Disappeared (Northern Ireland)

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The Disappeared are people believed to have been abducted, murdered and secretly buried in Northern Ireland, [1] the large majority of which occurred during the Troubles. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) is in charge of locating the remaining bodies, [2] and was led by forensic archaeologist John McIlwaine. [3]

Contents

Background

Of the sixteen people investigated by the ICLVR, all were Irish Catholics (Jean McConville was a convert), all except Jean McConville were male, and all are believed to have been abducted and killed by Irish Republicans. [4] [5] [6]

The Provisional IRA admitted to being involved in the forced disappearance of nine of the sixteen – Eamon Molloy, Seamus Wright, Kevin McKee, Jean McConville, Columba McVeigh, Brendan Megraw, John McClory, Brian McKinney, and Danny McIlhone. British Army officer Robert Nairac, who disappeared from South Armagh, was a Mauritius-born Roman Catholic. [7] [8] The organisation said they could only accurately locate the body of one of their victims, but gave rough ideas for the remaining eight. [9] [10] As of September 2017, the remains of three of the victims have still not been found.

History

1970s

Joseph Lynskey (40), a veteran Irish Republican paramilitary and IRA member from Cavendish Street in Belfast, disappeared during a violent internal IRA feud in the city in August 1972. In 2009 Dolours Price, a former IRA member, stated in an interview with a newspaper that she had driven him in a car out of Northern Ireland to an IRA safe house in County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) shortly before his disappearance. In January 2010 the IRA issued a statement that Lynskey had been killed as part of an internal disciplinary process, and his body had subsequently been buried in an unmarked grave. In December 2014 a specialist team from the Garda Siochana was reported to be carrying out a search of an area of Coghalstown Bog in County Meath, ROI, for Lynskey's body. [11]

Jean McConville, a widowed mother of 10, disappeared in December 1972. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth, ROI, in 2003; in October 2014 a man was arrested in connection with her murder, [12] and two further men were arrested in December 2014. [13]

Peter Wilson, 21, a native of West Belfast, with five siblings, was described as "a vulnerable man with learning difficulties". [14] He was abducted by the IRA in the summer of 1973, somewhere in the St James area of Belfast, killed and secretly buried at Waterfoot, County Antrim. [15]

Columba McVeigh, a 19-year-old from Donaghmore, County Tyrone, disappeared in 1975. The IRA allege he had confessed to being a British Army agent, instructed to infiltrate the IRA. [16]

Brendan Megraw disappeared in 1978. In August 2014 a bog in County Meath was searched for his body, [17] with human remains discovered in September. [18]

Gerard Evans, 24, was a man from Crossmaglen, South Armagh, who disappeared while hitchhiking in County Monaghan in March 1979. [19] In March 2008 a map was given to Evans' aunt. In 2008, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains appealed for more information regarding his disappearance. [20] Remains were found in County Louth in October 2010, [21] which were later confirmed as being Evans' in November 2010. [22] An alleged member of the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade told the Sunday Tribune that Evans was executed for being an informer. [23]

1980s

Charles Armstrong was a 54-year-old father-of-five who went missing in Crossmaglen while walking to Mass in 1981; his car was later found in Dundalk, County Louth. [19] The IRA denied any involvement in his disappearance at the time. Armstrong's family began a fresh, private search for his remains in October 2003. [24] They were located in County Monaghan, Ireland in July 2010. [25] No reason has ever been publicly given for Armstrong's abduction and murder.

2000s

In September 2015 the bodies of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee were found in a bog in Coghalstown, County Meath. [26]

In May 2017 a body was found by the ICLVR in a forest in northern France outside Rouen identified as that of Seamus Ruddy. [27]

There were two further disappearances in the 2000s. Gareth O'Connor, believed to have been a member of the Real IRA, disappeared while driving from Armagh to Dundalk in 2003. His body was discovered in Newry in 2005. [28] [29] In March 2005, Lisa Dorrian disappeared after attending a party at a caravan park in Ballyhalbert. She is believed to have been kidnapped by loyalists. There is speculation that the crime is related to illegal drug trade. [28] [30] [31]

List of Disappeared

NameLocation [lower-alpha 1] AgeYear of disappearanceYear of body being foundSuspectsReference(s)
Charles Armstrong Crossmaglen5419812010Republicans [32]
Gerard Evans County Monaghan, Ireland2419792010Republicans [32]
Joe LynskeyBelfast401972Still missingRepublicans [19] [33] [34] [35]
John McCloryBelfast1719781999Republicans [19] [36]
Jean McConville Belfast3819722003Republicans [19] [37]
Danny McIlhoneBelfast2119812008Republicans [19] [38] [39]
Kevin McKeeSouth Armagh1719722015Republicans [19] [40] [41]
Brian McKinneyBelfast2219781999Republicans [19] [42]
Columba McVeigh Dublin, Ireland171975Still missingRepublicans [19] [43] [44]
Brendan MegrawBelfast2419782014Republicans [18] [19]
Eamon MolloyBelfast2219751999Republicans [19] [45] [46]
Robert Nairac Dromintee, South Armagh281977Still missingRepublicans [19] [47] [48]
Seamus RuddyParis, France3219852017 INLA [19] [49] [50] [51]
Eugene SimonsCastlewellan, County Down2619811984Republicans [19]
Peter Wilson Belfast2119732010Republicans [19] [52] [53] [54]
Seamus WrightSouth Armagh2519722015Republicans [19] [40]

