Michael Fisher
The family of a County Tyrone teenager killed and secretly buried by the IRA over forty years ago received the sad news on Friday that the latest search for his remains in Bragan bog has ended without success. Dympna Kerr, the sister of Columba McVeigh, from Donaghmore, went to the site near Carrickroe to be briefed by representatives of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains.
Columba was 17 years old and was working in Dublin when he was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA in November 1975. Five extensive searches for his remains have taken place in the Bragan mountain area of County Monaghan. The latest operation by the ICLVR team began in September 2018 and was paused because of bad weather in November before recommencing in June.
Since the ICLVR was set up in 1999 to locate and recover the remains of the ‘disappeared’, an area of over 21 acres on Bragan Bog has been examined in detail for the remains of Columba McVeigh. ‘END OUR TORTURE’ His family have spoken of their pain and torment after hearing the news. Columba’s brother Oliver said they were devastated by the news, but also angry. Dympna Kerr said after all the setbacks, the conclusion of the search was hard to…
