Family of Disappeared victim want daily ‘torment’ to end

By The Newsroom
Published 4th Oct 2022, 08:27 BST
Oliver McVeigh, brother of Columba McVeigh, visiting the search site at Bragan Bog, near Emyvale in Co Monaghan, Ireland, where a new search is under way for the remains of 19-year-old Columba, from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, who was last seen in November 1975. The family of a teenager who was murdered and secretly buried by the IRA have spoken of their hope as the new search for his remains begins.Oliver McVeigh, brother of Columba McVeigh, visiting the search site at Bragan Bog, near Emyvale in Co Monaghan, Ireland, where a new search is under way for the remains of 19-year-old Columba, from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, who was last seen in November 1975. The family of a teenager who was murdered and secretly buried by the IRA have spoken of their hope as the new search for his remains begins.
Oliver McVeigh, brother of Columba McVeigh, visiting the search site at Bragan Bog, near Emyvale in Co Monaghan, Ireland, where a new search is under way for the remains of 19-year-old Columba, from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, who was last seen in November 1975. The family of a teenager who was murdered and secretly buried by the IRA have spoken of their hope as the new search for his remains begins.
The family of a teenager who was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA said finding his remains would bring an end to their daily torment.

Columba McVeigh, 19, from Donaghmore, Tyrone, was last seen in November 1975.

Forensic archaeologists and excavators have begun a fresh attempt to locate his remains at a site at Bragan Bog, near Emyvale in Co Monaghan.

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It will be the sixth search to find Columba in the area since 1999.

The latest search was confirmed by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR).

Columba is one of the “Disappeared” victims of the Troubles whose bodies have still to be found.

His brother, Oliver, said Columba was buried and left to die “like a dog”.

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Oliver McVeigh, who was aged 14 when his older brother disappeared, said the family want to give him a Christian burial.

Mr McVeigh was joined at the search site on Monday by actor Jimmy Nesbitt, a patron of the Wave Trauma Centre and supporter of the families of the “disappeared”.

Mr McVeigh told PA News agency: “It’s a bit deja vu, we’ve been here before but hopefully this time we will find him and have the ending we want.

“We’ve had days like this before and disappointment before. It’s a bleak area. Just imagine taking a 19-year-old out here, walking him out and shooting him like a dog, burying him like a dog and leaving him there, to be never found again. Horrific.

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“It’s strange. It’s been four years since the last one (search) but they very fact we are back digging and looking for him, yes that’s good but we want to find him and not waste people’s time and give him a Christian burial.

“It’s important to tell the IRA people, we want to find his body, we are not going away, we want answers, we want people to come and tell us where he is and get the exact spot and bury him.

“We don’t want any incriminations or any investigations. We just want the result that will lead to bury him in Donaghmore.

“I am fairly confident he is in this area.

“We will never know and the proof in the pudding is that he has not been found. While we are optimistic, it has been dashed before.”

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He added: “Columba and my mother always had a great relationship and he was always bubbly and up to tricks.

“He was happy and funny and liked football.

“It would mean everything to find him.

“We could put him in a grave with my mother and father and we wouldn’t have to keep tormenting ourselves to find his body.

“It would mean the world and my one legacy in life is to find his body.”