When Barbara Walsh, who was known as Babe Dara Aindriú, went missing after a house party in Connemara in June 1985, her disappearance was not reported until a week after her last sighting.
Ms Walsh, who was just short of her 34th birthday, left seven young children: five daughters and two sons, the youngest a baby at the time. Her disappearance did not make many headlines, reporting was minimal and no trace of her was ever found.
Now, 30 years later, An Garda Síochána are following more than 100 new lines of inquiry into her whereabouts as they conduct extensive searches of her family home and surrounding lands at Ruisín na Maithníoch (Rusheenamanagh), in Carna.
The house was cordoned off with corrugated sheeting, an excavator was hired and a sniffer dog was brought from Britain as part of the search, which began yesterday morning and is expected to continue for several days.
Led by Supt Sean Glynn, the search was prompted by family concerns, raised in the Seanad by Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, and by a review of missing persons files in the Galway area from January of this year.
Inquiries
House-to-house inquiries took place in the Carna area during the summer, and gardaí say almost 60 people have been interviewed.
Mr Ó Clochartaigh, who has welcomed the investigation, says gardaí have told him a “significant amount of information has been gleaned”, prompting the 112 lines of inquiry.
Ms Walsh, brown-haired, 1.73m (5ft 8in) and of medium build, was remembered as a woman “full of fun” and a “joyful person” who was often seen on a pony and loved her young children dearly.
Her husband Dara, who died some years ago, had welcomed his brother home from Australia on the night of June 21st, 1985, with a night out in a local pub.
Most of those in the pub came back to the house, and local residents who remember the night in question say those invited included several gardaí and the priest.
Ms Walsh was last seen at about 4am on June 22nd, with dawn breaking as it was close to midsummer.
Garda files indicate that no official report of her disappearance was recorded until June 29th, a full week later.
‘Shine a light’
Mr Ó Clochartaigh said he welcomed the review and hoped that it would “shine a light on the disappearance of Barbara Walsh”.
“I would expect that the investigation will be prompt, thorough and might finally bring closure to the family of Barbara Walsh who have been distraught ever since they lost her,” he said.
Gardaí said in a statement that the “planned and structured searches” are being carried out by investigating gardaí with the assistance of the Garda Technical Bureau.
Gardaí are appealing for anyone who may have any information about the disappearance of Ms Walsh to contact them at Clifden Garda station on 095-22500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or any Garda station.
