Mother: ‘I’d like to have closure on missing Desmond. That’s all I’m looking for’

Julia Walsh spends her birthdays wondering where the body of her son Des lies.

Fifteen years ago today, on Julia’s 58th birthday, Des disappeared without a trace.

The mother-of-three said her birthday, instead of being a celebration, is “pure torture”.

However, what weighs even heavier on Mrs Walsh, who turns 73 today, is she believes her son has been murdered. “I won’t be celebrating today,” she said. “I’ve nothing to celebrate.”

Mrs Walsh’s feelings of despair were compounded by the tragic death of her husband Thomas, 72, who passed away from cancer two years after Des’s disappearance.

Appealing for information, Mrs Walsh said: “It hits you hard at different times but, I have to keep going. Someone must know something. I’d like to have closure on Desmond. That’s all I’m looking for.”

Mr Walsh, aged 25 and a senior security guard at Dell computers in Raheen, Limerick, was last seen in the early hours of Friday, September 18, 1999.

He was spotted at 2am coming out of the former Works nightclub in Bedford Row and, prior to that, had been in Costello’s Tavern and the Glentworth Hotel.

He left behind his clothes, bank card, keys to his flat, and passport, and his bank account remained untouched.

Catherine Costello, a private investigator and former policewoman, also believes he was killed, but accepts there is no clear evidence. Ms Costello, who is also a co-founder of the voluntary Searching for the Missing group, added: “For Julia Walsh, not having a body is emotional torture. Nothing can be as bad for a family to have no closure or no grave to go to.”

Confidential calls, voicemails, and texts regarding missing people can be made to 085 2092119, a line run by the missing persons group.

“This is still a missing persons case and it will continue to be so until something new unfolds.

“I would love to bring a conclusion to the [Walsh] family,” said Chief Supt David Sheahan of Henry Street Garda Station.

“The case remains open. If anybody out there has information that they want to pass on to gardaí, we will certainly follow it up. We will do our best to follow up on any lines of enquiry, or any new lines of enquiry that emerge as a result of this appeal,” the chief superintendent said.

Roxboro Road Garda Station can be contacted on 061 214340.