On the tenth anniversary (Tuesday 9 May) of the death of Vera McVeigh, the mother of Columba McVeigh who was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA in 1975, her son Oliver has said that he hopes those who have information about where Columba’s remains are buried will ‘...heed the words of Gerry Adams’ and come forward to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR).
Columba McVeigh’s remains are believed to be buried in a bog near Emyvale in Co. Monaghan.
A number of searches of the area have been unsuccessful.
Mr McVeigh said:
“Like the other families of the disappeared we were delighted to hear the news from France that the search for Seamus Ruddy was successful and that as soon as there is a formal identification his remains can be returned to his family for the Christian burial that was denied them for over 30 years.
That is all we want for our family.
Seamus’ name is on the grave stone of his mother and Columba’s name is on my mother’s head stone.
Our mother went to her grave 10 years ago broken hearted.
Our family cannot and will not rest until he is found and brought home.
The work in France shows that with the right information the ICLVR will locate and recover the remains of those so cruelly taken from us and secretly buried.
I saw that Gerry Adams has commended the work of the ICLVR and has urged people with information on the remaining three cases to come forward with information.
I hope and pray that those who know more about where Columba is but have so far stayed silent heed his words.
I am convinced that there are people out there who could end our suffering by getting what they know to the ICLVR.
They can do it in complete confidence and at no risk to themselves.
It would mean that my mother could then rest in peace properly with Columba beside her as she wished for in her final days and this would also change our lives forever”.
Anyone with information on the Disappeared can contact the ICLVR in complete confidence on 00800 555 85500, by writing to ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2. or via the website www.iclvr.ie”.
Ends.
