Relatives of Robert Nairac face a nerve-wracking time as they wait to find out whether the remains of the British Army captain will be recovered, said the daughter of a south Armagh man missing for 30 years before his were found in 2010.
All the families of the Disappeared have spoken of their hope the “distress” facing the relatives will end as the search for his remains begins in Co Louth.
The search for the remains of the British Army captain began on Monday just across the border from where he was believed abducted in south Armagh in 1977.
This development follows the gathering of “sufficient credible information to warrant a search”, said Jon Hill, the head of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR).
Anna McShane, the daughter of Charlie Armstrong, missing from Crossmaglen until the 2010 discovery of his remains, said the families are “delighted” to hear the news.
“The families are all delighted to hear about the dig starting,” said Mrs McShane, who is in touch with Captain Nairac’s sisters, Rosemonde and Gabrielle via Wave, the support organisation for the families.
“With God’s help he’ll be found. Everyone needs closure,”
She added: “It is very hard time for the families during the search. It is nerve wracking. It is unbelievable the feelings the family will have to go through but hopefully this will not be long drawn out.”
Mrs McShane and the rest of her family went through three searches, including one undertaken by themselves. During the last one, it was three weeks before her father’s remains were found. It was of a much larger scope than the one acre mapped out for the search for Mr Nairac’s remains.
Because of the smaller area, Mrs McShane said she would be “very hopeful” as the team would not be going in “without being sure of their facts”. However, it will take many more weeks to definitely identify the remains if any are found.
“They will have to go through that,” the Crossmaglen woman said of the wait. “During the search I did not sleep and hardly ate. You are living on your nerves and at the site morning and night.”.
All the relatives of the Disappeared are one big family, she said, before adding: “If they get good news, we are all happy. If it is bad, we are all sad.”
Sandra Peake, the head of WAVE. a Belfast-headquartered organisation, said the announcement of the search “is a positive development”.
Ms Peake said: “Every family member of the Disappeared long for the day when their loved one is returned and they can give them a Christian burial. It is an agonising wait.
“As I contacted the families to tell them about the search, they all spoke of the harrowing wait and their hope that this distress would end for the Nairac family.
“Many spoke of praying for the family and the search team who will work tirelessly to find Robert’s remains.”
A team, including forensic experts, will search one acre of land in the Faughart area of Co Louth, approximately half way between the border and Dundalk.
The army captain was believed abducted by the IRA from The Three Steps Inn in Dromintee in south Armagh. He was taken across the border to Flurry Bridge in County Louth where he was killed.
Along with Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and Seamus Maguire, Mr Nairac is one of four of the Disappeared, - all abducted, murdered and buried in secret graves by the IRA - still missing.
The search will differ in a number of ways from the organisation’s last search for Co Tyrone teenager Columba McVeigh at Bragan Bog in Co Monaghan, Mr Hill said.
“The area itself is relatively small, less than one acre, and farmland is inherently more stable than the bogland we have had to work on in other searches for the Disappeared,” he added.
“And so, while the weather is always a factor we have to deal with, I would hope that we will get a relatively clear run at this one.”
The search, on a site which is part of an area of significant archaeological interest, is being support by Ireland’s National Monuments Service.
“We are grateful for the support and co-operation of the National Monuments Service who have an interest in the wider area in which the Hill of Faughart has been identified as a 14th century battle site,” he said.
“Given that we may uncover archaeology or even historic remains, we have taken additional measures to cater for that eventuality and so we don’t anticipate that causing any insurmountable issues with our search.”
Mr Hill said the search will continue until they have found the remains or are satisfied there is nothing there to find.
“We are not time-limited but given the relatively small area, by our standards, I do not anticipate a protracted search period of many months.”
Ms Peake urged anyone who has information, however seemingly insignificant, to contact the independent commission as it may “make the difference in ending this cruel and traumatic ordeal”.
