The recovery of the remains of two IRA victims earlier this week has given hope to the family of another victim, Ms Jean McConville. Speaking from Templetown beach, where the search is continuing for her remains, her family offered to leave if those with detailed knowledge of her secret grave were prepared to visit it in an effort to pinpoint the location.
The news that a grave and remains of two men had been found had come as the Independent Commission met the families of all the disappeared in a hotel in Co Louth earlier this week.
Ms Jean McConville's daughter, Ms Helen McKendry, said everyone there had expected to hear that more of the searches were being suspended but instead they got the news that human remains had been found at Colgagh bog in Co Monaghan. "It was great news for everyone, when we got back here to Templetown all the guards were smiling. I also think it is great news for the other two families where things have come to a standstill, maybe they will get fresh information. "Maybe now all the families involved will get back their loved ones," she said.
She said the fresh information given to the Commission and relayed to the Garda was important in the discovery of the remains in Colgagh. "The people who buried the disappeared must all still be alive and all must know exactly where they buried them. I don't know whether they are playing a political game with us, as the talks start . . . the first body turned up as something was happening . . ." The family are prepared to leave their daily vigil at Templetown beach if those responsible for her mother's disappearance will visit it to try to find the location of her remains. Meanwhile, gardai began to dig another 80 metres of the beach. The area being excavated is where the car park was located at the time of Ms McConville's murder. The sand there is softer and that will speed up the work, but the relevant area is still extensive. Chief Supt Michael Finnegan is in charge of excavations at two sites in Co Meath and Templetown, where four of the remaining six bodies are said to be buried. He said: "Based on what happened at Monaghan, we have to continue on the basis that the bodies are somewhere in the vicinity of the locations pinpointed to us." He visited the McConville family yesterday and said: "The search here will continue until we hopefully locate the body."
At Colgagh, gardai yesterday carried out a final examination of the shallow grave that contained the bodies of Mr John McClory and Mr Brian McKinney. It was approximately 15 ft from the dirt track that leads into the bog. The grave was approximately a foot deep, covered with stones, and the bodies were lying together.
Before the gardai left they put up a trellis behind the stone that had become a shrine to the missing men. Insp Noel Cunningham said: "Everyone is delighted with the discovery. The family were not faceless individuals to us, they were very pleased and we did our best to look after them."