Mary Boyle

Mary Boyle was six years old when she vanished on her grandparents’ remote farm near Ballyshannon, Co Donegal on March 18, 1977.

She remains Ireland’s longest missing child case.

But that may be about to change.

Gemma O’Doherty writes:

The twin sister of Mary Boyle will today make a formal statement to Gardai about the identity of the person she believes murdered her sister.

Ann Doherty will claim Mary was killed by somebody known to her. She says she has been frustrated by an Garda Siochana in her efforts to find Mary’s remains and bring her killer to justice.

Ann Doherty will allege that on a number of occasions she was told the identity of the killer by a person close to her, but neither that person nor the suspect have ever been arrested.

In her statement today, Doherty will make a plea to Gardai to arrest the suspect. She will also state that she was informed by a senior Garda that there was political interference in the case, which she believes prevented Mary’s killer from being brought to justice.

The former officer claims that a politician made contact with Gardai in the days after the child’s murder and made an unusual request in an effort to hinder the investigation. This Garda also believes Mary Boyle may have been sexually assaulted before her death, a fear shared by her sister Ann.

The officer has also said that he was told the identity of the killer by somebody close to Mary on a number of occasions.

In another development, the country singer Margo O’Donnell, sister of Daniel, will visit a Dublin Garda station today to make a formal statement about Mary Boyle’s murder.

Margo, a former neighbour and cousin of the Boyle family, has spent many years searching for the little girl’s remains. She claims that on three separate occasions she was told by a person close to Mary the identity of the killer but says every time she has spoken to Gardai about the case, she has been dismissed. She describes the killing as a ‘massive Garda cover-up.’ Broadsheet has seen witness statements relating to the case, which reveal inconsistencies that have never been reconciled.

Ann Doherty believes that if the person she says killed Mary had been properly investigated and questioned by Gardai, they would have confessed to the killing. She is also certain that the individual can still be brought to justice and the remains of her sister found.

Ann believes her sister is buried somewhere on the 180 acres of farmland in Cashelard, Ballyshannon, once owned by her late grandfather Patrick Gallagher. Some of this land is deep swamp. She rejects suggestions by certain Gardai and reporters that Mary was snatched by a stranger, a claim she describes as ‘ridiculous.’

She says through the years she has begged Gardai to take certain actions. She also says they have refused to speak to her and that their only point of contact with the family is her mother, Ann Boyle.

When Ann Doherty sought an inquest in recent years, she was told that this was not possible as Mary may not be dead. A person is considered to be deceased if they have been missing for more than seven years. Mary disappeared 38 years ago.

Ann Doherty wrote to the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald earlier this year requesting a meeting but this request was not been granted. Ann will attend the Gardai today in the company of her solicitor Darragh Mackin of Kevin Winters Solicitors, a human rights law firm based in Belfast.

More as we get it.

Previously: A Corner Of Ireland

Update:

Margo O’Donnell has arrived at Pearse St Garda station to make a statement about the killing of Mary Boyle pic.twitter.com/VB6AuuNMmQ

— Gemma O’Doherty (@gemmaod1) October 1, 2015

Update:

The twin sister of Mary Boyle continues her statement to Gardai tonight after five hours in Pearse St station – https://t.co/nsT2a2L9uS — Gemma O’Doherty (@gemmaod1) October 1, 2015

Margo O’Donnell remains in Pearse St station tonight making a statement about the murder cover-up of schoolgirl Mary Boyle.

— Gemma O’Doherty (@gemmaod1) October 1, 2015

Update:

Mary Boyle’s twin Ann has completed her statement to Gardai. She is appealing to them to arrest the killer pic.twitter.com/9Fn8dNsied — Gemma O’Doherty (@gemmaod1) October 1, 2015

Update:

Margo O’Donnell has finished her statement in Pearse St, alleging a Garda cover-up in Mary Boyle’s murder. pic.twitter.com/026kkCmzd3

— Gemma O’Doherty (@gemmaod1) October 1, 2015