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"It's time for closure" - Ballyshannon locals discuss the disappearance of Mary Boyle

Six-year-old Mary Boyle was visiting her grandparents' farm in Cashelard near Ballyshannon w...
Newstalk
Newstalk

17.28 21 Jul 2016


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"It's time for...

"It's time for closure" - Ballyshannon locals discuss the disappearance of Mary Boyle

Newstalk
Newstalk

17.28 21 Jul 2016


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Six-year-old Mary Boyle was visiting her grandparents' farm in Cashelard near Ballyshannon when she went missing in March 1977.

Following the release of a new YouTube documentary on Mary's disappearance, the case of Ireland's youngest missing person is back in the public eye.

It is been confirmed that a second review into the disappearance is being conducted by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team.

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Henry McKean visited Ballyshannon in Donegal and spoke to locals about the disappearance and the continued search for Mary.

"It's a tragic, tragic affair," one man who was involved in the original search told Henry. "I'd love, before I pass away, that there's a final end to this - let it be good or bad.

"It's as fresh in my heart today as the day it happened," he added.

A retired postman told Henry about the search efforts back in 1977.

"Hundreds of people had gone there before we got there," he recalled. "It's amazing - I know the area so well, and I can't believe Mary Boyle got out on to the road."

Naomi Brady organised a 'March for Mary Boyle' in Ballyshannon last week to show support for Mary's twin sister Ann Doherty in particular.

"I couldn't imagine going through my life without my own twin - but on the other hand I couldn't imagine losing my own [twin daughters]," she explained.

"I felt that maybe we needed to do something to stand up and particularly to give support to Ann who has been fighting this case for many years now, and to let her know Ballyshannon [...] and the whole of Donegal are behind her."

Will Mary ever be found - and will the truth about her disappearance ever emerge?

Some locals said they don't know if there will ever be any closure.

"I think you need a body to find the truth - I don't think she'll ever be found," one observed.

Naomi, however, is more hopeful.

"I'm hoping that someone out there is listening," she told Henry. "The [outpouring] over the last week over Mary... but not just the last week, obviously over the last number of years.

"Really it's time for closure. That was the hope: that somebody out there might listen - it's been 40 years - to hopefully say 'enough is enough'.

"We just want to find her to give her a Christian burial [...] 40 years is too long for any child, I would say neglected in this situation, forgotten about," she observed.

At the centre of this case - beyond the search and uncertainty - is a six-year-old girl.

Naomi observed: "A child's memory should never be lost [...] Mary could be anybody's little girl - that's the thing, and that's why it touches people's hearts so much."

You can listen back to Henry's full report below:

"It's time for closure" - Ballyshannon locals discuss the disappearance of Mary Boyle

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

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