A little over 5km south of Tullamore, before the village of Killeigh, a small bog road leads to the left off the N80.
With evidence of hedge and tree cutting on either side, initially there is agricultural land on the right, and on the left the land becomes bog very quickly.
Almost immediately the road surface becomes very mucky from heavy machinery and the motorised traffic of people accessing plots of turf. It can only be driven on slowly and carefully.
[ Gardaí begin second search in Fiona Pender murder investigationOpens in new window ]
A little along the road there are houses and thereafter yellow gorse, ferns, bushes and trees on either side of the road, with the encroaching foliage almost claustrophobic at times.
Man charged over grossly offensive communication on TikTok about ‘slicing Irish babies’
Sean McGovern’s return from Dubai marks Ireland’s highest risk extradition since John Gilligan
Watch live updates: Minister did not consent to second term for Arts Council director Maureen Kennelly, PAC told
‘I came here for protection’: John Magnier complains about ‘unfair’ treatment in court
About half a kilometre in, three red ribbons can be seen, two on the left and one on the right – apparently marking out plots for local turf cutters. Then, a short distance on, gardaí were on Tuesday searching a patch of bogland, at Graigue, for the remains of Fiona Pender.
The search was the third such operation, involving excavation, conducted by the investigation team in Tullamore in the 29 years since Ms Pender vanished while seven months pregnant in 1996.
People in the vicinity were coming to terms with the news and were reluctant to be identified given the sensitivities of the case.
“I hope they find her, for the family. It’s been going on too long, they deserve closure. Everyone in the locality hopes that she is found,” said one local woman, who preferred not to be identified.
A little farther on another woman, who also preferred not to supply her name, said: “People are reluctant to comment because there have been so many false dawns. Like, I was small when Fiona went missing. If this is another hoax, that will be devastating.
“I think it is a hoax, she was supposed to be in Rosenallis [in Co Laois in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains], we’ve seen this with other missing victims up and down the country,” she said.
In Tullamore, while people were a little more inclined to give their views, there still remained a reticence.
“I knew Fiona well, she was a lovely girl,” said Tom Touhey (55), who lives in Arden View in the town.
“I’d meet her most days ... I knew her mother well.”
Also in Tullamore was Frank Hynes (67), who lives close to Mullingar. “It’s something that has always been in the background. Even if you were not from Tullamore very few people are not aware of the case,” he said.
“I would like to see a resolution.”
On Tuesday evening, gardaí said they had concluded the search of bogland. On Wednesday, they announced they had begun a second search – this time at Clonaslee, Co Laois, in the Slieve Bloom mountains. A search was conducted in that general area in 2008, though nothing of evidential value was found.
Ms Pender was aged 25 when last seen in Tullamore on August 23rd, 1996.
“It’s a long time, it’s sad that something hasn’t happened,” said Mr Touhey.
