Mary Boyle disappeared from a swampy field next her grandparents home in an isolated part of Donegal in 1977. She disappeared without a trace, and her case has become the longest running missing child case in Ireland.
In forty years, the case has seen only one arrest and also has been linked with notorious Scottish child-killer Robert Black, and has drawn the attention of controversial media figures. But, through all that, Mary is still missing, and her mother still prays daily to know what happened to her.
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Theme Music:
Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sources:
Barry Cummins, Missing: The unsolved cases of Ireland‘s vanished women and children (Dublin: Gill Books, 2019) ch. 9.
Mary Boyle: The Untold Story. Written and Directed by Gemma O’Doherty.
Brighid McLaughlin, “ Mary Boyle – a stolen child” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mary-boyle-a-stolen-child-26259379.html (16 May 1999)
Anita Guidera, “Gardai probe 26-year missing child link to UK killer” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-probe-26year-missing-child-link-to-uk-killer-25922663.html (18 November 2003)
Anita Gudera and Martha Kerns, “Missing girl’s father one of three tragic drownings in five hours” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/missing-girls-father-one-of-three-tragic-drownings-in-five-hours-25976360.html (20 July 2005)
Anita Guidera, “Mum still searches for her girl, 30 years on” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mum-still-searches-for-her-girl-30-years-on-26270736.html (15 March 2007)
Anita Guidera, “34- year search for girl resumes” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/34year-search-for-girl-resumes-26612529.html (10 January 2011)
Mark Hilliard, Greg Harkin and David Young, “Paedophile faces questions in missing teen’s cold case” in the Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/paedophile-faces-questions-in-missing-teens-cold-case-26786394.html (28 October 2011)
Anita Guidera, “Search to resume for body of girl missing since 1977” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/search-to-resume-for-body-of-girl-missing-since-1977-30681599.html (19 March 2012)
Greg Harkin, “Cold case report on missing Mary (6) due shortly” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/cold-case-report-on-missing-mary-6-due-shortly-30681588.html (21 March 2012)
Don Hale and Brian Byrne, “Serial killer is suspect in missing Irish schoolgirl case” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/serial-killer-is-suspect-in-missing-irish-schoolgirl-case-30658664.html (13 October 2014)
Denise Calnan and Mark O’Regan, “Sex offender arrested for alleged kidnapping of missing girl Mary Boyle (6) 37 years ago” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sex-offender-arrested-for-alleged-kidnapping-of-missing-girl-mary-boyle-6-37-years-ago-30681506.html (21 October 2014)
“Man held over 1977 disappearance” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/man-held-over-1977-disappearance-30681637.html (21 October 2014)
Damien Eagers “Garda Press conference outside Mullingar Garda Station in relation to the arrest of a man in connection with the disappearance of Mary Boyle, who is missing 37 years” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/videos/irish-news/video-man-arrested-for-alleged-kidnapping-of-missing-girl-mary-boyle-6-37-years-ago-30682407.html (21 October 2014)
“The girl who seemed to vanish into thin air” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/the-girl-who-seemed-to-vanish-into-thin-air-30683481.html (22 October 2014)
Mark O’Regan and Greg Harkin, “’I know man held over Mary’s disappearance’ – mother of missing girl” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/i-know-man-held-over-marys-disappearance-mother-of-missing-girl-30683490.html (22 October 2014)
Sarah Stack, “Man released in Mary Boyle disappearance probe” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/man-released-in-mary-boyle-disappearance-probe-30685670.html (22 October 2014)
“A 65-year-old man quizzed by Gardai on two occasions over the disappeance of Mary Boyle (6) more than 30 years ago says he’s innocent of any wrongdoing” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligochampion/news/a-65yearold-man-quizzed-by-gardai-on-two-occasions-over-the-disappearance-of-mary-boyle-6-more-than-30-years-ago-says-hes-innocent-of-any-wrongdoing–30977778.html (14 February 2015)
Paul Deering, “I had no role in schoolgirl disappearing” in The Sligo Champion https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligochampion/news/i-had-no-role-in-schoolgirl-disappearing-nabductschoolgirl-mary-boyle-30977264.html (14 February 2015)
Greg Harkin, “Missing Mary is a mystery to me, says paedophile” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/missing-mary-is-a-mystery-to-me-says-paedophile-30982826.html (11 February 2015)
Meave Sheehan, “Retired cop recalls rumours of political influence in missing Mary Boyle probe” in The Sunday Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/retired-cop-recalls-rumours-of-political-influence-in-missing-mary-boyle-probe-31599476.html (11 October 2015
