The Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner has welcomed the latest efforts to locate the remains of Captain Robert Nairac, an officer who disappeared during the Troubles. The search, which began recently, is taking place on private farmland in the Faughart area near Dundalk. It is being organised by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains, a body dedicated to finding individuals who were abducted and killed during the conflict.
Captain Nairac was abducted from a pub in Dromintee, South Armagh, in 1977. Following his abduction, he was taken across the border to Flurry Bridge, where he was beaten and shot dead. His remains were then secretly buried, making him one of the 17 individuals murdered by republican groups during the Troubles and buried in secret, a group collectively known as “The Disappeared.”
To date, the remains of 13 of the 17 Disappeared have been recovered, but Captain Nairac is among the four whose bodies have yet to be found. The ongoing search for his remains provides a glimmer of hope for closure for his family and the wider community.
The Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner expressed support for the renewed search efforts, stating, “We hope this fresh search will bring some resolution to Captain Nairac’s family and all those who still await answers. It’s vital for the healing process of all affected by the Troubles that every effort is made to locate the remains of the missing.”
The Commissioner also emphasised the importance of continuing to search for the remaining Disappeared, noting that finding their remains is a key step in addressing the lingering trauma experienced by many during the Troubles. The search in Faughart is expected to continue for several weeks, with hopes high that it will yield results and bring long-awaited answers to a dark chapter in Northern Ireland’s history.