Tag Archives: Ann Doherty

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From top: : Ann Doherty (left) and Gemma O’Doherty at the United States Congress and with Representative Brendan Boyle (above).

This afternoon.

Capitol Hill, Washington DC

United States Congressman Brendan Boyle has pledged his support for justice for Ireland’s longest missing child Mary Boyle following a meeting in Capitol Hill today with her twin Ann Doherty and investigative journalist Gemma O’Doherty.

Congressman Boyle, a Democrat from Pennsylvania whose father is from Glencolumbkille, C0 Donegal, had a lengthy meeting with Ann and Gemma.

He expressed particular concern that Mary’s remains had not yet been found and that her killer is still at large. He has offered to assist them in their search for truth and justice in whatever capacity he can.

Mary Boyle was six years old when she vanished on remote farmland near Ballyshannon, Donegal on March 18, 1977. Her remains have never been found.

Her sister and a number of senior gardai who worked on the case in the period after the murder believe she was killed by somebody she knew and was sexually assaulted before her death.

The officers also allege that a politician contacted Ballyshannon Garda Station in the days after the murder and requested that certain people not be considered suspects.

Said Ann:

“It was a pleasure to meet Congressman Boyle today. He listened with compassion and interest to our testimony about Mary’s death and was most concerned. He has great affection for Donegal – his father’s homeland – and that is obvious not least because of the large picture of Glencolumbkille on his office wall”

“Having spent a number of days in Washington meeting politicians and others, I’ve have to say I have encountered more concern for my sister here than in the corridors of power in Ireland where Frances Fitzgerald and Micheal Martin both refuse to meet me.

I hope Irish-American politicians can use their influence now and encourage the government to set up an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption in the case and also to impress upon Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan that an arrest of Mary’s killer is long overdue.”

On the first day of their trip to Washington, Ann and Gemma met with former congressman and human rights lawyer Bruce Morrison and Fr Sean McManus of the Irish National Caucus who has been very supportive of Ann in her fight for justice.

They also met a series of senior politicians from Northern Ireland including Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, First Minister Arlene Foster, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, and Nigel Dodds DUP MP for North Belfast.

PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton and chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board Anne Connolly were also informed about the case, including allegations of Garda malpractice in the investigation.

They have agreed to meet Ann and Gemma in the coming months in Belfast.

Previously: Mary Boyle case on broadsheet

Pics : Gemma O’Doherty

 

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From top: Mary Boyle; from left: Solicitor Darragh Mackin, Margo O’Donnell, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Mary Boyle’s sister Ann Doherty in Government Buildings

Further to the meeting between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Ann Doherty, the twin sister of murdered schoolgirl Mary Boyle…

Gemma O’Doherty writes:

The Taoiseach has sent a personal letter to Ann Doherty, the twin sister of Mary Boyle, acknowledging ‘the pain and distress she has endured through many years.’

It follows their meeting of last Thursday (November 19) in Government Buildings where she informed Enda Kenny of her belief that Mary’s killer has been protected for almost four decades by some people known to the murdered schoolgirl and some members of the Gardai.

Mary was six when she vanished on her grandparents’ farm in Cashelard, Donegal in March, 1977. Her remains have never been found.

Ann believes her identical twin was murdered by somebody known to her because she was going to reveal a terrible secret.

She has also been informed by a number of retired officers that a politician made a phone call to Ballyshannon station in the days after the murder requesting that certain people were not to be considered suspects. Ann believes the investigation was hindered as a result.

Mr Kenny thanked Ann for meeting him and for ‘the honest manner’ in which she spoke ‘from the heart’ about her sister Mary.

‘I cannot begin to imagine the pain and distress you have endured in the many years that have gone by,’ he said.

Mr Kenny said he had sent a report about the meeting and the points made by Ann to the Department of Justice to be forwarded to the Gardai and the Donegal Coroner Dr Denis McCauley.

He also said that he hoped Ann would achieve a ‘resolution on this difficult journey.’

Ann has expressed gratitude to Mr Kenny for taking the time to meet her and has asked that he now publicly endorse her campaign for justice, which she has taken to Brussels, Stormont and Westminster.

Ann attended the meeting with her husband Shane, her solicitor Darragh Mackin and her cousin Margo O’Donnell.

“We had a productive meeting with the Taoiseach,” she said.

“He is now aware of the very serious concerns we have about what happened to Mary and he is also aware that there have been issues of child safety in relation to her killer for almost 40 years.

“I hope he will come out publicly now to support our camapign to find Mary and to encourage the Gardai to finally act and bring her killer to justice.”

Mr Kenny telephoned Margo O’Donnell earlier this week to say he would do all he could to support the women in their search for Mary and would contact her again in the coming days with an update on the matter.

Previously: The Meeting For Mary

Mary Boyle And ‘Political Interference’

Pic: Gemma O’Doherty