VIDEO: Bright, bubbly girl who grew up on parents’ farm

A bright and bubbly young woman, Karen Buckley grew up on her parents’ farm at Glynn, Mourneabbey about 12km outside Mallow in north Cork. As the youngest in her family, the 24-year-old has three older brothers: Brendan, 32; Kieran 28, and Damian 27.

Kieran and Damian live and work in Sydney, Australia while Brendan lives and works in Cork.

Parents John Buckley, 62, and Marion Buckley, 61 are farmers. They live among around 1,000 people in the small rural parish of Mourneabbey which is mostly an agricultural region.

As a child, Karen attended Analeentha National School and continued her studies at St Mary’s Secondary School in Mallow. She has been described as a kind and likeable character, always smiling and laughing. Karen was a member of Mourneabbey Ladies Football Club while her brothers also played GAA with Clyda Rovers.

After completing her Leaving Certificate, Karen moved to Limerick to study General Nursing at UL. She immersed herself in college life, attending events run by the Students’ Union and various clubs and societies in the university. Her friends and classmates at UL say she always got on with everyone and is a very thoughtful and upbeat, positive person.

After graduating from the University of Limerick with a degree in General Nursing in January 2014, Karen took some time out and travelled to the US and Thailand and then moved to the UK where she began working as a nurse at Princess Alexandria Hospital in Harlow, Essex.

In January last, she moved to Glasgow to study occupational therapy at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Karen moved into a flat on Hill Street in Garnethill with three other female students and was understood to be enjoying Glasgow and her studies.

It was here, after a night out in Sanctuary Nightclub on Saturday, that she went missing. After telling her friends she was going to the bathroom, Karen left the club and did not return, leaving her coat behind.

She was seen on CCTV talking to a man who was later tracked down by police.

He said he drove Karen to his flat and she left to go home at around 4am. However, Karen never made it home, and has not contacted anyone since.

Police say there has been no activity on Karen’s social media accounts since the morning she went missing and her handbag was later found in a park. They say she is aware of how to take care of herself and she wouldn’t be one to disappear without telling her friends and family. Her father described Karen as a “sensible” girl.

“Karen is a lovely girl, close to her family and popular with her friends,” said Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr.

READ MORE: Man arrested in Karen Buckley case after human remains found