By Louise Doyle

 

A LETTERKENNY cousin of Mary Boyle hopes a new seven-part BBC Europe podcast will give fresh focus to solving the schoolgirl’s disappearance 42 years ago. 

 

Joe Craig is one of a number of family members and others interviewed in ‘No Body Recovered’, presented by Kevin Connolly and Maria Byrne. 

 

Mary Boyle went missing from her grandparent’s farm in Cashelard near Ballyshannon on March 18, 1977. She was six years old. She is the State’s longest missing person, presumed dead. 

 

The newly released podcast re-examines the case, and hears from those who were closest to Mary including her mother Ann Boyle and her twin sister, Ann Doherty, who speaks emotionally about what life has been like without her twin sister.

 

FAMILY RIFT

 

Ann Doherty also speaks of a continuing family rift arising from her belief something sinister happened to her twin and that she believes she knows who is responsible. 

 

Poignantly, the podcasts, which took two years to produce, also hear from those involved in painstaking land and water searches for the youngster at the time. 

 

Kevin Connolly introduces the opening podcast, ‘Girl, 6 years old, missing.’ It takes the listener back to the day of March 18, 1977 – the day Mary was last seen. The town of Ballyshannon is hosting a popular annul drama festival and theatrical companies have come from around the world to compete. An official takes to the stage to announce that a young girl has gone missing from a remote bogland farm five miles away.

 

Fisherman PJ Coughlan recounts how he was approached by Mary’s family asking,  “have you seen a wee girl?” 

 

The army, civilians and the army’s helicopter were all drafted in to help search for missing Mary. 

 

Both Kevin Connolly and Maria Byrne visited the home of Mary’s grandparents where she was last seen. They have interviewed numerous family members, examined the many theories that have swirled the investigation into the  youngster’s disappearance and delved into the ongoing family breakdown.

 

They spoke to Mary’s mother  about hate mail she has received. 

 

“I was there and I don’t know what happened. How can they possibly know what happened?” 

 

“You can’t accuse anyone, you have to have proof. I’m waiting and waiting all these years,” Mrs Ann Boyle tells the podcast. 

 

INQUEST

 

The podcast also looks back at Ann Doherty’s attempts for an inquest for her sister. Two years ago she and Mr Craig handed in a letter and a petition with 10,000 signatures to Donegal’s Coroner, Dr Denis McCauley, in his practice in Stranorlar. To date, no inquest has been granted. Mr Craig spearheaded the online ‘Justice for Mary Boyle’ campaign and continues to raise awareness. 

 

In the final episode, Mr Connolly and Ms Byrne ask if there will be a family reconciliation and Mary is remembered 42 years on. 

 

However, absent from the podcasts is any interview with An Garda Siochána, which is a major source of disappointment for Mr Craig and family. He said he now hopes to meet with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. 

 

Speaking to the Donegal News, Mr Craig said taking part in the podcast series has given a renewed sense of determination to uncover the truth and get justice for his cousin. 

 

PROMISED SEARCHES

 

“To me, it’s a real race against time. But this is the first time media from outside Ireland have been involved and there is a big focus on the case. An Garda Siochána told producers of the podcast straight away that they would not be taking part. I think that reflects very badly on them.” 

 

Mr Craig said he would like to see the promised searches for his cousin resume. 

 

“In 2016 we were promised gardaí were going to search the land using scanners. That did not happen. There was a cold case review and nothing came of that,” he said.

 

“Donegal is a beautiful county and it has great people, but there are so many secrets. There’s such a secrecy and silence in Donegal and we need to break it to find Mary.”

 

Mr Craig, who was interviewed in Letterkenny for the podcast a number of times, said he believes there are people alive today who hold vital information. 

 

“There are definitely people out there who who know what happened to Mary, adn they will take it to their grave. We are appealing to their conscience.

 

“We also want what we were promised in 2016 – that the land (in Cashelard) will be investigated. We would also like to meet with Commissioner Harris.” 

 

“RESPECTFUL AND IN-DEPTH”

Mr Craig said reaction to the podcasts has been positive. 

 

“We have received messages of support from all over the world since the airing of the podcasts. People have said the podcasts are respectful and indepth.”

 

Mr Craig revealed a major film documentary is also in the pipeline, but could not disclos any further details at this stage. 

 

Ann Doherty is also interviewed a number of times. She tells the podcast: “My last memory of Mary is asking her if she was coming out to play with me and our brother. She said she was staying in to help mam with the dishes. That’s the last memory I have. 

 

“Mary did the talking for the two of us. You always had someone to fight your corner. She would have been more feisty than me. It was great to have a twin. Mary would finish my sentences.”

 

No Body Recovered is available to listen to for free via the BBC and spotify.