David Young and Denise Calnan, “Child killer Robert Black dies in prison aged 68” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/child-killer-robert-black-dies-in-prison-aged-68-34358663.html (12 January 2016)
Catherine Devine, “All evidence in case of disappearance of Mary Boyle (60 to be re-examined” in i The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/all-evidence-in-case-of-disappearance-of-mary-boyle-6-to-be-reexamined-34876265.html (12 July 2016)
Catherine Devine, “’I saw Mary being driven away in a red car’ – fisherman believes he saw Mary Boyle (6) being ‘lifted’” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/i-saw-mary-being-driven-away-in-a-red-car-fisherman-believes-he-saw-mary-boyle-6-being-lifted-34883293.html (14 July 2016)
“Excavation under way in Co Donegal in search for missing Mary Boyle” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/excavation-under-way-in-co-donegal-in-search-for-missing-mary-boyle-34887228.html (15 July 2016)
Greg Harkin, “Gardai may return to dig in search for little Mary” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-may-return-to-dig-in-search-for-little-mary-34888522.html (16 July 2016)
Thomás Heneghan, “Sean McEniff says he is not politician at the centre of Mary Boyle documentary” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/sean-mceniff-says-he-is-not-politician-at-the-centre-of-mary-boyle-documentary-34893362.html (18 July 2016)
Meave Sheehan, “Second garda denies Mary Boyle cover-up” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/second-garda-denies-mary-boyle-coverup-34963362.html (14 August 2016 )
Jane O’Flaherty, “Garda says local politician did not interfere in case” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-says-local-politician-did-not-interfere-in-case-34965356.html (15 August 2016)
Kathy Donaghy, “Missing Mary is one of states longest running cases” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/missing-mary-is-one-of-states-longest-running-cases-37817773.html (16 February 2019)
“Gardai renew Mary Boyle appeal on 41st anniversary of her disappearance” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/gardai-renew-mary-boyle-appeal-on-41st-anniversary-of-her-disappearance-36717710.html (18 March 2018)
Jim Cusack, “Notorious serial killer was in Donegal when Mary Boyle vanished” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/notorious-serial-killer-was-in-donegal-when-mary-boyle-vanished-30693257.html (26 October 2014)
Ray Managh, “Estate of deceased politician allowed continue defamation claim against journalist O’Doherty” in The Irish Independent https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/estate-of-deceased-politician-allowed-continue-defamation-claim-against-journalist-odoherty-37959228.html (28 March 2019)
Paddy Clancy, “Detectives at centre of Mary Boyle inquiry reject any claims of political interference” in The Irish Times (20 August 2016) p. 4.
Kitty Holland, “Mary Boyle’s disappearance and the 40 year fob off” in The Irish Times (9 May 2016) p. 13.
Conor Lally, “YouTube video on missing girl removed” in The Irish Independent (7 July 2016) p. 5
Paddy Clancy, “Politician denies link to Boyle case” in The Irish Times (19 July 2016) p. 5.
Conor Lally and Stephen Maguire, “Girl’s mother said she never gave up hope” in The Irish Times (22 October 2014) p. 1.
Conor Lally and Eoghan MacConnell, “Gardai make first arrest in case of Ireland’s longest-missing person” in The Irish Times (22 October 2014) p. 4.
Paddy Clancy, “new search for Mary Boyle’s remains” in The Irish Times (10 January 2011) p. 6.
“Parents of missing girl still hope daughter’s remains will be found” in The Irish Times (17 March 2004) p. 2.
Conor Lally, “Land search not related to cold case review of 1977 Boyle disappearance” in The Irish Times (16 July 2016)
“Search for girl spreads” in The Irish Times (4 September 1978) p. 13.
Paddy Clancy, “Search for Mary Boyle not expected to resume” in The Irish Times (11 January 2011) p. 2.
“Missing girl’s sister says case review is ‘a sham’” in The Irish Times (8 September 2016) p. 6.
“Garda ready to excavate bog in search for girl” in The Irish Times (13 September 1996) p. 4.
“Lake search continues for missing girl” in The Irish Times 12 October 1995) p. 7.
“Rain hampers search for schoolgirl” in The Irish Times (27 September 1996) p. 9.
“Gardai appeal for information about schoolgirl’s disappearance” in The Irish times (19 March 2018) p 7.
“Search for child reveals arms dump” in The Irish Times (22 March 1977) p. 6.
Gerry Moriarty, “Child serial killer Black dies in prison in Northern Ireland” in The Irish Times (13 January 2016) p. 5.
Conor Lally, “Suspect in missing girl case is released” in The Irish Times (23 October 2014) p. 9.
“Girl still missing” in The Irish Times (26 April 1977) p. 5.
“Donegal search continues” in The Irish Times (23 March 1977) p. 11.
“Search for missing girl called off” in The Irish Times (21 March 1977) p. 5.