First search for murdered army captain

A search is underway on farmland in County Louth to find the remains of Captain Robert Nairac, who was kidnapped and murdered by the IRA while working undercover.

It is the first search for his remains since he was shot and secretly buried in May 1977.

The search was organized by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR).

She said she had “sufficient credible information” to begin searching private properties in the Faughart area near Dundalk.

Captain Nairac, 29, was kidnapped from a pub in Dromintee in South Armagh.

He was then taken across the Irish border to Flurry Bridge, where he was beaten and shot.

The whereabouts of his remains remain a mystery.

In recent years, the ICLVR has issued a number of requests for information.

It was set up in 1999 by the British and Irish governments to find the Disappeared – 17 people who were murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Northern Ireland conflict.

So far, the remains of 13 victims have been found.

ICLVR lead investigator Jon Hill said: “Robert Nairac is one of the most famous disappeared and yet we have very little evidence in his case.

“We believe we now have enough credible information to justify a search.”

The exact location was not disclosed.

Mr Hill added that neither the landowner nor the tenant had anything to do with the decision to search the site.

The area should be less than one acre.

Mr Hill continued: “We are not limited in time, but given the relatively small area, I do not expect the search to extend beyond several months.”

“The Nairac family have been informed that a search operation will begin soon and we will of course keep them updated on all developments.

“I can't quantify our confidence that we will find his remains, but if they are there, we have the skills, abilities and experience to find them.”

Kenny Donaldson, director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation, said that “the murder and disappearance of Captain Robert Nairac remains a topic of conversation in almost every household in south Armagh and even much further afield.”

“At the centre is a grieving family whose fundamental right to Robert's remains and a Christian burial has been denied,” he added.

“We pray that the new information that has come to light will prove credible.”

The search site lies in a larger area of ​​considerable archaeological interest.

The Hill of Faughart has been identified as a 14th century battlefield.

The ICLVR said it could count on the cooperation of the National Monuments Service.

The commission had previously dismissed rumors that Captain Nairac's body had been disposed of in a meat processing plant.

The allegations that he was involved in several terrorist attacks, including the bombings in Dublin and Monaghan, were also described as “wild accusations”.