Tina Satchwell is an Irish woman who went missing under suspicious circumstances on 20 March 2017.

Siblings, Lisa Cash, Christy Cawley and Chelsea Cawley, aged 18 and 8 respectively, from Tallaght, South County Dublin were killed in their home, in the early hours of 4 September 2022. Their 14-year-old brother raised the alarm by jumping out of the window. A 24-year-old man, Andy Cash, was arrested at the scene, and was charged with the murders the following day.

References

  1. "Parents of missing girl still hope daughter's remains will be found". Irish Times. 17 March 2004. ProQuest   309647421.
  2. 1 2 Lockley, Mike (6 August 2016). "The 'first Madeleine McCann': Brum girl who vanished 39 years ago". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  3. "Mary Boyle- Age progressed". Garda Síochána. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  4. McDonald, Henry (9 June 2007). "After 30 years, I still hold on to hope that she will be found". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  5. "Excavation under way in Co Donegal in search for missing Mary Boyle". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. Devine, Catherine (14 March 2017). "'Nannie's afraid in her own home' - Ann Boyle receiving hate mail 40 years after daughter Mary's disappearance - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  7. Maguire, Stephen (10 March 2018). "'Time is running out': call for inquest in case of Mary Boyle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  8. McGlaughlin, Brighid (16 May 1999). "Mary Boyle - a stolen child - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  9. Devine, Catherine (14 July 2016). "'I saw Mary being driven away in a red car'- fisherman believes he saw Mary Boyle (6) being 'lifted' - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  10. "BBC Radio - No Body Recovered". BBC. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  11. 1 2 Cusack, Jim (26 October 2014). "Notorious serial killer was in Donegal when Mary Boyle vanished - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  12. McLaughlin, Brighid (16 May 1999). "Mary Boyle - a stolen child - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  13. Love, Robert (25 November 2007). "I just could not put my parents through losing another Mary". The Sunday Mirror. ProQuest   339722350.
  14. "CRACKING CRIME | RTÉ Presspack". presspack.rte.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  15. "New search for missing Irish girl". BBC News. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  16. Maguire, Stephen (9 August 2016). "Twin sister of missing Mary Boyle brands Garda review of cold case as 'a sham'". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  17. Maguire, Stephen (14 July 2014). "Relative calls for arrest in Mary Boyle disappearance case". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  18. Greenslade, Roy (29 April 2016). "Why has Ireland's mainstream media turned its back on Mary Boyle?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  19. Ryan, Órla (14 March 2017). "'It frightened the life out of me': Mary Boyle's mother has been sent hate mail". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  20. Mooney, John (17 July 2016). "Search for the truth" . The Sunday Times. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  21. Maguire, Stephen (31 March 2018). "Missing Mary Boyle hate-mail suspect dies". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  22. Mary Boyle The Untold Story , retrieved 29 November 2019
  23. Harrington, Katy (18 July 2016). "Twelve facts about Mary Boyle - the little Irish girl who vanished and the allegations of 40-year cover-up | The Irish Post". The Irish Post. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  24. Sheehan, Maeve (14 August 2016). "Second garda denies Mary Boyle cover-up - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  25. Devine, Catherine (13 July 2016). "Robert Black main suspect as cold case cops probe mystery of missing Donegal girl Mary Boyle". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  26. Ray Managh (27 March 2019). "Estate of deceased councillor and hotelier allowed to continue defamation proceedings against journalist Gemma O'Doherty". Irish Independent . Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  27. Managh, Ray (27 March 2019). "Estate of deceased councillor allowed to continue defamation case against journalist Gemma O'Doherty". TheJournal.ie . Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  28. MacAleese, Deborah (19 March 2018). "Mary Boyle case: Gardaí make renewed appeal for information". The Irish News. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  29. "Man freed in missing girl inquiry". BBC News. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  30. Harkin, Greg (11 February 2015). "Missing Mary is a mystery to me, says paedophile - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  31. McEwan, Alan (13 October 2014). "Robert Black linked to murder of seven-year-old girl". Daily Record. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  32. Young, Connla (8 July 2016). "Documentary puts Mary Boyle mystery in spotlight again". The Irish News. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  33. Moriarty, Gerry (12 January 2016). "Paedophile and child serial killer Robert Black dies in jail". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  34. Doyle Higgins, Erica (22 August 2016). "Mother of Mary Boyle wants Mary's twin sister Ann to stop seeking publicity for the unsolved case". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  35. McDonald, Henry (9 June 2007). "After 30 years, I still hold on to hope that she will be found". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  36. "Margo's song for missing girl". Irish Independent . 17 August 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  37. Doyle Higgins, Erica (22 August 2016). "Mother of Mary Boyle wants Mary's twin sister Ann to stop seeking publicity for the unsolved case". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 November 2018.