Disappearances since 1999

NameLocationAgeYear of disappearanceYear of body being foundSuspectsReference(s)
Lisa DorrianBallyhalbert252005Still missingLoyalists [28]
Gareth O'Connor Newtownhamilton2420032005Republicans [29]
  1. ↑ Location of disappearance; in Northern Ireland unless otherwise stated

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References

  1. ↑ "About the Disappeared". The Disappeared of Northern Ireland. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Never lose heart, 'disappeared' families told". BBC News. 4 June 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Disappeared: Archaeologist John McIlwaine dies". BBC News. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Northern Ireland Disappeared, reuters.com; accessed 7 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "The Disappeared". Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Disappeared issue 'a festering wound' says McGuinness". BBC News. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  7. ↑ Robert Nairac profile, bbc.co.uk; accessed 7 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Profiles of the 'disappeared'". BBC News. 28 May 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "'Disappeared' return to haunt Ireland's conscience". BBC News. 7 June 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  10. ↑ "IRA: No more clues on 'disappeared'". BBC News. 1 June 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  11. ↑ 'Disappeared IRA victim & Provo love triangle', 'Independent.ie', 7 December 2014. https://www.independent.ie./irish-news/news/disappeared-ira-victim-and-provo-love-triangle-30804919.html
  12. ↑ "Jean McConville murder: 73-year-old man arrested in Dunmurry". BBC News. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "Jean McConville murder: Two men arrested over 'Disappeared' death". BBC News. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Peter Wilson: 'Disappeared' by the IRA, found at the beach his family treasured". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  15. ↑ "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "Adams 'at heart' of IRA's most shameful killing campaign", The Guardian, 30 September 2002.
  17. ↑ "Remains The Disappeared: Meath bog to be searched for Brendan Megraw". BBC News. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  18. 1 2 "The Disappeared: Human remains found in search for Brendan Megraw". BBC News. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Who were the 'Disappeared'?". BBC News. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Appeal from Disappeared searchers". BBC News. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  21. ↑ "Family of "Disappeared" Gerry Evans hope for closure". BBC News. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  22. ↑ "Remains were 'Disappeared' Crossmaglen man Gerry Evans". BBC News. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  23. ↑ Suzanne Breen (17 October 2010). "Masked IRA man's map leads to body in Louth". Sunday Tribune . Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  24. ↑ "Fresh 'Disappeared' search". BBC News. 22 October 2003. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  25. ↑ "Widow's relief as remains found in 'Disappeared' search". BBC News. 31 July 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  26. ↑ Wright and McKee bodies located, bbc.co.uk; accessed 10 September 2015.
  27. ↑ "Seamus Ruddy: Human remains found in search of French forest". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  28. 1 2 3 Draft List of Deaths Related to the Conflict from 2002, cain.ulst.ac.uk; accessed 7 September 2015.
  29. 1 2 "Gareth O'Connor". The Disappeared of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  30. ↑ "Lisa Dorrian". The Disappeared of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  31. ↑ Henry McDonald (31 July 2005). "Looking for Lisa". The Observer. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  32. 1 2 "RTÉ Special report". RTÉ News. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  33. ↑ "Commission to investigate Joe Lynskey death". BBC News. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  34. ↑ "Forty years later, IRA finally admits to man's 'execution'". Belfast Telegraph. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  35. ↑ "Buried Secrets". The Pensive Quill. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  36. ↑ "Body finds encourage searchers". BBC News. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  37. ↑ "Jean McConville's daughter recalls mother's abduction by IRA". BBC News. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  38. ↑ "Family of IRA victim 'at peace'". BBC News. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  39. ↑ "Missing man shot dead after struggle with IRA abductors". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  40. 1 2 Rosie Cowan (30 September 2002). "Adams 'at heart' of IRA's most shameful killing campaign". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  41. ↑ McNamee, Michael Sheils (14 September 2015). "After "43 years of pain" IRA victim Kevin McKee is laid to rest". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  42. ↑ "'My tears for Brian'". BBC News. 17 July 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  43. ↑ "Columba McVeigh: Brother calls for more information from IRA". BBC News. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  44. ↑ "Columba McVeigh". The Disappeared of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  45. ↑ "'Disappeared' victim identified". BBC News. 20 July 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  46. ↑ "A prayer before dying: IRA took priest to Disappeared victim before murder". BBC News. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  47. ↑ "McGuinness in Nairac body appeal". BBC News. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  48. ↑ "RTE Prime Time Cased Profile (with video)". RTE PrimeTime. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  49. ↑ "Family of INLA murder man misled". BBC News. 22 July 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  50. ↑ "Remains found in France confirmed to be Seamus Ruddy". The Journal.ie. 10 May 2017.
  51. ↑ Brennan, Eoin. "The Disappeared: The life and death of Seamus Ruddy". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  52. ↑ "Fresh 'Disappeared' dig for Peter Wilson announced". BBC News. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  53. ↑ "Remains were 'Disappeared' man Peter Wilson's". BBC News. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  54. ↑ "Inquest into death of 'Disappeared' man Peter Wilson". BBC News. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
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