COMMENT: Spare a thought for Trevor’s family

LAST Friday, Dublin city centre was absolutely buzzing with seasonal cheer as the party season got underway. 

If you manage to avoid the pitfalls of the office Christmas party, it can be a most enjoyable affair, where colleagues can let their hair down (but hopefully not too much!) and reflect on the year that’s been.

Many of the revellers wouldn’t have realised that their big night out coincided with the 17th anniversary of the disappearance of Trevor Deely, the 22-year-old Bank of Ireland employee who went missing after his own Christmas party on December 8, 2000.

This year, hopes were raised of a breakthrough in the case. First, digitally enhanced CCTV footage of Trevor’s last known movements was released, showing a possible suspect. But even more significant was when new information was offered to gardaí working on the case. The tip-off was treated as credible and led to a six-week-long excavation of a site in Chapilizod.

Ultimately, this search proved fruitless in solving the mystery of Trevor’s disappearance and the heartache for his family continues.

That’s not to say they have given up hope. To highlight National Missing Persons’ Day last week, his brother Mark reasoned that if they kept Trevor’s name alive, there was every chance they could try to find out what actually happened to him.

While admitting it was unrealistic to expect people to remember where they were on the weekend of Trevor’s disappearance, Mark has urged the public to have a look at the CCTV footage on the Garda website.

The fifth National Missing Persons’ Day was held last Wednesday at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park. The event commemorates those who have gone missing and recognises the lasting trauma of their family and friends. It also aims to draw attention to open or unsolved missing persons’ cases and creates an opportunity to provide information on available support services.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, said: “The importance of national Missing Persons’ Day is two-fold, providing an annual focal point to raise public awareness of missing persons cases and highlighting the vital work of many organisations, such as An Garda Siochana, Forensic Science Ireland and voluntary and local organisations around the country that provide specific support to families of missing persons.”

The minister referred to the increasingly important contribution made by forensic science and Ireland’s national DNA database in relation to cases of missing persons.

The ceremony concluded with two symbolic ceremonies: the laying of remembrance roses in the Farmleigh fountain and the release of homing pigeons.

As Christmas approaches, we should all spare a thought for the family and friends of Trevor Deely, who – like me and my colleagues last Friday night – should have returned home safely after a work Christmas party. As with all families of missing persons, this is one of the toughest times of the year for them.

The Missing Persons’ Helpline number is 1890 442552. You can also email [email protected]