VOLUNTEERS from Clare have assisted in the search for missing Kerry farmer, Michael Gaine.
Clare Civil Defence volunteers were in Kerry as part of the search for the fifty six year old who was last seen on March 20th in Kenmare where he purchased credit for his phone from a local Centra store.
The Kerry man is described as being a larger than life character who stands at approximately 5ft 10, of stocky build with brown/grey hair and a bushy beard. He was last seen wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots. A number of his cattle were recently sold at an auction.
Gardaí, assisted by members of the Defence Forces and the Civil Defence have carried out enquiries in the locality as part of ongoing efforts to locate Michael. On Friday, fourteen Clare Civil Defence volunteers travelled from Ennis to Kenmare to assist in the search efforts.
Clare Civil Defence Officer Steven Hayes told The Clare Echo, “They were given an area by An Garda Siochána and the search manager and then conducted a land search and a line search through the areas that they were given. They were supported then by drones and were given separate areas. They also went into cover and helped the teams that were going through brush and the bad land”.
Difficult conditions have hampered the search due to its rural location and vast search area. “Conditions would be on the extreme end, difficult conditions to travel, it’s vast. The land down there would be measured in kilometres, it’s that big. It’s a really, really vast area”, Steven explained.
Gardaí have stated that after being spotted at the Centra store “Michael then left in his bronze coloured RAV4 registration 152 KY 366. This vehicle was found parked in Michael Gaine’s farmyard, just off the N71 at Carrig East”.
“We didn’t meet too many locals as such”, Steven said. “We were given a job to do and we went to do it. There was a lot of hope the day we were down there in trying to locate him”, the Civil Defence Officer concluded.
The search for Mr Gaine is continuing to be led by a number of state and voluntary bodies as well as locals in the vicinity.
