Body of Joe Gerard Reilly Identified

There has been an appeal on this website for the last few years for Joe Gerard Reilly who disappeared in December 2006. Unknown to his family, his body was washed up on the shores of Louth in 2007 and local people buried the remains as a John Doe in the local cemetery in Lordship. But it is only recently that the remains has been identified as that of Joe Reilly. This is not the first time that this has happened and raises serious questions about how missing persons files were checked in the past. While it is wonderful that the Reilly family have now learned what happened and have a grave to visit, so many other families may be wondering if their loved one is also buried in some cemetery as a Jane or John Doe. It is however good to know that there is now a special Garda Unit in Harcourt Square who are looking afresh at these cases. May Joe rest in peace.

Aquinas Duffy