Mary Boyle’s sister Ann Doherty (left) and Boyle family friend Margo O’Donnell (right), with unnamed solicitor and journalist Gemma O’Doherty (second right) at Pearse Street Garda Station in October
Ahead of the meeting in Government Buildings today, between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Ann Doherty, the twin sister of murdered schoolgirl Mary Boyle, Gemma O’Doherty writes:
[Ann Doherty] will inform Enda Kenny of her belief that Mary’s murder has been covered up by some members of An Garda Siochana and that the killer is still being shielded to this day.
Ms Doherty alleges that Mary was murdered by somebody known to her and also believes she was the victim of a sexual assault.
She is supported in her belief by several former Gardai who worked on the case in 1977.
They say the person they consider the chief suspect has never been arrested but is likely to confess if brought in and questioned properly. They also believe the individual will reveal the location of the child’s remains.
These officers along with Ms Doherty claim that another person known to Mary is protecting her murderer.
Ms Doherty also alleges there was political interference in the investigation which has prevented the killer from being brought to justice.
A number of officers who worked in Ballyshannon at the time have confirmed that they are aware of a phone call to the station by a politician in the days after Mary’s disappearance requesting that some individuals not be considered suspects.
Ms Doherty present compelling evidence which appears to have been ignored or dismissed by An Garda Siochana through the years.
She will also speak about a mysterious visit by two Garda officers to her home at the end of 2014, after she had been to Stormont in Belfast to discuss her case with members of the Northern Ireland assembly. The officers arrived at her home without prior notice and made a number of statements which she found disturbing.
In recent years, Ms Doherty has complained to GSOC – the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission – about the handling of her sister’s case but her concerns were dismissed.
Ms Doherty will be accompanied to today’s meeting by singer Margaret (Margo) O’Donnell, a cousin and long-time family friend who has supported her in her fight for justice.
Margo O’Donnell will remind Mr Kenny that she contacted him about the case after he became Taoiseach in 2011. She spoke to him about her concerns and pleaded for his help in finding Mary Boyle but says she was deeply disappointed by his response.
“I asked for his help four years ago and told him what I know about the case but didn’t get anywhere,” says Margo.
Both Ms Doherty and Margo made formal statements to Gardai in Dublin’s Pearse Street station almost two months ago saying they were told the identity of the killer on several occasions by someone who knew Mary.
The women also say they have expressed their concerns to Gardai many times through the years but no action was taken.
As part of Ms Doherty’s campaign to find her sister, she has travelled to the European Parliament in Brussels, and Westminster Palace in recent months, and has received backing from many politicians in Ireland and abroad who support her in her fight for justice.
In the coming weeks, the case will be raised in the House of Commons and the House of Lords in London. She also intends to bring it to members of Congress in Washington early in 2016.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, Ann Doherty said she will be urging the Taoiseach to ask Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan why the chief suspect has not been brought to justice.
“I believe Mary’s killer had political protection and that the Gardai have shielded him for almost 40 years. I am determined that Mary’s remains will be found and that she will be given the decent burial she deserves.
“The Taoiseach must act now and ensure everything is done to find her and bring her killer to justice. Commissioner O’Sullivan is well aware of this case and I am urging her to act now on all the evidence that has been available to her force for almost four decades.”
Ms Doherty is considering a legal action against Ireland, under the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees the right to a prompt, independent and effective investigation after a suspicious death.
She is also seeking an inquest into her sister’s death.
Her solicitor Darragh Mackin of Kevin Winters Law Firm in Belfast will also attend the meeting today.
Previously: Progress For Mary
Mary Boyle And ‘Political Interference’
UPDATE:
Ann Doherty with Margo O'Donnell, Catherine Murphy TD and lawyer Darragh Mackin on her way to meet Enda Kenny today pic.twitter.com/AWg8Cn1lzJ
— Gemma O'Doherty (@gemmaod1) November 19, 2015
I hope she gets the response she wants. Based on this information, it would seem like a suspect and remains could be found tomorrow if the will was there.
Could it be that simple?
I hope she gets the response she wants too.
Without more details/information, there is no way that we plebs can know if there is any real, usable evidence of the murderer & of a cover-up or if Mary Boyle (understandably) can’t accept that no killer has been brought to justice. What sort of political protection would be strong enough to extend between polticial parties & cover a child murderer?
Even if it was the case, it is difficult to imagine what genuine interest an MP would have in the case except to file an early day motion, keep a constituent happy & maybe (mildly) embarrass the South. Similar with a Congressman.
Or is there more here between the lines which I am failing to read?
Taking the case to Brussels, London, Washington is good politics. Helps to keep it on the agenda here.
Like I say, I hope for the best possible outcome. But agreed, the story can’t be quite as simple as we’re told……or maybe it is…truth is stranger than fiction, etc.
…why are these names not in the public domain…or have I missed something?
Allegations at this point. But if someone is charged and it goes to trial, these names will be made public because the identity of the victim is already known. Hopefully that will happen.
My fear is that the murderer may have other victims since.
Have you missed the Pat Carey controversy recently?
The Indo is being hammered for reporting that a former minister was being investigated & for allegedly (in the opinion of some people) putting in enough information that Pat felt he was being identified & forced to resign.
Ms Boyle may suspect some people and she may even be correct but he papers can’t go around accusing people on that basis.
The two cases could hardly be more different. Apparently someone ‘known to the family’ confessed to the murder and it became common knowledge within the family but some members of the family didn’t want him locked up so it was swept under the carpet. The sister wants justice done and rightly so, even at this late stage.
They’ll get a pat on the pat. A few nods of the head, a quick photo-op and they’ll be out the door before you say cover up
how can anyone put up with this for 40 years?
It’s a great little country to do a cover up.
couldnt be falling on deafer ears than enda kennys
the mans an empty vessel. he’ll make a statement about it
and that’ll be the last you’ll hear of him and the case.
Enda has better things to be doing frankly than investigating individual murders.
Or getting involved in the fireproofing remedials of individual apartment buildings.
We need to elect a taoiseach not a fixer.
its a bit more than an individual murder, classter. it whacks of a cover-up, with gardai heavily involved. stuff like that needs to be dealt with, people weeded out.. if theres to be a proper functioning system free of corruption. ha yea i laughed too.
Absolutely ridiculous that this has dragged on for so long.
You can bet your bottom dollar that it’d be investigated straight away if the chief suspect was a Shinner.
Why are they taking it to Stormont & the House of Commons if it isn’t a Shinner?
The involvement of Gemma O’Doherty is the only reason I give this any credence.
I’d imagine it’s a tactic to embarrass the Irish Government into action.
There is an inkling as to who the TD might have been so you are probably right
SF would have had no political sway in the 70’s so no political protection,
I know, that’s the point.
It’s ff or fg as they were only party in dgal . You only have to Google and see chief suspects ie sitting tds , cover up go’s all the way to the top of guard’s and government , suspects are alive and kicking back thinking that nothing is going to happen
gemma seems to be connected to bs by an umbilical cord.
Indeed
That Father Ted line about the Gardai ‘turning a blind eye to the odd murder’ becomes more and more true with time
Put the childs remains out….just do it you skank….justice and ireland rotten to core we”ll. Burn you in Hell
Let the heavens fall, let justice be done