Missing children from Kerry found safe in Dublin

Two missing Kerry youngsters were back with their families yesterday after being found safe and well in Dublin City centre.

A Garda co-ordinated search was carried out for Donncha Ireland, 15, from Beaufort, and Katie Mangan, 12, from Killorglin, who had boarded a 5.55pm train from Killarney to Heuston Station on Sunday.

Members of their families and friends travelled to Dublin to search for them on Monday, and they were found by gardaí at 1am yesterday.

Donncha’s father, Andy Ireland, said those searching spoke to everyone they met on the streets, including people who were doing charity work with the homeless.

“We were just haranguing them almost, giving them as much information as we could to see if anybody could come up with some class of whereabouts of where they could be,” said Mr Ireland.

Asked on RTE’s Morning Ireland why the children had left, he replied: “It seems they’d just felt the need to go and free themselves, and that’s what they did.

“They hopped up and went to Dublin just to go, just to be there.

“They don’t seem to be any the worse for wear at all, maybe a lack of sleep and a bit cold. Our nerves are completely shredded. They don’t appreciate what we went through.

“But I have to say also, the gardaí in Dublin were absolutely fantastic. The help and support they gave us was absolutely phenomenal.”

Asked what he said when he first saw the children after they went missing, Mr Ireland said: “I don’t think I had words to be honest. I sat down and saw them and said hello.”

Mr Ireland paid tribute to everyone who offered to help the family after the alarm was raised.